Pioneer Woman Crack Green Beans Recipe
This recipe takes green beans, bacon, brown sugar, and soy sauce, baking them together until caramelized and rich in flavor. The sauce coats each bean in a glossy, savory-sweet glaze that pairs beautifully with roasted meats, fried chicken, or mashed potatoes. It’s comfort food done the Pioneer Woman way — easy, hearty, and full of down-home flavor.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 35
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Southern-American
Ingredients
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5 cans (14.5 oz each) green beans, drained (or 2 lbs fresh beans, trimmed)
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12 slices bacon, cooked and chopped
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⅔ cup brown sugar
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¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
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⅓ cup soy sauce
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2 cloves garlic, minced
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½ teaspoon black pepper
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¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional for heat)
Instructions
Set your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish or spray lightly with cooking spray.
In a skillet over medium heat, cook bacon until crisp. Remove and drain on paper towels, then chop into small pieces. Set aside. Reserve about 1 tablespoon of bacon grease if you like a richer flavor.
In a bowl, whisk together melted butter, brown sugar, soy sauce, minced garlic, black pepper, and red pepper flakes until well combined.
Add the drained green beans to the baking dish. Sprinkle chopped bacon evenly over the top, then pour the sauce mixture over everything. Gently toss to coat all the beans in the glaze.
Cover the dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 15–20 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly and the top turns lightly caramelized.
Remove from the oven, toss once more to coat the beans, and serve warm. They’re especially delicious alongside roasted chicken, steak, or mashed potatoes.