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!
Dear Christy,
Just found your site and am loving reading your articles. I was raised in an old Boarding House in Little Rock, AR in the early 50s through the first part of the 60s where we fed as many as three to four hundred at each meal. We had the contract to feed ned recruits in the military for the four or five days they spent in town. So many of your recipes are the same I learned before I could reach over a ten-burner stove. Sure brings back memories.
Here is a little tip we used in those days. Any canned green vegetable, mainly green beans and greens can be improved by flavoring with bacon and/or bacon grease. Just before serving, throw about a good three-fingered pinch of bakeing soda into the pot and stir, which will cause it to foam up momentarily. This action makes the grease stick to the beans or greens. Since the flavor is in the grease, your vegetables will taste more like fresh instead of canned.
Looking forward to reading much moe of your site. You are a wonderful Southern Lady and a great cook and writer.
C. Wayne Lammers
WOW, what a legacy! 300 to 400 hundred each meal. Thank you so much for the tips and sharing the wonderful memories of your childhood!!
Hi Christy, I would love to try this receipe but the print was missing at the bottom of the receipe.
Like louanne, my German grandmother frequently made these, but I seem to recall that they just might have had a slightly thickened dressing. Loved them. The lunchroom ladies in a local school here in Florida make this dish but there’ s usually chunks of ham instead of bacon, but nevertheless, I made sure I always got a healthy portion, with cornbread on the side.. You realize that you’re now dealing with a “Yankee Southerner.” 🙂 .
I love green beans, they are probably my favorite veggie! I like to take a heel of homemade bread when it gets sorta dried out, sprinkle some black pepper on it and cover irt with hot green beans and a little of the bean juice, yum!!!!
Green beans have always been my nemesis. My Mom always makes really good green beans (and she’s a yankee to boot!) but my paternal Grandmother made the absolute best…and yes, she was a true “grow my own veggies and can them” southern lady! My green beans, they are terrible each and every time I make them. I had saved my bacon grease, because, well, um, I’m southern? I don’t really know why, I just do. I hadn’t used any yet, but after reading your post, I decided to try making green beans one more time.
I used 1 1/2 T of bacon grease (plus lots of little bits), 1 bag of frozen french cut green beans (frozen, not defrosted). Cooked them in a large pan adding salt, pepper and a little garlic powder. Cooked some more, added water, cooked even more, (yep, I like mine good and cooked) and OH MY! They were so D.E.L.I.C.I.O.U.S!!! I never thought I would EVER say that about my green beans, but I had to stop myself from eating them all in one sitting!
Thank you, thank you, thank you so much for this post! You have saved my green beans!
My german grandmother made this many times that and 3 bean sweet and sour salad also so good old hot german potato salad, think I’ll make some for this weekend.
I made these for the 4th of July. I LOVED them. Thank you so much for posting this recipe. I will be making these again. YOU ROCK!!!!!
Dora Renee Wilkerson.
I am so glad to hear that you liked them Dora!!! I hope you had a fabulous 4th!!