These Fresh Green Beans with Bacon, Dijon Maple Sauce, Caramelized Pecans, and Feta aren’t your grandmother’s green beans – no offense grandma.
In need of a quick and easy Thanksgiving side dish? These green beans and bacon are a total winner! Plus, they can be made in advance.
Fresh Green Beans with Bacon
I was in charge of making the “green bean casserole” for Thanksgiving a couple times back in the day so I whipped up my momโs green beans that have been passed down for generations. They were comforting and homey but there is a reason they are only made once a year. Isn’t it funny how we only make certain foods only once a year because itโs an obligatory Thanksgiving item?
But what if green beans werenโt canned? What if green beans werenโt smothered in mystery โcream-of-something-soup? What if green beans werenโt bland and boring but fresh, exciting and exploding with flavor and texture? I give you such green beans.
While these Dijon Maple Green Beans might sound like another Thanksgiving recipe, they are not just a Thanksgiving recipe. They are going to become a year-round favorite dinner side, favorite side to impress company and favorite side when you simply crave crisp tender green beans sauteed in butter, garlic, shallots and red pepper flakes, infused with a sauce of Dijon, pure maple syrup, and balsamic vinegar topped with the crunch of bacon, sweet caramelized pecans and creamy Feta cheese.
Tangy, salty, sweet, crunchy, crispy, creamy – AKA, in my humble opinion, “the best green beans ever,” or at least that’s what I repeatedly exclaimed to myself when I tried to stop eaten them long enough to take pictures.
Move over, green bean casserole, there is a new exquisitely beautiful and exquisitely delicious green bean side in town. And it goes by Dijon Maple Green Beans with Caramelized Pecans, Bacon and Feta. Not your grandmother’s green beans.
Bacon Green Bean Recipe Ingredients
Despite the long recipe title, these sautรฉed green beans with bacon have a fairly short ingredient list:
How to Pick Fresh Green Beans
With the abundance of green beans in season, our Dijon Maple Green Beans boast fresh green beans instead of canned. You will need 1 ยฝ pounds fresh green beans for this recipe. Here are some helpful tips to select the freshest and therefore the most flavorful fresh green beans:
How to Prep Fresh Green Beans
โข Wash fresh green beans thoroughly in cool water. Repeat.
โข Pat green beans dry.
โข Trim the stems off the green beans in batches. You can trim them straight or at a slight diagonal for a more gourmet look.
โข The most efficient way to trim fresh green beans is to line a small bunch on a cutting board so the ends are even on one side. Trim the ends on this even side.
โข Level the other side and trim those ends.
โข Beans are more aesthetically pleasing left whole but if they are extra long, then you can cut them in half.
How To Store Fresh Green Beans
If youโre making these Dijon Maple Green Beans for Thanksgiving, you arenโt going to want to wait to the last minute to purchase your green beans โ or else they could all be sold out! Thankfully green beans store very well. To store fresh green beans:
โข Do NOT wash the beans. Wait until you are ready to cook your green beans to wash them otherwise moisture can be left on them which can cause mold.
โข Use a paper towel. Line an airtight container or large freezer bag with a paper towel. The paper towel will absorb any moisture and prevent the green beans from growing mold.
โข Remove excess air. If using a resealable bag, try and push out as much air as possible before you seal it.
โข Store. Store in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator for 5-7 days.
What is the best way to cook fresh green beans?
There are several ways to cook fresh green beans from sautรฉing, roasting, or steaming. No matter the method, the most important part of cooking fresh green beans is to not OVER-COOK them. We want crisp-tender green beans and never mushy green beans.
My preferred method of cooking fresh green beans is to blanch them for tenderness and then sautรฉ them for flavor. To do this:
How Long to Blanch Green Beans?
The fresh green beans need to blanch for just 2 minutes in boiling water. Set a timer!
WHAT IS AN ICE BATH FOR COOKING?
