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!
Made these last night and my wife could not stop eating them, I will be making these for years to come and am adding diced potatoes next time Thank you.
Hi! How many does this recipe serve? May I use canned beans? And, has anyone ever tried this recipe using a slow cooker?
A Very Nice Recipe. I tried it just as it read. My turned out just great. I love these kinds of recipes
Hello Monique,I added diced potatoes to mine,TUVM for the instructions,I’ll b back for more!
Oh I bet that was delicious!
I just want to thank you for sharing this awesome recipe. I’ve been searching for years for one that tastes exactly like this. My Granny Annie isn’t around to get them from anymore . It tastes great, my family loves it, and I make ZERO changes.
Thank you so much for your recipes you know black women are expected to cook a certain type of way and I didn’t have anyone to teach me so your collard greens and these green bean recipes have helped me to live up to those expectations, it all tastes so good.
How long or when did you add the potatoes to the pot may I ask. I have used this recipe before with bacon. This time I had some anduille sausage ..thought potatoes sounded awesome. Made hot water corn bread to go with it.
Thinking about using beef broth instead for something different.
Beef broth tastes good in it, too. I use whichever I have on hand. I use Better Than Bouillon and once you try it, you’ll never go back to liquid or powder.
These turned out amazing!! I added 1tbsp of brown sugar for sweetness.