Green beans with crispy shallots and bacon is a very simple, but sophisticated side dish.

closeup of green beans with crispy shallots and bacon on a platter with fork

Green beans are a classic side dish, and while my buttery garlic green beans are great for any night of the week, this dish is perfect for more special occasions.

After cooking bacon slices in a skillet, thin shallots are fried in the bacon grease until golden brown and crispy. Next, the green beans are cooked in a little bacon grease and some butter for additional flavor till tender. Finally, we toss everything together. The combination is delicious!

While a little bit fancy, these green beans are still easy to make, with just a few ingredients and less than 30 minutes needed. Serve this dish at your next dinner party or holiday gathering!

ingredients for green beans with crispy shallots and bacon

Ingredients you’ll need

Here’s everything you need for these green beans (full recipe at the end of this post):

  • Bacon
  • Shallots
  • Green beans (fresh is preferred but frozen will work too)
  • Butter
  • Salt and pepper

chopped bacon and shallots in bowls, trimmed green beans in bowl
crispy shallots in pan

How to make green beans with crispy shallots and bacon

  1. Cook bacon. Cook bacon pieces over medium-high heat until crispy, stirring often. Transfer to a paper towel to drain.
  2. Fry shallots. Cook shallots in bacon fat until golden and crispy. Stir often and make sure they don’t burn. Set aside with the bacon.
  3. Cook green beans. Cook green beans in butter until tender and slightly browned.
  4. Combine and serve. Top green beans with the crispy shallots and bacon and serve immediately.

Enjoy!

sauteed green beans in pan with bacon and shallots on side

A few tips for making this recipe

  • Instead of just grabbing handfuls of green beans at the market, be more picky in selecting green beans without brown or wrinkly spots. Try to get green beans that are roughly the same size so they’ll cook evenly.
  • Cut off the woody ends on both the top and bottom of the beans easily by lining them up one way, slicing them with a knife, and then lining them up on the other side (like this!).
  • Once the shallots start browning, they’ll burn quick if you’re not careful. Stir often so they cook evenly, and remove them from the pan when they’re a nice amber color.
  • This recipe is best with fresh green beans, but frozen green beans will work as well. Increase cook time to about 15 minutes.
  • This dish is best served immediately, but it is possible to cook bacon and shallots ahead of time and reheat with the beans during the last minute or two of cooking.

More vegetable side dishes to love

green beans with crispy shallots and bacon on a platter with fork

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closeup of green beans with crispy shallots and bacon on a platter with fork
5 from 1 review

Green Beans with Crispy Shallots and Bacon

Servings: 6 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients
 

  • 3 strips bacon , chopped
  • 2 medium shallots , thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 lb fresh green beans , ends trimmed

Instructions
 

  • In a large skillet, cook bacon pieces over medium high heat until crispy, stirring often, about 5-7 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel to drain.
  • Fry shallots in bacon fat until golden and crispy, about 10-12 minutes. Stir often and make sure they don't burn. Set aside with the bacon.
  • Drain most of bacon grease from the pan, leaving about 1 teaspoon. Add butter to the pan and let it melt.
  • Add green beans and cook until tender and slightly browned, about 8-10 minutes. Stir often.
  • Top green beans with shallots and bacon and serve.
Calories: 92kcal, Carbohydrates: 7g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 12mg, Sodium: 95mg, Potassium: 210mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 584IU, Vitamin C: 10mg, Calcium: 32mg, Iron: 1mg
Cuisine: American
Course: Side Dish
Author: Annalise
Have you tried this recipe?I’d love to hear about it! Leave a rating and review below, or take a photo and tag it on Instagram @completelydelicious with #completelydelicious.