Bacon Wrapped Green Beans are the BEST side dish for holidays! Bright green beans are dunked in a homemade sauce, wrapped in bacon and baked. These are a family favorite that’s easy to portion and serve!
Perfect for family gatherings! Make ahead and get ready to dig in!
Check out my Green Beans Almondine, Southern Green Beans, classic Green Bean Casserole (from scratch) or my simple (but fabulous) Sauteed Green Beans, too.
Step-by-step photos and instructions are below, but you can jump right to the recipe card if you wish!
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Let’s be real – pretty much anything can be improved by the addition of bacon. I love green beans, but bacon makes everything better! Beans wrapped in a strip of bacon are always going to be a winner in my house, for obvious reasons!
At either Christmas or Thanksgiving (sometimes both) I skip the green bean casserole, and make these country style green beans, and they are always a hit.
If you are tasked with bringing a side dish, this is an awesome one. Handy pre-portioned bundles that are easy to grab makes this a winner to me!
These DO take a bit of work but are super-duper worth it. Because of BACON!!!
We blanch the green beans first to keep their bright green color, make a quick gravy, then bundle the green beans up and wrap in a bacon strip, then bake.
Both the beans can be blanched, and the gravy can be made ahead of time, and on serving day – you just dip, wrap and bake. Then sit back and watch the fights over the last one.
Need more sides? Try my Glazed Carrots or my Pan Roasted Brussels Sprouts!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Bacon. Enough said?
- Perfect for holidays. Great for serving at holiday dinners, these green beans look impressive on the plate, and are awesome for buffets.
- Easy to make ahead. You can prepare the bundles in advance and bake them right before serving.
- Crowd pleaser. Bacon and green beans are always a winning combination!
I have included step-by-step photos and instructions, as well as tips and tricks in the post. If you’d rather skip all that, scoot right on down to the full recipe card located at the bottom of the post.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use regular green beans instead of French green beans?
Yes, regular green beans will work well for this recipe. You may need to blanch them a little longer to make sure they cook properly.
Can I use turkey bacon instead of regular bacon?
Yes, turkey bacon can be used as a healthier option. Just note that turkey bacon won’t crisp up as much as regular bacon, so the texture may be a little different.
Can I make these in advance?
Yes! You can assemble bacon wrapped green bean bundles ahead of time and refrigerate them until you’re ready to bake. Just add a few extra minutes to the baking time if baking straight from the fridge.
Key Recipe Ingredients
The full list of ingredients and amounts is found in the printable recipe card below.
- French green beans. These tender green beans (also called haricot verts) are slightly thinner than regular green beans, making them perfect for quick cooking. You can of course use frozen green beans but you’ll want to thaw them out and make sure that the little bundles of beans are tender when cooked. I do not recommend canned green beans – they will be too soft to work with.
- Red bell pepper. Adds a pop of color and a mild sweetness to the dish. You can substitute with yellow or orange bell pepper if preferred.
- Garlic. Fresh garlic is always best, but you can substitute with 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder if needed.
- Bacon. Adds a smoky, salty flavor to the dish. You can use regular or thick-cut bacon depending on your preference. I cut bacon strips in half to make the bacon go further.
- Mustard powder. Adds a subtle tanginess to the dish and enhances the flavor of the sauce. If you don’t have mustard powder, you can use 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard.
- Beef stock. Adds a rich, savory base for the sauce. You can use low-sodium beef stock if preferred.
How to make Bacon-wrapped Green Beans
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This next part is only a photo tutorial of the recipe steps. The full list of ingredients, quantities and instructions can be found in the printable recipe card below.
Get prepped
Finely mince the onion. Peel the bell pepper with a vegetable peeler and mince it and mince or grate the garlic. Combine the flour with the mustard and onion powder.
Cut the bacon in half.
Wash the green beans and remove the stem end of the beans.
Blanch the green beans
Place the greens beans in lightly salted boiling water for 2-3 minutes and then rinse them with cold water or use a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process and preserve the bright green color.
