24 Easy Green Bean Recipes That Complement Any Main Dish

By Southern Living Editors
Updated October 27, 2020
Credit: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

As far as vegetables go, we’re pretty big fans of green beans. They’re versatile, inexpensive, and pack a nutritional wallop with vitamin C, potassium, and fiber. Did we mention that they’re delicious, too? We’ve created a lot of green bean recipes over the years, because they seem to go with everything. Need some crunch in a potato salad? Green beans to the rescue. Grilled pork tenderloin that needs a simple, summery side? Fresh green bean recipes are the way to go. Don’t even get us started on that iconic Thanksgiving casserole. We love green bean recipes so much we must have invented dozens of twists on the dish over the years. We like them pretty much every which way, but these recipes for green beans all have one thing in common: they’re darn delicious. From our Slow Cooker Green Beans to Bacon-Brussels Sprout-Green Bean Casserole, we’ve picked the best of the best green bean recipes from our repertoire.

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Slow-Cooker Green Beans

Credit: Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Green Beans Recipe

Throw bacon and green beans in a slow-cooker to create the ultimate savory side dish that is perfect for any week night meal.

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Old-School Green Bean Casserole

Credit: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Old-School Green Bean Casserole

Win over your guests this holiday season by making a homemade green bean casserole, topped with fried shallots.

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Homemade Green Bean Casserole with Crispy Leeks

Credit: Linda Puglies; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Homemade Green Bean Casserole with Crispy Leeks

Swap out canned fried onions for crispy leeks to top your medley of greens.

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Martina McBride’s Green Beans with Goat Cheese and Warm Bacon Dressing

Credit: Oxmoor House

Recipe: Martina McBride’s Green Beans with Goat Cheese and Warm Bacon Dressing

Chunks of goat cheese, bits of bacon, and sprinkles of dried cranberries transform this green bean dish into an impressive side.

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Bacon-Brussels Sprout-Green Bean Casserole

Credit: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Bacon-Brussels Sprout-Green Bean Casserole

The addition of brussels sprouts and bacon make this green bean medley a real side dish winner.

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Balsamic Green Beans with Pearl Onions

Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller; Food Styling: William Smith

Recipe: Balsamic Green Beans with Pearl Onions

Green beans, pearl onions, and balsamic vinegar come together to create this elegant green bean casserole.

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Southern-Style Green Beans

Credit: Southern Living

Recipe: Southern-Style Green Beans

These salty and smoky green beans taste best alongside homemade Fried Chicken.

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Lemon-Almond Green Bean Casserole

Credit: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Lemon-Almond Green Bean Casserole

Lemon adds an energizing, light touch to this hearty casserole.

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Pickled Green Beans

Credit: Southern Living

Recipe: Pickled Green Beans

Pickled green beans are so versatile, serve them in a bloody Mary or add them to your charcuterie board.

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Green Bean Casserole

Credit: Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas / Prop Styling: Missie Neville Crawford / Food Styling: Vanessa McNeil Rocchio

Recipe: Green Bean Casserole

Everyone anticipates that there will be a green bean casserole on the Thanksgiving table, but just because it is expected doesn’t mean it can’t be amazing. You can go beyond the standard “recipe on the can” casserole by making a few simple substitutions, and by making a few simple additions. Start by substituting Alfredo sauce for cream of mushroom soup. Then, dress it up with add-ins that can include mushrooms, water chestnuts, Parmesan cheese, and toasted pecans. You will still have a great Thanksgiving Green Bean Casserole to enjoy, you’ll just have taken it from mundane to mouthwatering. Savor the difference.

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Sweet-and-Sour Green Beans

Credit: Jennifer Davic

Recipe: Sweet-and-Sour Green Beans

Recipe developer Christy Jordan says, "I make a triple batch of these and freeze leftovers in quart-size freezer bags to use at another meal on a busy day."

