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Smothered Green Beans

Smothered green beans baked until tender and coated in a glossy brown sugar butter sauce. Bacon and onion drippings melt into the beans for a sticky, savory finish.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Southern American
Calories: 310
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Drained cut green beans
  • 4 can (14.5 oz) cut green beans Drain well before layering in the baking dish.
Bacon and onion
  • 8 bacon Chop and cook until mostly crisp; keep drippings in the skillet.
  • 0.5 small onion Dice for even cooking with the bacon.
Brown sugar butter sauce
  • 0.5 cup brown sugar Pack for the right glossy, caramelized texture.
  • 0.25 cup butter Melt before whisking into the sauce.
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce Adds savory depth to the sweet sauce.
  • 1 tsp garlic powder Use for quick garlic flavor.
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper Freshly ground if possible.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and preheat
  1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
  2. Chop the bacon and dice the onion so they’re ready to cook.
Cook bacon and onion
  1. Cook the bacon and onion in a skillet for 8 minutes until the bacon is mostly crisp, and do not drain the drippings.
Assemble and bake
  1. Place the drained green beans in a 9x13-inch baking dish and top with the bacon, onion, and drippings.
  2. Whisk the brown sugar, melted butter, soy sauce, garlic powder, and black pepper until smooth.
  3. Pour the sauce over the beans so they’re evenly coated.
  4. Cover with foil and bake for 35-40 minutes, stirring once during baking, until the sauce is glossy.
Finish
  1. Stir and serve warm.

Notes

For the glossiest sauce, keep the bacon drippings in the skillet and stir once halfway through baking so the brown sugar emulsifies with the butter. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days; reheat covered in a 300F oven until hot. Freezing is not recommended because the beans can soften and the sauce may separate. For a lighter option, use turkey bacon and reduce butter to 2 tbsp while keeping the brown sugar amount the same.