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If this isn’t the cutest addition to a holiday table or buffet, then I don’t know what is. Simply blanched green beans are wrapped with partially-cooked bacon, then brushed with an orange and brown sugar glaze and baked until the beans are tender and the bacon is crispy.
The result is individually portioned bundles of green beans that are easy to serve, easy to make ahead, and very celebratory to look at. They kind of look like little gift-wrapped string beans! But they aren’t at all difficult to make, in fact, they are kind of fun to pull together. And you can make them a day or two ahead of your dinner!
Serve these on Thanksgiving with Cajun Roast Turkey or for a lovely fall dinner with Roast Eye of Round or Roast Chicken.
Table of Contents
Bacon-Wrapped Green Beans: Tender green beans are all wrapped up with a band of crispy bacon and brushed with a sweet and savory glaze. Perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any time you want to show off a little!
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Ingredients
- Bacon – Don’t buy thick-cut bacon for this; it’s hard to wrap around the green beans and won’t crisp up quickly enough.
- Thin green beans or haricot verts – Thin green beans work best here and make an elegant presentation.
- Unsalted butter
- Minced garlic – Make sure the garlic is very finely minced so it blends into the butter glaze.
- Brown sugar – Either light or dark brown sugar is fine here.
- Orange juice – Fresh is lovely here.
How to Make Bacon-Wrapped Green Beans
- Cook the bacon: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Bake the bacon (or you can cook it in a pan) until it is soft and starting to cook through but still very pliable. Transfer the bacon to the paper towel-lined plate and let rest until cool enough to handle. Leave the oven on.
- Blanch the green beans: Cook the beans in a large pot of salted water for about 3 minutes until crisp-tender. Drain and run them under cool water in the colander to stop the cooking. Pat them dry with a clean dishtowel.
- Wrap the beans: Gather groups of 10 to 12 green beans, lining them up fairly evenly. Wrap each bundle with a strip of partially cooked bacon.
- Make the glaze: Melt the butter, then quickly sauté the garlic, and stir in the brown sugar and orange juice. Simmer for about 3 minutes. Brush the green bean and bacon bundles with the sauce.
- Bake: Bake until the bacon is crispy and the beans are tender, about 15 minutes. Serve hot or warm.
Make-Ahead and Storage
You can make the green bean bundles up to a couple of days ahead of time and store them in the fridge, tightly covered. Bring to room temperature for 20 minutes before baking.
Once the green bean bundles are baked, you can store leftovers in the fridge for a couple of days. They are best reheated in a 375-degree oven for 5 to 7 minutes before serving to re-crisp the bacon. Bring them to room temperature before reheating.
Tips
- If you want to par-cook the bacon ahead of time, you can. Store it in the fridge for up to 3 days. Bring it to room temperature before wrapping the green bean bundles.
- Place each bundle in a baking dish large enough to hold all 12 or so bundles with an inch or so between each bundle, or use two baking dishes.
What to Serve With Bacon Green Beans Bundles
Classic Baked Ham
Easy Roasted Thanksgiving Turkey
Beef Tenderloin Roast
More Green Bean Recipes
- Air Fryer Green Beans
- Traditional Green Bean Casserole
- Sautéed Green Beans with Thyme Butter
- Thai Green Beans
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Bacon-Wrapped Green Beans
Ingredients
- 12 slices bacon
- Kosher salt (to taste)
- 2 pounds thin green beans or haricot verts (trimmed)
- 4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon very finely minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
- Freshly ground pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 F. Line a plate with paper towels. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
- Place the bacon in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake the bacon for about 12 minutes until it is soft and starting to cook through but still very pliable. Transfer the bacon to the paper towel-lined plate and let rest until cool enough to handle. Leave the oven on. (You can also cook the bacon in a pan.)
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the green beans and cook for about 3 minutes until crisp-tender. Drain and run them under cool water in the colander to stop the cooking. Pat them dry with a clean dishtowel.
- Gather groups of 10 to 12 green beans, lining them up fairly evenly. Wrap each bundle with a strip of partially cooked bacon. Place each bundle in a baking dish large enough to hold all 12 or so bundles with an inch or so between each bundle, or use two baking dishes.
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter, then add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds until it becomes fragrant and begins to color. Then stir in the brown sugar, orange juice. Let it come to a simmer for about 3 minutes, stirring often.
- Brush the green bean and bacon bundles with the sauce. Grind some pepper over the bundles. (They can sit at room temp for a couple of hours or be covered and refrigerated for up to 24 hours.).Bake until the bacon is crispy, about 15 minutes. Serve hot or warm.
Notes
- If you want to partially cook the bacon ahead of time, you can. Store it in the fridge for up to three days. Bring it to room temperature before wrapping the green bean bundles.
- Place each bundle in a baking dish large enough to hold all 12 or so bundles with an inch or so between each bundle, or use two baking dishes.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
