It can be hard to get excited about vegetables. No matter how fresh, crispy, and bright, it just doesn’t capture the same attention as other sides…until now! Green Beans & Bacon adds extra crunch and meaty satisfaction to your greens, so now it’s one of your favorite parts of dinner! With chopped and toasted pecans for even more heartiness, Green Beans & Bacon are satisfyingly fatty and seasoned. Be prepared to enjoy every last bite of these beans!
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 pounds green beans, trimmed
- 1/2 pound bacon, roughly chopped
- 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup toasted pecans, chopped
- juice of 1/2 lemon
- kosher salt, to taste
- freshly ground pepper, to taste
Directions
Step 1 –Toss the green beans into a large pot of boiling salted water.
Step 2 –Cook the beans until bright green in color and crisp-tender, about 5 minutes.
Step 3 –Drain the beans and shock them in a large bowl of ice water to stop the cooking.
Step 4 –Drain the beans again and pat dry.
Step 5 –Cook the bacon in a large, heavy saute pan until crisp, about 5 minutes.
Step 6 –Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
Step 7 –Spoon out the excess bacon grease, leaving 2 tablespoons in the pan.
Step 8 –Add the onion to the pan and saute until soft and very tender, about 4-5 minutes.
Step 9 –Sprinkle in the garlic and red pepper flakes and saute until just fragrant, about 1 minute.
Step 10 –Add the reserved green beans and the pecans and cook until heated through, about 5-6 minutes.
Step 11 –Return the bacon to the pan.
Step 12 –Pour in the lemon juice and toss to combine.
Step 13 –Season with salt and pepper and serve.