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Penne with Green Beans and Tomatoes

Credit: Hector Sanchez

Recipes: Penne with Green Beans and Tomatoes

Add zing to your salads with fresh dill, or swap it for basil, mint, or parsley. For pasta, try using whole wheat for its earthy, toothsome quality; any kind will do.

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Green Bean Lasagna

Credit: Photo: Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Green Bean Lasagna

Lasagna may not be the first thing you think of when you imagine classic Thanksgiving sides, but our take on this classic holiday dish will have you loving this new twist. It mixes the smooth taste of perfectly cooked pasta noodles with the crunch of just-right green beans, the creaminess of ricotta and shredded Italian cheese, and the sweetness of onions and mushrooms. Top this casserole with crushed buttery crackers and French fried onions and you will wonder how you ever enjoyed your green bean casserole any other way. This will be the update that will become your go-to family classic casserole for years to come.

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Home-style Green Bean Casserole

Credit: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Home-style Green Bean Casserole

This green bean casserole gets a much-needed makeover from fresh veggies and a lightened (but super-rich!) homemade sauce. And the best part: It's under 200 calories per serving!

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Green Beans with Garlic

Credit: Photo: Jim Franco; Styling: Leslie Siegel

Recipe: Green Beans with Garlic

Sauté fresh garlic to jazz up this simple yet delicious side dish.

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Green Beans with Bacon Breadcrumbs

Credit: Greg Dupree; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch

Recipe: Green Beans with Bacon Breadcrumbs

If you’re looking to skip the heavy green bean casserole but still need a side that packs all the flavor and holiday appeal, look no further than our Green Beans with Bacon Breadcrumbs. They’re crunchy, vibrant, and just decadent enough to take a starring role.

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Smothered Green Beans

Credit: Greg Dupree; Food Stylist: Emily Neighbors Hall; Prop Stylist: Audrey Davis

Recipe: Smothered Green Beans

What exactly are these green beans smothered in? How about thick-cut bacon, garlicky shallots, and a perfectly tangy tomato gravy. Have we hooked you yet?

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Lemon-Sauteed Green Beans

Credit: Greg Dupree Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham

Recipe: Lemon-Sauteed Green Beans

Here we call for a minimal amount of ingredients that are designed to brighten up the crisp and lively veggie. Lemon and green beans go together like peas and carrots, and this recipe proves it.

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Caramelized Coconut Green Beans

Credit: Jennifer Causey

Recipe: Caramelized Coconut Green Beans

Now here’s a green bean riff you won’t soon forget. Whatever you do, don’t even think about using dried flaked or shredded coconut—thinly sliced fresh or frozen coconut is the star here.

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Sauteed Green Beans with Bacon

Credit: Southern Living

Recipe: Sauteed Green Beans with Bacon

A little salty bacon, a little fresh green onion, throw in some salt and pepper for good measure and you’ve just whipped up a classic Southern side with none of the frills and all of the flavor.

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Green Beans with Garlic

Credit: Jim Franco; Styling: Leslie Siegel

Recipe: Green Beans with Garlic

Once that garlic starts to sing, you’ll know you’re headed in the right direction. It all comes together in about 25 minutes and serves a whopping crowd of 12 to 16.

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Quick and Easy Green Beans

Credit: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Lindsey Lower

Recipe: Quick and Easy Green Beans

Let this be your go-to green bean recipe. These perfectly seasoned beans are quick and easy to pull together and go with just about anything.

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Spicy Pickled Green and Yellow Beans

Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Spicy Pickled Green and Yellow Beans

Start with our Master Pickle Brine, then dress it up with some spice from a jalapeño and a twist of licorice-flavor from tarragon and fennel seed.

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Green Bean Casserole from Scratch

Credit: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Green Bean Casserole from Scratch

Like most of our favorite recipes, this green bean casserole starts with a packet of Ranch dressing mix—well, a tablespoon of it. Sliced fresh mushroom, thyme, and a creamy buttermilk sauce coat fresh green beans in all the savory goodness worthy of both Sunday dinner and the Thanksgiving sideboard.

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