Mouth-watering green bean bundles are wrapped in bacon and glazed in brown sugar for the ultimate side dish!
Green bean bundles are wrapped in bacon making them irresistible! Try more bacon-wrapped sides like Bacon Wrapped Asparagus, Bacon Wrapped Potatoes, and Bacon Wrapped Smokies!
Bacon + Brown Sugar = Heaven
Do you like green beans? I’ll be honest, I didn’t as a kid, but eventually, I learned to love them! If you want a surefire way to get anyone to love green beans… wrap them up in BACON!
These green bean bundles are SO full of flavor, you hardly even realize you’re eating green vegetables! The green beans are wrapped in bacon and cooked with butter and brown sugar drizzled on top. Bacon and brown sugar are a flavor match made in heaven!!
These are simple and quick enough to make for a weeknight dinner, but sophisticated enough to impress your dinner guests! We like making these bundles as a side dish for big family holiday dinners.
The recipe feeds about 6, but you can easily double the recipe to feed a larger crowd. You should definitely give them a shot!
Ready in 30 Minutes!
This green bean bundles recipe only requires FIVE ingredients!! (Win!)
STEAM. All you have to do is steam the green beans until tender, and gather about 6-10 beans into a bundle (this should make 6 bundles).
WRAP. Wrap each bundle with a piece of bacon and secure it with a toothpick.
SPRINKLE. Place them on a greased baking sheet and sprinkle them with melted butter, brown sugar, and garlic salt.
BAKE. Bake for 18-20 minutes at 350°F and serve warm! It’s as simple as that!
Steaming Green Beans
How to steam green beans until tender. Steaming green beans gives them a vibrant green color and a tender-crisp texture. Blanching is another method. You know that they have overcooked when they turn a more olive green color and become mushy.
- Microwave: Put green beans in a microwave-safe bowl and cover with water. Cook on high for 3 minutes, or until green beans are tender. Drain and pat dry.
- Steamer: Add 1 inch of water to the pot and bring to a boil. Place green beans in the steamer basket, insert into the pot, cover, and steam for 3-5 minutes.
- In a sauté or frying pan add ½ inch of salted water. Bring to a boil. Add green beans and cook in boiling water, uncovered, for 3-5 minutes. Drain and pat dry.
- Boil. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add the green beans, and cook for about 2 minutes. Remove the beans and plunge them into a bowl of ice water. Remove after a few seconds and pat dry.
Recipe Tips
Bacon. Avoid the thick-cut bacon as it will not be able to crisp up. Use thin cut bacon of your choice. For crispier bacon, try one of these methods:
- Use the broiler. Turn it on during the last 1-2 minutes of cook time. Flip the bundles and broil for 1-2 minutes longer. Watch carefully so they don’t char.
- Par cook the bacon in the oven. Don’t want to fully cook the bacon just partially cook it. Place the bacon on a baking sheet and bake at 400°F for about 10-12 minutes. Let them cool a bit before wrapping the green bean bundles.
Season the green beans before bundling them up in bacon. Add a simple sprinkle of garlic powder or black pepper, add a bit more flavor with Italian seasoning, or add a bit of kick with cayenne pepper.
How to pick green beans. To pick fresh green beans, look for ones that are vibrant in color and without any visual browning or bruising. They should be firm and snap when bent in half. Choose green beans that are similar in width and length to get a more uniform cook time.
- If you are not ready to use the green beans right away, store them in the crisper drawer in the fridge for up to one week. To prepare them, just wash them in cold water, dry them, and trim the ends.
Note: many grocery stores carry pre-trimmed and packaged green beans. They are usually found near the carrots.
Serving Suggestions
Not only are these bacon wrapped green bean bundles perfect to serve during Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter, but they can enhance any meal all year long.
Some of our favorite dishes to serve green bean bundles with include:
Storing Tips
Make ahead of time. To save time, prep these bacon wrapped green beans through step 4 the night before, cover, and store them in the fridge. Bake according to directions, and serve.
STORE. Cover leftovers and keep them in the fridge for 2-3 days.
- To reheat on the stovetop: Preheat a pan over medium heat, place bundles in the pan, cover, and allow them to warm up; about 2-3 minutes.
- To reheat in the oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F, allow bundles to heat for 3-5 minutes, then broil for 1-2 minutes to crisp up the bacon. In a pinch, you can reheat it in the microwave, but the texture may be rubbery.
Recipe FAQ
It depends on what you like! In these photos, I left the stems on. If you prefer them without, trim the stems off before cooking the green beans. You can wash and trim the beans 2-3 days in advance.
Use regular or French green beans. Just be aware that French green beans are longer and thinner and will cook a little more quickly than regular green beans.
Since freezer vegetables have already been blanched, just let them thaw, dry them well, and then wrap them in bacon. You do not need to steam them.
Wrap the bacon tightly around the green beans and place the bundle seam side down, or secure the bacon in place with a toothpick.
For more green bean recipes, check out:
- Green Bean Casserole
- Crock Pot Green Beans with Bacon
- Chicken and Green Bean Casserole
- Fresh Green Bean Casserole
- Fried Green Beans
Green Bean Bundles Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 pounds fresh green beans
- 6 strips bacon
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- garlic salt to taste
Instructions
- Steam green beans until tender (see Recipe Tip).
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Gather 6–10 green beans into a bundle and wrap them with 1 piece of bacon. Secure bacon with a toothpick. Repeat to make 6 bundles.
- Place bundles on a greased baking sheet (or a wire rack over a foiled-lined baking sheet). Sprinkle with melted butter, brown sugar, and garlic salt.
- Bake for 18–20 minutes. For extra crispiness, broil for 1 minute, then flip bundles and broil for a minute on the other side.
Really enjoy your recipes and especially seeing the video which makes it so much easier to then create! Thank you so much.
Yumm! Can’t wait to try this!
Honestly, I am not the hugest green bean fan, but adding bacon, makes them so much better!!
YUMMY! So simple and DELICIOUS! Perfect Appetizers for Thanksgiving! They are NOT going to last long!
Bacon makes everything, even green beans tasty..LOL!! These are a must at the holidays!! Everyone always loves them!
A easy to make veggie without much prep time. I love the flavor of bacon aNd green beans!
Maybe its because of the canned string beans my mom used to serve, but i do not like green beans. BUT green heans wrapped in bacon? Im glad i gave them a try. My opinion Of green beans has imProved. Great recipe!
Thank you so much for this very helpful and tasty recipe! Loved it, so easy! Will make it again!
You’re welcome! So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
These are a great side to almost any meal. The saltiness of the bacon compliments the green beans so well.
I could get used to eating green beans this way!! The bacon adds delicious flavor!
The green beans wrapped in bacon send these veggies over the top! These look so fancy too! The perfect appetizer or side recipe!
Made these for Thanksgiving and the family devoured them. So easy and so good. Thx
Love the look of these. So good and quick, especially with the bacon. This recipe is a keeper.
Made these for Thanksgiving and the family loved them. The bacon with the beans is a great flavor. There were no bundles left. I had family asking for the recipe.