The smoky familiarity of the bacon, the sweetness of the tender green beans, and the heartiness of the red potatoes when simmered in a savory beef broth enhance this Smothered Green Beans with Potatoes. The side dish’s robust flavors are complemented by garlic, onion, and hot sauce, rendering a dish that is as pleasant as it is satisfying. Whether served at a family dinner or holiday feast, this favored side will entice its simplicity. Taste the tenderness of the bacon and the flavorful richness of the green beans and potatoes in harmony with all things smoke!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe:

Hearty Robust Flavors: You won’t be able to get enough of the savory, slightly smoky savor of bacon, onions, garlic, and hot sauce!

Ideal Texture: the green beans become tender while the potatoes soak up the flavorful broth because the long, slow simmering allows them to become soft but still intact.

Perfect Pairing: Serve it with roast chicken, pork chops, or grilled steaks for a meal your guests will remember!

Traditional Southern Flavor: Bacon and a bit of spice in the ingredients bring Southern comfort cuisine to your meal.

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Key Ingredients:

Thick-Cut Hickory-Smoked Bacon: Bacon makes the dish richer and deeper. Hickory-smoked bacon is best for its deep, smoky flavor, but if you prefer, you can substitute smoked sausage.

Yellow Onion: The onion provides sweetness and depth for the broth. Slice it into thin wedges so it gets tender quickly.

— Beef Broth: Using low-sodium beef broth adds deep flavor without overpowering anything. You can use chicken or vegetable broth instead, if you prefer.

Fresh Green Beans: You want fresh green beans for the best texture and flavor. Look for bright green beans and avoid ones that have blemishes, and trim them to 2-inch pieces for faster, even cooking.

Red Potatoes: These hold their shape better than any other potato, which is great for this dish. Quartering them ensures that they cook evenly and absorb the flavors from the broth.

Full ingredient quantities, along with instructions can be found in the recipe card below

Step-by-Step Instructions

Cook the Bacon

Heat a Dutch Oven: Add chopped bacon to a medium Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook until crispy, 10 minutes or so, rendering out fat for flavor.

Remove and Drain: When crispy, use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels, leaving the bacon drippings in the pot. (If you’re using smoked sausage rather than bacon, render its fat in the same manner.)

Sauté the Onions and Garlic

Sauté Onions and Garlic: Add the sliced onions and minced garlic to the drippings you reserved in the pot. Sweat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and translucent, about 2 minutes. This move develops a deep base of flavor.

Main ingredients:

Thick cut hickory-smoked bacon: it makes the dish rich and deep; hickory sauce is preferred because it is deep and smoky in flavor, but you can also use smoked sausage if you want to. Yellow onion: chopped yellow onion brings sweetness and depth in the broth; cut it into thin wedges, so they cook in no time. Ceds’ Beef Broth: low-sodium beef broth provides depth of flavor without burying anything else.

Fresh green beans : use fresh ones, for the best texture and flavor; it should be bright and avoid using the one with blemishes; instead, you slice them to 2-inch wrapes for quick and even cooking. Red Potatoes: they are the best for keeps the shape and size of any other potato; quarter them to absorb the flavor of the broth and cook evenly. Others and full ingredient amounts found in the recipe card below. Directions:

Cook the bacon

Heat the Dutch oven: Add the chopped bacon to the medium Dutch oven set over medium heat. Let the bacon cook and get crispy over the next ten minutes or so as it renders out its fat, which will help flavor everything else.

Seasonings

Remove and drain: Once crispy, remove the bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate with a slotted spoon, leaving the bacon drippings in the pot. If you are using smoked sausage or bacon is available, turn up the heat to medium and render over fat sorghum in the same manner.

Serving Suggestions:

Smothered Green Beans and Potatoes is a versatile side dish that pairs well with all kinds of main courses:

Roast Chicken: The savory elements of this dish are a great match for the juicy, spiced skin of roast chicken.

Pork Chops: Pair with grilled or pan-fried pork chops for that classic Southern dish.

Barbecue Ribs: The smoky bacon and touch of spice in the green beans will play perfectly with the rich flavors of barbecue ribs.

Cornbread: Cornbread or some crusty bread: These are great for soaking up the broth.

Fried Catfish: What’s a Southern spread without crispy fried catfish?

Storage and Reheating Tips:

Smothered Green Beans with Potatoes is good leftover, easy to store and reheat.

Storage: Transfer any leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Freezing: This can be frozen for up to 2 months. Cool completely and then transfer to an airtight container suitable for freezing. Thaw in the refrigerator for 24 hours before reheating.

To reheat: Warm on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through. You might need to add a splash of water or broth if the mixture has thickened in the fridge.

Recipe Variations

Smoky Sausage Version: using a smoked sausage and slicing it in place of the bacon, cook the slices until they are browned, then proceed with the recipe by sauteing the onions and garlic.

Vinegar Kick: adding a splash of apple cider vinegar at the end of cooking for a bitter clash with the other rich flavors.

Spicy Version: using more crushed red pepper, or adding diced jalapeños.

Herbed Variation: adding fresh herbs, such as thyme and rosemary, when mixing the green beans into the serving dish. Turkey Bacon Substitute So, if you do not have enough fat in the pan, add a little oil.

Conclusion

Smothered Green Beans with Potatoes is a delicious Southern classic, bringing together bacon, green beans, and potatoes in a rich, savory broth to warm your soul. Made up of distinct layers of tender green beans, potatoes, and smoky bacon, this side dish is a testament to Southern comfort. Whether you are feeding it to your loved ones on a special occasion or craving it after a long day, this dish will never fail to warm your heart and uplifts your spirit. So try it out yourself and let the mouth-watering taste of Southern comfort food make its way to your tastebuds!