Sweet And Sour Green Beans
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A little bit sweet and a little bit tangy, sweet and sour green beans with crispy bacon and onion are one of my favorite Southern side dishes.
This is one of those recipes that was told to me over the phone, beginning with, “you fry you up some bacon…”. Now in my experience, any recipe that begins with those instructions is gonna be good. Sweet and sour green beans are the only way I will eat green beans that aren’t fresh from the garden.
I haven’t bought canned green beans in close to ten years, I can’t even be bothered with those mushy things. If you can’t have garden-fresh green beans, frozen green beans cooked this way are the way to go! They are absolutely delicious. Don’t go thinking the vinegar makes them really sour, either. In this recipe, it just gives them an extra boost of flavor and is the perfect complement to the bacon and onions.
So, what else do you need for this sweet and sour green beans recipe? We’ve already got green beans, bacon, onion, and white vinegar. Well, we need the sweet to our sour, right? In this instance, we’re using sugar to balance out the vinegar for perfect sweet and sour green beans. This side dish pairs perfectly with a meaty main dish. Although, you might be so enamored with the side that you forget about the main. It’s that good, folks!
If you like this, you need my German potato salad in your life too.
Recipe Ingredients
- Green beans (I like french cut green beans but you can use whichever type you prefer).
- Sugar
- White vinegar
- Onion
- Bacon
How to Make Sweet and Sour Green Beans
Chop up your onion.
Place your onion in a large skillet. I’m using my cast iron skillet for this one.
I like to cut my bacon into pieces before I cook it for this. I just take my kitchen shears and cut the bacon strips into one-inch segments.
Kitchen shears are one of the most versatile tools you can have in your kitchen. I have several pairs. Just use them for whatever and plop them in the dishwasher!
The bacon pieces are easy to separate as it gets hot and begins to cook. You want to cook this over medium to medium-high heat until your bacon is done, stirring frequently to prevent the onions from burning.
Like so. See all of that bacon grease in there? I’ve got a plan for it.
When your bacon and onions are done, remove them to a plate.
Toss your sophisticated green beans in the hot skillet with your bacon grease.
When I did this, I swear those beans let out the biggest sigh of satisfaction.
Stir those often and continue cooking over medium heat until they get a bit tender.
This is where Southerners differ. Tradition deems that we cook the living mess out of our vegetables but I like my beans to have a little bit of life left in them so I stop cooking while there is still a bit of crunch.
Regardless of which side of the fence you sit on, when they get to your desired tenderness, add about two tablespoons of vinegar and two tablespoons of sugar. Stir that in.
Add your bacon and onions back in.
Stir that up a bit.
Salt and pepper to taste.
I always start with 1/2 teaspoon or so of each.
And that’s it! Your sweet and sour green beans are ready for the supper table. How quick and easy was that?
Guaranteed to please!
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days and reheat either in the microwave or on the stovetop.
Recipe Notes
- Here are some variations to make this recipe your own:
- Substitute the white vinegar for apple cider vinegar or lemon juice if you prefer.
- Swap the yellow onion for green onion.
- Use brown sugar instead of white sugar.
- For added flavor, add 2 teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce.
- Substitute the pork bacon for turkey bacon.
- Add a can of water chestnuts when you cook the green beans for added texture.
- Add one can of corn kernels.
- As mentioned, you can use fresh green beans, frozen green beans, or canned green beans. The choice is yours.
Recipe FAQs
What do you serve with sweet and sour green beans?
Green beans are a popular holiday side dish in the South, so serve them for Thanksgiving dinner with turkey breast, baked ham, or roasted chicken. Throughout the year, serve your sweet and sour green beans as a side with any kind of meat main dish, like pork chops or chicken fried steak. Don’t forget the cornbread!
Can I make sweet and sour green beans ahead of time?
Yes, you can make sweet and sour green beans up to 24 hours in advance. Simply store the cooked side dish in the fridge and then reheat it on the stovetop quickly before serving.
