Crack Green Beans - Fresh or Canned

Green beans are the perfect side dish! Bring some flavor to your traditional recipe and try these sweet and savory Crack Green Beans with Crispy Bacon.  Super easy and quick to make, these keto green beans are not your average side dish!

I know what you're thinking, why is this called crack green beans?  It's the same with my Crack slaw and my crack chicken recipe.  These recipes are a trifecta of deliciousness and they are super easy to make.  People get offended when I call these recipes crack, but this is what people search for on Google.  If I don't name it this, people will not be able to find the recipe!

This recipe is an amazing combo of sweet, salty, and crunchy.  It is the perfect keto green bean recipe and one of my favorite vegetable sides.  I love taking the crack green beans to Thanksgiving or potluck dinner. I think people prefer it over green bean casserole! I give instructions on how to use fresh or canned green beans.

Ingredients needed

This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for this crack green beans recipe, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For a printable recipe, see the recipe card below.

1 pound fresh green beans - you can also use 2, 15 ounces cans of green beans that have been trained.  The fresh ones need to be trimmed.

½ pound bacon slices, chopped - the crispy bacon in this recipe really makes it irresistible.  You could also substitute turkey bacon to cut down on calories.

2 tablespoons reserved bacon grease - when we are finished cooking the bacon, we are going to want to remove all but 2 tablespoons of bacon grease from the pan.  If you use turkey bacon, you will want to add fat to make up the difference.

1 teaspoon minced garlic

2 tablespoons soy sauce - you can also use Tamari if you need a gluten free soy sauce.

2 tablespoons brown sugar - I use sugar free to keep this crack green beans recipe keto friendly but you are free to use whatever you like.

How to make crack green beans

This section explains how to make this keto green bean recipe, step by step. For a full printable recipe, see the recipe card below.

In your large skillet with lid, cook the diced bacon until crispy. Once cooked through, remove from skillet using a slotted spoon. Remove all but 2 Tablespoons of your bacon grease from your skillet.

Keep the heat on medium-high and toss the green beans around for a couple of minutes in the skillet or until they start to blister. Reduce heat to low and add in the garlic, soy sauce and brown sugar sweetener. Cover with your lid and let the green beans cook for about 8 minutes.

Stir in already cooked bacon. Serve and enjoy!

Keto leftovers stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Tips for the best keto green beans

• For a quicker cook time, use canned green beans but if you want the freshest taste, use fresh green beans.
• Be sure to trim your fresh green beans and remove any strings.
• Buy fresh green beans in season. Green beans out of season can be extra stringy and not pleasant.

Tools to make this green bean recipe easier

• If you're using fresh green beans, you will need a big skillet with a lid.
• I like to use tongs to toss the green beans around while they are cooking.

Make this a complete meal

• Air Fryer Chicken Thighs
• The easiest steak tips
• Chicken Fries in the Air Fryer
• Instant Pot Chicken Thighs

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