Green Beans and Bacon

These green beans and bacon are an easy oven-baked side dish with red capsicum and a simple sweet and savoury brown sugar sauce. Using canned green beans keeps the prep quick, and everything cooks together in one small baking dish in just 30 minutes.

I like this recipe when the main part of dinner is already sorted, and I want something a little more interesting than plain vegetables on the side. I’ve served it with roast chicken and potatoes, but it’s also an easy side for steak, pork chops, sausages or ham.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Quick and easy. Canned green beans keep the prep simple, and the whole dish cooks in just 30 minutes.
• Sweet and savoury. Bacon, brown sugar and soy sauce give the beans plenty of flavour without a long ingredient list.
• Easy side dish. It works with everything from sausages and fried rice to steak, pork chops or roast chicken.
• Great for sharing. Serve it with a barbecue, family roast, or as an easy side for Christmas or Easter.

Ingredients

You only need a handful of simple ingredients to make these green beans and bacon.

Canned green beans: I use one 410 g can, which gives approximately 250 g once drained. Drain the beans really well so you don’t add extra liquid to the dish.

Bacon: Three slices of bacon, with the rind removed and diced. There’s no need to cook the bacon first — it cooks in the oven with the beans.

Red capsicum: You’ll need about ¼ of a red capsicum, thinly sliced. If you’re in the US, capsicum is called bell pepper.

Brown sugar: Use ¼ cup, loosely packed. This gives the sauce its sweetness.

Butter: One tablespoon, melted.

Soy sauce: Three teaspoons adds the savoury flavour to the sauce.

Garlic powder: One teaspoon.

Equipment

You’ll need a 20 × 20 cm (8 × 8-inch) baking dish, baking paper (parchment paper), a small mixing bowl and a wooden spoon.

How to Make Green Beans and Bacon

1. Prepare the baking dish

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) for about 10 minutes. Cut a square of baking paper large enough to cover the bottom and sides of a 20 × 20 cm (8 × 8-inch) baking dish. Scrunch the baking paper into a ball, flatten it back out, then press it into the dish.

Quick tip: Scrunching the baking paper first makes it much easier to press into the corners of a square baking dish. It’s my quick way of lining a baking or cake dish without fiddling around cutting the paper to fit.

2. Drain the green beans

Drain the green beans well. Slightly open the ring-pull lid on the can, just enough to pour out the liquid, then turn the can upside down over the sink to drain. Spread the drained beans evenly over the bottom of the lined baking dish.

3. Add the capsicum and bacon

Add the bacon and capsicum. Scatter the diced raw bacon over the green beans, then add the thinly sliced red capsicum evenly over the top.

4. Make the brown sugar sauce

Make the sauce. Melt the butter in a small bowl for 20–30 seconds in the microwave, or melt it gently on the stovetop. Add the brown sugar, soy sauce and garlic powder, then stir until combined.

5. Add the sauce and mix

Pour over the sauce. Pour the brown sugar mixture over the green beans, capsicum and bacon. Use a spoon to gently stir everything together until the sauce is evenly distributed.

6. Bake for 30 minutes

Bake for 30 minutes. Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake uncovered at 180°C (350°F). After 15 minutes, give everything a good stir with a wooden spoon, then spread it back into an even layer. Return to the oven and cook for the remaining 15 minutes.

Tips for the Best Green Beans and Bacon

Drain the beans really well. Extra liquid from the can, can water down the brown sugar sauce, so let as much drain away as possible before adding the beans to the dish.

Use raw bacon. There’s no need to cook the bacon first. Dice it and add it straight to the dish so it cooks along with the beans.

Stir halfway through. Give everything a good stir after 15 minutes, then spread it back into an even layer so the bacon, beans and sauce continue cooking evenly.

Stick with the 30-minute cooking time. That’s the timing I’ve tested for this recipe at 180°C (350°F).

Variations

Add some heat. For a little spice, add a pinch of chilli flakes to the brown sugar sauce.

Try a different capsicum. Red capsicum adds sweetness and colour, but yellow or orange capsicum would work here too.

US readers: Capsicum is called bell pepper in the US, so simply use red bell pepper in the same amount.

What to Serve with Green Beans and Bacon

These green beans and bacon are an easy side dish for all sorts of family meals. I like serving them with roast chicken and roast potatoes, but they’re also a great side for steak, pork chops, sausages or ham.

They’d also work well alongside a barbecue or family roast, or as a warm vegetable side for Christmas or Easter.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you cook the bacon before adding it to the green beans?

No. Add the bacon raw and diced. It cooks in the oven with the green beans, capsicum and sauce for the full 30 minutes.

Do you need to drain canned green beans?

Yes. Drain the green beans really well before adding them to the baking dish. Too much liquid can water down the brown sugar sauce.

What is capsicum called in the US?

Capsicum is called bell pepper in the US. For this recipe, use about ¼ of a red bell pepper, thinly sliced.

What goes well with green beans and bacon?

I like serving them with sausages and fried rice. They’re also an easy side for steak, pork chops, roast chicken or ham, and work well with a barbecue or family roast.

More Recipes You’ll Love

If you’re looking for more easy sides to serve with family dinners:

• Creamy Potato Bake with Bacon.
• Rissoles
• Slow-Cooked Silverside
• Fried Rice

Storage & Reheating

Storing leftovers

Allow the green beans and bacon to cool, then transfer leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3–4 days.

Reheating

Reheat individual portions in the microwave until hot, or place the beans in an oven-safe dish and warm them in the oven until heated through.

Did you make these Green Beans and Bacon? I’d love to hear how they turned out! Leave a comment below and don’t forget to give the recipe a star rating.

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