The BEST Green Beans Recipe – these are the most delicious green beans you will ever eat. We got the recipe from a caterer that catered a work lunch. OMG! SO good! Tender green beans, bacon, onion, red, yellow, and green bell peppers simmered in Italian marinade. Garnish with cashews before serving. This is our go-to green bean recipe. Can freeze leftovers for later. This delicious side dish is a must for your holiday meals.
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Pin This RecipeFavorite Green Beans
If you like green beans, you are going to LOVE this recipe for The Best Green Beans! This is a Chicken Legs original recipe. He had these beans at catered lunch a few years ago and asked the caterer for the recipe. She would only tell him the ingredients, so we hit the kitchen and experimented with it until we got it just right. These are the best green beans we’ve ever had – seriously!! This recipe makes a ton of beans. It is a great recipe to make when you need to feed a crowd.
How to Make Italian Green Beans
These beans are very easy to make with only a handful of ingredients. Using a sharp knife, chop the onion and bell peppers. Cut bacon into 1-inch pieces. Cook chopped bacon, onion, and bell peppers in a Dutch oven. Once the bacon is crispy, add drained canned green beans, Italian marinade, and some water or chicken broth. Let the beans simmer. Season with kosher salt and black pepper. Garnish with chopped cashews before serving.
Helpful Tips & Frequently Asked Questions
- Can use any variety of canned green beans. Regular cut green beans, french green beans, or Italian green beans.
- You can substitute 3 pounds of fresh green beans, string beans, or haricot verts.
- Can you make Green Beans in the Slow Cooker? Yes! Cook the bacon and add all the ingredients to the crockpot and cook on LOW for 4 to 6 hours.
- Can The Best Green Beans be made in advance? Yes! This recipe makes a lot of beans. It is great for a potluck or dinner party. You can make the beans ahead of time and reheat them before serving.
- I actually think the beans taste better reheated the next day. It gives the flavors time to come together.
- Add a dash of red pepper flakes for a kick.
- Can substitute toasted almonds or omit the nuts if you have an allergy.
- What can I add to green beans? Chopped cherry tomatoes, fresh garlic, or garlic powder are good additions.
- Can Green Beans be frozen? Yes! Let the beans cool completely and transfer them to plastic containers or freezer bags and freeze. You can reheat in the microwave, slow cooker, or on the stovetop.
- Are the Best Green Beans gluten-free? Yes. All of the ingredients are suitable for a gluten-free diet.
- Please note that this recipe uses Italian Marinade NOT Italian dressing. I used Lawry’s Signature Italian marinade, but any brand will work. Just make sure you don’t use Italian dressing.
- Lawry’s Signature Italian with garlic, onion & herbs marinade is gluten-free.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Sautéed Green Beans
This is one of our favorite ways to make green beans. We make them for weeknight dinners and dinner parties, We love to eat them with roast chicken and steaks! This recipe is a MUST for our Christmas dinners. We think this is a million times better than the classic green bean casserole. Whip up a large pot today! One bite and you are sure to agree this is one of the best green bean recipes EVER!
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The Best Green Beans
Equipment:
Ingredients:
- 4 (14.5 oz) cans green beans, drained
- 4 slices of bacon cut into pieces
- 1 onion coarsely chopped
- 1 red pepper coarsely chopped
- 1 yellow pepper coarsely chopped
- 1 green pepper coarsely chopped
- 1 cup Italian Marinade not Italian dressing – I used Lawry’s Signature Italian marinade
- ¾ cup water
- salt & pepper, to taste
- 1/4 cup cashew nuts chopped
Instructions:
- In medium pot, cook bacon until crispy. Add onions and peppers. Cook until onion is translucent and peppers are soft.
- Add green beans, marinade, water salt and pepper.
- Simmer for 30 minutes. Garnish with chopped cashews.
Notes:
- You can substitute 3 pounds of fresh green beans for the canned green beans if you prefer.
- You can make the green beans in the slow cooker. Cook the bacon and add all the ingredients to the crockpot and cook on LOW for 4 to 6 hours.
- This recipe makes a lot of green beans. It is great for a potluck or dinner party. You can make the beans ahead of time and reheat them before serving.
- Can Italian Green Beans be frozen? Yes! Let the green beans cool completely and transfer to plastic containers or freezer bags and freeze. You can reheat in the microwave, slow cooker, or on the stovetop.
- Please note, this recipe uses Italian Marinade NOT Italian dressing. I used Lawry’s Signature Italian marinade, but any brand will work. Just make sure you don’t use Italian dressing.
Steph
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This looks good and I’d like to try it. Any suggestions for making my own marinade? Or a general difference between salad dressing and marinade? Oil? I don’t want to buy a bottle of marinade that I won’t use for anything else. My fridge is stacked with enough condiments now.
Any changes and substitutions to the recipe would be entirely up to you.
They look delicious I love every veggie that’s in that dish yumo I can’t wait to try it 👍
These look delicious and am planning to use this recipe when we have company in May.
Sounds good!
Lisa – fresh or frozen green beans would work fine.
I was wondering if you can use fresh or frozen green beans?
I am envious of your backsplash! I have to do ours this year.
The beans look great. Nice way to juice up plain ol' green beans in a can.
I can't tell if you are using Italian green beans or not, but if you are not, you definitely should. They are right there in the canned green been aisle and so much more tasty!!!
So yummy looking ! Definitely want to try this!
XO. Britt
The Magnolia Pair
🙂
Those look SO good!! I eat green beans about 5 times a week and could use a new recipe!! Gonna have to try this!
Oh yummm I'm going to have to try it!!
These look great! I love the added cashews…yum!
Ooooh these look yummy! I can't wait to try!
Practice makes perfect!