Crack Green Beans
These Crack Green Beans make an amazing side dish for special occasions, get togethers, or any weeknight meal! They are loaded with bacon, onions, and a homemade sauce that is totally addicting. You’ll never want to go back to plain green beans again!
For more delicious green bean side dish recipes, be sure to check out my Air Fryer Green Beans, Italian Green Beans, and Roasted Potatoes and Green Beans.
These Crack Green Beans are one of my favorite side dishes for holiday meals because they are SO so yummy. After one bite, you’ll understand why they are lovingly called Crack Green Beans.
I hold this recipe near and dear to my heart because it is the first recipe I ever truly developed myself.
One evening over ten years ago when we were stationed in Kansas, I had this crazy craving for baked beans. After raiding my cupboards, all I found on hand were a few cans of greens beans. I used to keep my shelves pretty well stocked with green beans since they were (and still are!) my oldest son’s favorite vegetable.
I decided to take those green beans and prepare them with a similar type of sauce that I used when making baked beans. The results were amazing; I couldn’t stop eating them!
My husband and family became big fans, and we got in the habit of calling them “Crack Green Beans.” They have made a regular appearance at our Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas table every year since.
Ingredients for Crack Green Beans
Ingredient measurements and full instructions are located in the recipe card below.
- canned green beans
- onion
- bacon
- ketchup
- Worcestershire sauce
- brown sugar
How to Make Crack Green Beans – Step by Step
Ingredient measurements and full instructions are located in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Preheat oven
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place green beans in the bottom of a casserole dish and set aside.
Step 2: Cook bacon and onions
Cook onion with the chopped bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat until bacon is crisp. Drain most of the fat.
Step 3: Add remaining ingredients
Stir in ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and brown sugar and simmer for an additional 2-3 minutes.
Step 4: Bake
Pour the sauce over the green beans and gently mix. Bake green beans in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes. Enjoy!
Crack Green Beans – Tips and Notes
- Making in advance: this is a great recipe to prepare in advance if you’re making it for a holiday meal. Prepare as directed, but don’t bake yet. Cover your baking dish with aluminum foil and place in the fridge up to one day in advance. Remove the foil and bake as directed.
- Storing leftovers: any leftover Crack Green Beans can stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days.
Can I use frozen green beans? What about fresh green beans?
Yes, frozen green beans will work fine, but make sure you thaw them first.
You could also use fresh green beans. Just boil them for 10 minutes and drain before proceeding with the recipe.
More Holiday Side Dishes You Should Try!
- Cheesy Potato Casserole
- Apple Sausage Stuffing
- Sweet Potato Soufflé
- Roasted Acorn Squash
- Cranberry Orange Sauce
- Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
If you try this recipe, please leave a comment and rating below. I love to hear from you and always appreciate your feedback!
Crack Green Beans
Ingredients
- 2 cans cut green beans, drained
- 1/4 cup onion, diced
- 5-6 slices bacon, chopped
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place green beans in the bottom of a casserole dish and set aside.
- Cook onion with the chopped bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat until bacon is crisp. Drain most of the fat.
- Stir in ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and brown sugar and simmer for an additional 2-3 minutes.
- Pour the sauce over the green beans and gently mix. Bake green beans in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes. Enjoy!
Notes
- Frozen green beans can be used, just be sure to thaw them first.
- Fresh green beans can also be used, just boil them for 10 minutes and drain before proceeding with the recipe.
- Making in advance: this is a great recipe to prepare in advance if you’re making it for a holiday meal. Prepare as directed, but don’t bake yet. Cover your baking dish with aluminum foil and place in the fridge up to one day in advance. Remove the foil and bake as directed.
- Storing leftovers: any leftover Crack Green Beans can stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days.
Huge hit! So simple to make. And the ingredients are easy to keep around.
I was looking for something to accompany smoked pork chops and came across this recipe. There were a few skeptics in the room- including myself – when I said what was being made, but we’re all believers now. I used a 28oz can of Italian green beans and subbed BBQ sauce (Sweet Baby Ray’s) for the ketchup and brown sugar.
Leftovers…you make me giggle! This is the only kind of green beans I’ll make besides the ever famous green bean casserole. There’s never leftovers.
I made these for a party and they turned out amazing! So rich and easy to make! Such a fabulous recipe to have around.
Move over boring green been casserole, these were the star of the holiday meal!
What a delicious way to beef up some canned green beans! I can’t wait to try these.
I am drooling. These green beans look amazing. I can’t wait to try them!
I have made these for decades. Found the recipe in a church cookbook. Never had a negative review! Even converted a green bean hater!
This recipe sounds delicious! I’m going to make them for dinner tonight. We’ve been on the go all day. Our first doing some housework, laundry, Covid vaccine’s, shopping, running errands. It’s now 4:30 in the afternoon and I’m not in the mood to spend hours in the kitchen cooking. I bought a prepared chicken entree, I’ll bake a couple of potatoes, and make these BBQ green beans. Easy peasy!
I’ll let you know how we liked this recipe after dinner.
Yum what a great side disb!
This sounds SO good! I’m always looking to switch up green beans. This sounds FAB
Made this for the 4th of July and my family loved it. It’s definitely a keeper.
A friend brought this recipe to dinner last night and everyone LOVED it!
Oh gosh, these look saucy and delicious! Hand me a spoon! 🙂
YES to green beans and double YES to barbecuing them! What an amazing idea to add extra flavour. So excited to try!