Check out these other sensational Southern side dishes:
Southern Deviled Eggs Recipe (Keto-Friendly)
Hush Puppies Recipe, Southern-Style
Oven-Baked Mac and Cheese (Southern Plate Favorite)
Southern Dressing With Cornbread
Southern-Style Fried Okra Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 package bacon 6 or 7 slices
- 1/2 chopped onion
- 32 ounces french-style green beans or other green beans
- 2 tbsp vinegar
- 2 tbsp sugar
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cut bacon into one-inch segments and place the bacon and chopped onion in a skillet. Cook over medium heat until browned, stirring often. Remove to a plate.1/2 package bacon, 1/2 chopped onion
- Add beans to bacon grease and continue cooking over medium heat until they are to desired tenderness. Add vinegar and sugar and stir. Add bacon and onions back and let simmer for a few minutes, stirring often. Salt and pepper to taste.1/2 chopped onion, 32 ounces french-style green beans, 2 tbsp vinegar, 2 tbsp sugar, salt and pepper to taste
- Serve warm.
“Have the courage to say no. Have the courage to face the truth. Do the right thing because it is right. These are the magic keys to living your life with integrity.” – W. Clement Stone
Contributed by Southern Plate Reader, Jay. To submit your quote, click here!
This is similar to the way I make my green beans.
Except… I use lean country ham fried in olive oil..until crisp. I then remove the ham. Add water to the drippings and then
Add your green beans, 2 tsps. apple cider vinegar, 2 tsp sugar (or 1 pk splenda) 2 tsp of salt. add water to cover and cook till the doneness you like and boil dry.
You may use canned beans and just leave out the salt and cook till done.
Boiling the water down makes the delicious sauce the beans cook in.
A little bit healthier for those who do eat the fat of meat.
Sounds great Shirley!!! Thanks for sharing with us!!
My boyfriend and I are in a long distance relationship–difficult to say the least. He is coming in May for a visit. It has been a long time since we’ve seen each other. But, I’ve already got my menu for the first evening–Chicken Poulet, Sweet and Sour green beans, mashed potatoes, 10-minute rolls and buttermilk congealed salad (cherry)! The man LOVES my cooking! I was already a good cook, but your recipes have broadened my repertoire.
Oh my goodness Tania, I know you are soo excited!!! I hope you have a wonderful visit and he enjoys his meal! I am just so honored that you are using some of my recipes!
I made these and they were delish! I think I may have cooked them alittle too long but they were still so yummy. I used apple smoked bacon when I made them! Thanks for the recipe. I have never made anything of yours that we didnt like!
I am so glad to hear that you liked them Sherry!!!!
Different and really good! Thanks for sharing this recipe.
Funny you mentioned about the crunchy green beans, so many recipes call for fresh green beans and tell you to cook about 5 minutes. I like the life cooked out of mine, the longer they cook the better I think they taste. I have never used frozen bought beans I always used canned or fresh. I froze some from my garden one year and by the time I cooked them enough to lose the green taste and crunch they became mushy and fell apart. Might try the bought kind though in this recipe and see if I have better luck. They sound like they would be good and my husband would probably like them as he is wild about vegetables so I like to try new recipes for variety. He has been on a diet and has to watch his fat content so I believe I may cut back on the amount of bacon I put in these. Thanks for the recipe though, will give it a try!
christy, we love these in our house. i have a quick question though, in your cookbook you say that you freeze these for future use. if i was to make a double/triple batch for my daughter’s first communion party, how would you recommend i reheat them? oven is already full. i was thinking crockpot or microwave? trying to avoid stovetop day of because i’ll need it to set hot stuff down on in my small kitchen…
I microwave but the slow cooker would be a great option since you’re doing it for a crowd. I think the ideal may be microwave thaw and then keep warm in slow cooker until you need them. YOU are a FABULOUS Mama!!!!
now i’m *blushing* Thanks so much!!!
I’ll be making the green beans tomorrow and serving them in my great grandmothers bowl. Hope you have a great Easter.
I hope you like them Etta, they are one of my all-time favorites, and they will be even better in your grandmother’s bowl!!!