Green Bean Bundles with Bacon
These Green Bean Bundles wrapped in bacon and braised in a sweet garlic liquid are easy to prepare in advance. They're perfect for holidays and weeknight dinners alike, and the make-ahead options reduce last-minute cooking stress.
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Equipment
- Individual 1/8 Sheet Pans or larger depending on how many you make, but the smaller ones fit in my freezer better
- reusable stand-up silicone bag, 104 Oz for freezer storage (plastic-free) - I love this bag!
Ingredients
- 1 lb fresh green beans trimmed
- 1 lb of bacon
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 stick butter
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 cup chicken broth bouillon or salted water okay substitutions
- 1 tsp sea salt
Instructions
Prepare the Bundles:
- Bundle 8-10 green beans and wrap a half slice of bacon around them.
- Secure with a toothpick.
- (MAKE-AHEAD OPTION) Place the bundles on a baking sheet and freeze until firm; once frozen, remove the toothpick and transfer them to a freezer bag for storage.
Braising Liquid
- In a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar, butter, minced garlic, broth and salt.
- Heat over low until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is well combined.
- Remove from heat.
- Arrange the green bean bundles in a 13x9 inch baking dish (if frozen, no need to defrost).
- Drizzle the brown sugar and garlic braising liquid over the bundles.
- (MAKE-AHEAD OPTION for day before) Cover the dish and refrigerate overnight.
Baking
- Preheat your oven to 375°F for convection or 400°F for a conventional oven.
- Remove the toothpicks from the frozen bundles.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes (20-25 for conventional) or until the green beans are tender and the bacon is golden brown.
- To reheat cooled dish, bake for 10-15 minutes at 350°F.
Notes
- Make-ahead convenience: The freezing step allows you to prepare these bundles in advance. You can also prepare the dish the day before.
- Green Beans: you can use fresh, frozen, or canned green beans in this dish. Fresh/frozen Haricots Verts are our favorite bean choice.
- Bacon: Thick or thin bacon works, but thick bacon will take longer to turn golden brown, so we typically choose a thinner bacon.
- Remove toothpicks before baking/serving: It's important to remove the toothpicks to avoid accidents while serving.
- Versatile side: These green bean bundles make an elegant side dish for holiday gatherings and can also enhance your regular weeknight dinners. Enjoy!