Southern Green Beans
See my updated Southern Green Beans recipe here!!
I was raised on string beans and this southern green beans recipe is a favorite with my family. I love that it’s so easy, yet full of flavor.
Now I won’t even lie, I usually only fix homemade, fresh green beans for holidays and special occasions. Normally I just crack open a can of green beans, throw them in the pot with some chicken broth, Goya seasoning and call it a day! I got a TON of fresh green beans from Aldi’s because they were on sale and I just couldn’t pass them up. I’m so glad I did! Canned green beans just can’t compare to a pot of homemade, savory green beans.
You can easily substitute the smoked turkey sausage with crispy bacon if you’d like or just leave the meat out altogether. That savory chicken broth, fresh onion, and garlic do quite the job with seasoning these southern green beans to perfection.
If adding bacon, fry it up separately and add it to the greens beans when done. That way you won’t have soggy, weird-tasting bacon.
Watch me make these southern green beans from start to finish!
Get the Recipe: Southern Green Beans
Ingredients
- 1 lb. fresh green beans
- 1/2 cup finely chopped white onion
- 1 garlic clove
- 1/2 cup chopped smoked sausage or smoked bacon
- 1-2 cups chicken broth
- 1 Tablespoon butter
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes seasoning salt & black pepper to taste.
Instructions
- Wash the green beans.
- Snap off the ends of the greens beans and cut or snap the green beans into pieces. Set aside.
- Finely dice the onion, garlic, and smoked sausage. Set aside.
- In a pot, melt butter.
- Add in onion, garlic, smoked sausage and chicken broth.
- Bring to a boil and add in red pepper flakes.
- Add in green beans.
- Cover and simmer for 1- 1½ hours. Check the green beans every 5 minutes after the one-hour mark. You don't want to overcook them or they will be mushy!
- Season with seasoning salt & black pepper.
- Serve and enjoy!
This recipe is soooooo good! I have Never made such perfect green beans!! My toddler loves the sausage in them! Thank you for the recipe!
Hello. So if i make 4lbs of fresh greenbeans will the cooking time still be 1 to 1 1/2 hours? Or 4 hours of simmering?
I know this is probably blasphemy, but I used canned green beans. (I didn’t like the way the fresh ones at the store were looking today.)
But, even with canned…oh my goodness! They were sooooo good! I can only imagine how great they’d taste with fresh beans.
So glad you posted this because I was gonna ask . The beans in our store did not look the greatest either! Gonna try it tonight!
I rarely have white onions. Will yellow work as well?
My family literally ate the entire pot! Great recipe!!!
When I worked in Detroit I used to frequent the awesome Steve’s Soul Food where I always ordered these beans. Today I finally tried my hand using your recipe. They came out perfectly! I used applewood smoked bacon. Five stars! (Couldn’t get the star button to work.)
I love green beans! I bought some the otjer day and cooked them today only I udrd smoked jowls for more flavor they were really tasty! Love your recipes as I am a southern girl! I always put my on spin on it. Thanks a lot!!!!