Make the gravy dip
Melt the butter and cook the onions over low heat for about 5 minutes while stirring occasionally. Add the bell pepper, garlic and cook for another 5 minutes.
Add the flour, mustard and onion powder and cook for 2 minutes over low heat.
Bit by bit, pour in beef broth until you end up with a smooth not too thin sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Assemble (wrap the bacon around the green beans)
Use roughly 5 green beans at a time and drag them through the sauce before wrapping each bundle with a slice of bacon around the beans. Secure with a toothpick if needed.
Put the green bean bundles on a rack on a baking sheet.
Bake
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Cook bundles for 15-20 minutes in the oven until the bacon is crispy. Flip them over and cook them until the bacon is golden brown and beans are tender.
Remove and set on paper towels, then plate and serve.
Devour.
You can cook green beans in an air fryer and free up some space in your oven!
Kylee’s Notes & FAQs
I like to use haricot vert (thin French green beans) for this recipe, but any fresh green beans will work just fine!
For extra flavor, cook the vegetables in bacon grease instead of butter.
To avoid overcooking the green beans, blanch them for just 3 minutes and cool them quickly in cold water.
Garnishing
Sprinkle with a little extra chopped bell pepper and parsley.
Substitutions/Additions
- You could add a little garlic powder or garlic salt to the flour mixture if you prefer.
- Instead of cooking the vegetables in butter, you could use olive oil or bacon grease. I won’t tell.
- Chicken broth can be substituted for beef broth. Add a dash of soy sauce to give it a more beefy flavor.
More delicious sides:
- Sauteed Green Beans. Garlic and shallots gently flavor these sautéed green beans making them a wonderful weeknight or holiday side dish!
- Homemade Stuffing Recipe. This super easy stuffing recipe combines bread, onions, celery, fresh herbs, and stock and is SUPER delicious! Skip the box, and make your own!
- Creamy Garlic Parmesan Risotto. Super easy. Super tasty.
- Easy Scalloped Potatoes – there’s a video on this one, showing how EASY this is to make!
- Roasted Green Beans from Lemon Blossoms.
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Bacon Wrapped Green Beans
Ingredients
- 1 pound french green beans
- 1/3 red bell pepper
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 small onion
- 7 ounces bacon
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon mustard powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 1/2 cup beef stock
- 1 tablespoon butter
- cracked pepper
- salt
Directions
- Finely mince the 1 small onion. Peel the 1/3 red bell pepper with a vegetable peeler and mince it and mince or grate the 1 clove garlic. Combine the 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour with the 1 teaspoon mustard powder and 1/2 teaspoon onion powder.
- Wash the 1 pound french green beans, remove the stem end of the beans but don’t trim the other side. Boil them in lightly salted water for 3 minutes and then rinse them with cold water to stop the cooking process.
- Heat 1 tablespoon butter and cook the 1 small onion over low heat for about 5 minutes while stirring occasionally. Add the bell pepper, garlic and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the flour and cook for 2 minutes over low heat.
- Bit by bit, pour in 1 1/2 cup beef stock until you end up with a smooth not too thin sauce. Season with cracked pepper and salt to taste. Use roughly 5 green beans at a time and drag them through the sauce before wrapping the 7 ounces bacon around the beans.
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Put the bacon and bean bundles on a rack, place a baking tray filled with water underneath to catch the drippings and give them 12 to 15 minutes. Until the bacon is crispy. Flip them over and grill them until the bacon on that side is golden brown as well.
- Garnish with finely minced bell pepper for a bit of crunch and some parsley for a bit of colour.
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Notes
- You could add a little garlic powder or garlic salt to the flour mixture if you prefer.
- Instead of cooking the vegetables in butter, you could use olive oil or bacon grease. I won’t tell.
- Chicken broth can be substituted for beef broth. Add a dash of soy sauce to give it a more beefy flavor.
Nutrition Facts
Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Update: This recipe was originally published in December 2012. It was republished with updated photos in September 2020 and rewritten in October 2024.
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