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Old-Fashioned, Slow-Cooked Green Beans – vegetarian recipe
Stav Kogan

Old-Fashioned, Slow-Cooked Green Beans

A true, country-style, slow-cooked green bean recipe that takes a little patience but rewards you tenfold. The beans become meltingly soft, swimming in a rich, savory broth (the legendary 'pot liquor') that's just begging to be sopped up with a warm biscuit.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Servings: 4 serving
Calories: 185
Ingredients Method Nutrition

Ingredients
  

  • Some of my most cherished childhood memories are of sitting on the porch, the rhythmic snap of green beans filling the warm air as I worked alongside my mom and grandma. I didn't realize it then, but those simple moments were pure magic. This recipe is an ode to that time—a true, country-style, slow-cooked green bean that takes a little patience but rewards you tenfold. The beans become meltingly soft, swimming in a rich, savory broth (the legendary 'pot liquor') that's just begging to be sopped up with a warm biscuit. This isn't just a side dish; it's a taste of home.
  • 1 lb (450 g) fresh green beans
  • 1 ½ cups / 360 ml (12.2 fl oz) vegetable broth
  • 4 slices bacon, chopped
  • 1 tbsp (8 g / 0.28 oz) dried minced onions, or ¼ cup / 40 g (1.41 oz) chopped raw onions
  • ½ tsp (1 g / 0.04 oz) ground black pepper
  • ½ tsp (1.5 g / 0.05 oz) garlic powder
  • 1 tbsp (14 g / 0.49 oz) salted butter
  • Salt, to taste
  • For a smokier flavor, substitute the bacon with a smoked ham hock or a piece of fatback. Add it at the beginning and remove it before serving.
  • The flavorful broth, or 'pot liquor', is the best part! Do not drain it. Serve it with the beans and have cornbread or biscuits on hand for dipping.
  • For a deeper flavor profile, use ¼ cup of fresh, finely chopped yellow onion and 2 cloves of minced garlic instead of the dried powders.

Method
 

  1. Prepare the Beans: Snap the tough ends off the green beans and break them into bite-sized pieces.
  2. Place the prepared beans into a medium saucepan or Dutch oven.
  3. Add the vegetable broth, chopped bacon, onions, black pepper, and garlic powder.
  4. Simmer to Perfection: Bring the mixture to a rolling boil over medium-high heat and let it boil for 10 minutes.
  5. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer gently for 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until the beans are incredibly tender and the liquid has reduced to a flavorful 'pot liquor'.
  6. Finish and Serve: Once the beans are tender, stir in the salted butter until it melts completely.
  7. Taste and season with salt as needed.
  8. Serve warm, making sure to spoon plenty of the pot liquor over the beans.
  9. Don't rush the simmer. The long, slow cook time is essential for achieving that classic, meltingly soft texture that makes these beans so special.

Nutrition

Calories: 185kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 7gFat: 12g

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