southern style green beans and potatoes recipe
- The Best southern style green beans and potatoes recipe
- Southern Style Green Beans and Potatoes
- 🥘Ingredients
- 👨🍳Directions
- 🔧Equipment
- 📊Nutrition Facts (per serving)
- 📝Notes
- Watch Video Of How Southern Style Green Beans and Potatoes Works
- ❓ Frequently Asked Questions About Southern Style Green Beans and Potatoes
The Best southern style green beans and potatoes recipe
I started making southern style green beans and potatoes years ago because it was one of the few dishes my whole family would eat without a single complaint. Green beans, potatoes, a little bacon or smoked meat, and enough time on the stove for everything to soften and take on that deep savory flavor. It is simple food, the kind I grew up eating, and it still shows up on my table at least twice a month. My kids scoop the potatoes out first and my husband goes back for the beans, so between the two of them the pot is usually close to empty by the end of dinner.
This is the recipe I reach for on a normal Tuesday when I want something warm and filling without standing at the stove all evening. It is also the one I bring to family gatherings and potlucks because it holds up well in a slow cooker and travels without any fuss. I serve it alongside fried chicken, pork chops, or a ham at the holidays, and it works just as well as the main dish with a piece of cornbread on the side. The pot does most of the work while I handle everything else, which is really the reason it stayed in my rotation.
Green beans bring fiber and vitamin K to the plate, and the potatoes add potassium and vitamin C, so this is a side dish that actually does something for you. Cooking them together with a little smoked meat gives the beans a flavor that plain steamed vegetables never quite reach, and it gets my kids to eat a vegetable without me making a case for it. If you are feeding people who turn their noses up at green beans, this is the version to try.
Southern Style Green Beans and Potatoes
Tender green beans and creamy potatoes simmered with bacon, onion, and garlic in a savory broth. This one-pot Southern-style side dish is hearty enough to serve alongside cornbread or roast chicken.
🥘Ingredients
For the Green Beans and Potatoes
👨🍳Directions
🔧Equipment
📊Nutrition Facts (per serving)
📝Notes
Watch Video Of How Southern Style Green Beans and Potatoes Works
This green bean and potato recipe is the one I bring to every family gathering because it feeds a crowd, holds up well on a buffet table, and everyone from the kids to my grandparents cleans their plate. It takes very little hands-on time, uses ingredients I already have in my pantry, and tastes even better the next day. If you need a dependable side dish for a holiday dinner, a Sunday supper, or a backyard cookout, this is the one I reach for.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions About Southern Style Green Beans and Potatoes
1. Do I need to use fresh green beans, or can I use canned or frozen?
Fresh green beans give the best texture and hold up to a long simmer without turning to mush. Frozen green beans work well in a pinch—add them near the end so they don’t overcook. Canned beans are already soft and salty, so drain and rinse them and stir them in during the last 10 minutes just to heat through.
2. Why do Southern green beans cook so long?
The longer simmer is what gives the dish its character. Slow cooking lets the beans soften and absorb the smoky flavor from the pork and the seasoning in the pot, and it turns the potatoes velvety rather than firm. Expect roughly 45 minutes to an hour for fresh beans—enough time for them to go tender without falling apart.
3. What can I use instead of bacon or ham hock?
Smoked turkey wings, smoked turkey necks, or a spoonful of smoked paprika with a little butter all bring that savory depth without pork. For a fully meatless pot, start with butter or olive oil, add onion and garlic, and season with smoked paprika plus a pinch of salt—the beans will still taste rich and rounded.
4. Can I make this in a slow cooker or pressure cooker?
Yes. In a slow cooker, combine everything except the potatoes, cook on low for about four hours, then add the potatoes for the last hour so they don’t break down. In a pressure cooker, brown the bacon and soften the onion first, then cook the beans and potatoes under high pressure for about 10 to 12 minutes with a natural release.
5. How should I store and reheat leftovers?
Cool the pot within two hours, then store the beans and potatoes in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to four days. The flavor often deepens overnight. Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat with a splash of broth or water to loosen the liquid, since the potatoes will soak up a good deal of it as they sit.
