Crack Green Beans

If you’re a green bean fan OR hater, this is the recipe for you! These Crack Green Beans are so good, they turn green bean haters into lovers! They’re saucy, sweet and savory, and c’mon, y’all, the bacon and butter make everything better!

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I LOVE these green beans, and there’s a good reason why I call them Crack Green Beans – I always want seconds, and sometimes even a wee bit as I’m putting the leftovers away. Even the kids love this green bean recipe, which says a lot! 

It’s an easy recipe to make, too. There’s some measuring, but everything goes into a skillet on the stovetop, or you can cook them low-and-slow in the oven. I like making these beans on the stovetop that way I can cook a roast or something else in the oven. Plus, I can sneak a bite or two while they’re cooking!

Also called Southern Crack Smothered Green Beans, Southern Crack Green Beans, and Southern Smothered Green Beans, this recipe for crack green beans might have a lot of names, but no matter what you call it, you’ll be sure to call it delicious!

Ingredients

I like starting this recipe with canned green beans. Look for the giant 38-ounce can, or you can use 3 of the 14.5-ounce cans; either will work out well.

• Canned green beans 
• Bacon – Cooked until crisp and then chopped.
• Brown sugar – LIght brown sugar is fine.
• Butter – You’ll need ½ a stick.
• Soy sauce – I use low sodium; you don’t need all that extra sodium in this recipe.
• Garlic powder 
• Onion powder

How To Make Crack Green Beans

1. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat.
2. Whisk in the brown sugar, soy sauce, garlic powder, and onion powder until smooth.
3. Cook until it starts to bubble.
4. Add the drained green beans, tossing to combine with the sauce.
5. Cook for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. The sauce will thicken up as it cooks.
6. Stir in the bacon and cook another 5 minutes.
7. Serve and enjoy!

Tips

• Cook these green beans low and slow – don’t rush them!
• If the sauce evaporates, add a spoonful or two of water to get it saucy again.
• Pop a lid on the skillet if you like; that’s fine.
• Add half the crisped bacon to the beans and save the rest for a crunchy topping and garnish.

Variations

• Cook Crack Green Beans in the oven. Prepare the recipe up to step 5 then cover the oven-safe skillet and pop them in the oven at 350-F for about 20 minutes. Stir halfway through cooking.
• Make these sweet and spicy green beans with a pinch of red pepper flakes.
• Use pepper bacon for a bit of a peppery kick.
• You can skip the bacon to make these vegetarian crack green beans.
• Add some crunch with a handful of chopped roasted peanuts on top.
• Replace the low sodium soy sauce with coconut aminos for a soy free route of making these.

How to Serve

These beans are so good that I’m always tempted just to have a bowlful of them for dinner! But they’re great as a side dish, and I love serving them with oven-roasted chicken, steak and potato kabobs, or these super tasty Pork Nuggets.

Storage

If, and that’s a big IF, you have leftovers, pop them into the fridge in an airtight container for a few days.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Crack Green Beans

Ingredients

• 38 Oz can cut green beans (see notes) drained
• 10 Slices Cooked bacon chopped
• 2/3 Cup brown sugar
• 4 Tbsp butter
• 6 Tsp low sodium soy sauce
• 2 Tsp garlic powder
• 2 Tsp onion powder

Instructions

• Heat a large skillet to medium/low. Add 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter to the skillet & melt. Whisk in the brown sugar, low sodium soy sauce, garlic powder, & onion powder until smooth. Cook on medium heat for a couple of minutes until it starts to bubble.
• Stir in the drained green beans, tossing to combine with the sauce. Cook on medium/low heat for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally. The sauce will thicken up as it cooks.
• Stir in the bacon & cook for another 5 minutes on low. You can also opt to stir in half of the bacon & garnish the top of finished green beans with the other half. I do this sometimes for texture.

Notes

If you can’t find 38oz cans of green beans, you can also use 3-14.5oz cans of green beans. It bean to sauce ratio will be off slightly but it will still turn out delicious! 

Oven preparation instructions: Prepare the recipe up to step 5 then cover the oven-safe skillet and pop them in the oven at 350-F for about 20 minutes. Stir halfway through cooking.