Green Beans with Tomatoes and Bacon

These green beans with tomatoes and bacon are the perfect fall side dish! Warm and flavorful, they are sure to be a hit with any meal.

These green beans with tomatoes and bacon are my signature side dish! Any time we are attending a gathering with a lot of people, this is the dish I bring. Why?? Because they are so simple to make, full of yummy flavor, and always a hit. Plus, my kids always scarf theirs down and ask for more!

This is another recipe that my mom passed down to me. Once I had made it a few times, realized how stinking easy it was to make, and my kids loved it, I knew it was staying on our favorites menu.

Another reason this side dish is so awesome is because it is extremely versatile. Have a ton of fresh, green beans from your garden? Use them. Find a deal on frozen green beans and stocked up? Use them. Bought a ton of canned green beans in bulk? Use them.

The ingredients list is so minimal, and it is easy to make a small amount for just your family, or a large amount for a gathering of the extended family or friends.

How to Make Green Beans with Tomatoes and Bacon

One of my favorite smells in the kitchen is the smell of bacon and onions cooking. That is exactly where you start with this dish.

Place your cast iron Dutch oven on medium-high heat to warm while you slice the bacon into pieces about 1/2″ wide. Throw the bacon into the pot to begin cooking.

While the bacon begins to cook, finely dice the white onion. Add to the pot once the bacon is about halfway done cooking.

Pull out your green beans and get them ready to add. If you use fresh green beans, make sure to wash them first. If you use canned green beans, make sure to drain the liquid. Once the bacon is cooked (not crispy) and the onion is golden and soft, pour in the green beans and whole tomatoes with juice.

Add 1/2 tsp of Tony Chachere’s creole seasoning to start and stir to combine. Make sure to get the bacon and onion mixed in well since it is buried at the bottom.

Reduce to low and simmer for 45 minutes. As it continues to cook, stir occasionally and begin to chop the tomatoes into smaller pieces as they soften.

Throughout the cook time, make sure to taste test every once in a while. This is your time to add more Tony Chachere’s Creole seasoning until you reach your preferred spice level.

Green Beans with Tomatoes and Bacon Ingredients:

• 4 cans green beans, drained
• 15 oz. can of whole tomatoes
• Medium, white onion, diced
• 4-5 slices of bacon
• Tony Chachere’s Creole seasoning

Note: This is how much I cook for my family of six. I double or triple this amount when cooking for a larger group.

I prefer to use my cast iron Dutch oven when I cook these green beans. The bacon crisps up perfectly and the beans never stick. Plus, cast iron doesn’t have a non-stick coating. Using pots and pans with a non-stick coating introduces toxic chemicals into the food you are cooking, especially if it has been scratched. We avoid using anything with non-stick coating in our kitchen. Instead go for cast iron or ceramic.

Green Beans with Tomatoes and Bacon Instructions:

1. Put the cast iron Dutch oven on medium-high heat to warm while you slice the bacon into pieces about 1/2″ wide. Throw the bacon into the pot to begin cooking.
2. While the bacon is cooking, finely dice the white onion. Add to the pot once the bacon is about halfway done.
3. Pull out your green beans and get them ready to add. If you use fresh green beans, make sure to wash them first. If you use canned green beans, make sure to drain the liquid. Once the bacon is cooked (not crispy) and the onion is golden and soft, pour in the green beans and whole tomatoes with juice.
4. Add 1/2 tsp of Tony Chachere’s Creole seasoning and stir to combine. Make sure to get the bacon and onion mixed in well since it is buried at the bottom.
5. Reduce to low and simmer for 45 minutes. As it continues to cook, stir occasionally and begin to chop the tomatoes into smaller pieces as they soften.
6. Taste test throughout the cook time and add more seasoning if needed. The overall amount of seasoning depends on your spice level preference.

These green beans with tomatoes and bacon compliment so many different meals. My family (specifically my Dad and Uncle) request them every year for Thanksgiving, and the pot always comes back totally empty. But they also go great with steak, pork, and chicken dishes.

Recipe Variations

• Like I said above, you can make this recipe with many variations of green beans. I have done it with all three; fresh, frozen and canned. The only one I wouldn’t recommend using is French style green beans. They are so thin to begin with that they basically disintegrate while they simmer for the whole cook time.
• You can use cayenne pepper and salt to season the green beans if you do not have the Tony Chachere’s Creole seasoning. Make sure to start with a small amount of the cayenne pepper and gradually add to your preferred spice level.

More Simple and Delicious Side Dishes:

• Mediterranean Cucumber Tomato Salad
• Spinach Salad with Fruit and Nuts

This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. See my full disclosure HERE.

Shop this Post:

• Cast Iron Dutch Oven
• Tony Chachere’s Creole seasoning

PIN IT FOR LATER