If you arenโt familiar with an ice bath, it is used to quickly stop the cooking process. We need an ice bath to stop our green beans from cooking because we are going to sautรฉ them later. If they continue to cook, they will become mushy and unappetizing.
Prepare your ice bath before you start cooking your green beans so it is all ready for you. To make an ice bath, simply fill a large bowl with ice and cold water.
How to make Green Beans with Bacon
I’ve given detailed instructions below on how to make this green bean side dish, but here’s an overview of the process:
- In a small bowl, mix together the mustard-maple sauce. Set aside.
- Blanch green beans in a large stock pot of salted boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain and transfer beans to a large bowl of ice water.
- In a saucepan, sautรฉ the shallots, garlic and red pepper flakes n some melted butter.
- Add beans and Dijon-maple sauce and continue to cook until beans are evenly coated in the sauce and beans and cooked to desired crisp-tenderness.
- Garnish with caramelized nuts, bacon and Feta.
Can I make this Green Bean and Bacon recipe ahead of time?
โข Yes! These green beans are excellent to make ahead of time for stress-free Thanksgiving or Blanch the green beans according to directions and immediately transfer to a water bath.
โข Melt the butter over medium heat in a large skillet. Add shallots, garlic and red pepper flakes and sautรฉ for 1 minute.
โข Add beans and Dijon Maple Sauce and stir to coat green beans but do NOT continue to cook. Once green beans are coated in sauce, immediately remove from heat.
โข You can also make the caramelized pecans in advance and store the in an airtight container for up to 7 days.
โข You can cook the bacon up to 2 days in advance and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Fresh Green Beans and Bacon Tips
What to serve with this Green Bean with Bacon Recipe
These green beans are an excellent side to Thanksgiving Turkey as well as:
How to store Green Beans with Bacon
Leftovers will last up to 5 days in the fridge. If possible, store the toppings and the beans separately so nothing gets soggy.
How to Reheat Fresh Green Beans with Bacon
To reheat, add green beans to a skillet and sautรฉ until they achieve desired crisp tenderness. Garnish with feta, bacon and caramelized nuts.
Looking for More Fall Recipes?
Slow Cooker Ricotta Bacon Creamed Corn
Herbed Gruyere Scalloped Potatoes and Bacon Au Gratin
Perfect Soft and Fluffy Dinner Rolls
Cranberry, Apple Pecan Wild Rice Pilaf
Fall Salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette
Double Layer Pumpkin Oreo Cheesecake
Cornbread Sausage Stuffing
Slow Cooker Sweet and Spicy Cranberry Meatball
Herb Sweet Potatoes with Bacon and Gruyere
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Fresh Green Beans and Bacon
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Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs fresh green beans, trimmed
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 shallot, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- dash of red pepper
Dijon Maple Sauce
- 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
Garnish
- 1/3 cup Recipe 5 Minute Perfect Caramelized Nuts chopped or to taste
- 1/4 cup Feta cheese or to taste
- 6-8 slices bacon, crumbled
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix together the Dijon Maple Sauce ingredients. Set aside.
- Blanch green beans in a large stock pot of salted boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain and transfer beans to a large bowl of ice water.
- Melt butter over medium heat in a large skillet. Add shallots, garlic and red pepper flakes and saute for 1 minute. Add beans and Dijon Maple Sauce and continue to saute until beans are evenly coated in the sauce and beans and cooked to desired crisp-tenderness.
- Taste and season with additional red pepper flakes and freshly cracked salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with caramelized pecans, bacon and Feta.
Notes
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Heidj says
This looks amazing, gonna give it a try this Thanksgiving. Thanks for addressing the all-too-important question of, “Can it be made ahead of time?”
Jen says
Haha it is definitely a need to know when it comes to Thanksgiving recipes! I hope you enjoyed!
Cheryl says
Can you use thawed frozen green beans?
Jen says
Hi Cheryl! Yes you can use frozen green beans without thawing them. Hope that helps!