Green Bean Bundles are wrapped in crispy bacon and brushed with a brown sugar glaze, turning an ordinary veggie into a savory-sweet, extra-special side dish that's worthy of holidays and special occasions!
If you enjoy bacon-infused side dishes, you'll also love Brussels Sprouts Gratin, Creamed Peas with Bacon + Mint, and German Potato Salad!
Bacon makes everything better. I've said it before because, quite frankly, it's true.
I always enjoy nice, fresh green beans regardless of preparation, but these Green Bean Bundles elevate humble green beans from good to amazing. Not only do they have a crispy little bacon jacket, but they also have a buttery, garlicky, brown sugary glaze to counter that salty bacon.
I'm telling you, these little babies will change the way you think about green beans!
I'm sharing these Green Bean Bundles today because, with the holidays approaching, there are plenty of imminent opportunities for side dishes that are just a tad more special than your everyday fare.
Now I realize that some would call it sacrilege to even consider substituting a Thanksgiving preparation of green beans other than that ubiquitous cream-of-soup, crispy onion-topped green bean casserole. And I am not here today to suggest such.
Rather, I offer these Green Bean Bundles as a nifty alternative if you're simply looking for something a little bit different this year!
Ingredients
Green Bean Bundles require just a few simple ingredients...and I bet you can guess most of them. 😉
- Bacon. Regular thickness. Thick-cut bacon is not recommended, as it can take too long to crisp up, resulting in overcooked green beans. Also look for bacon that is uniform in width all the way down the strips. If a bacon piece is wide on one end and narrow on the other, once cut in half, the narrow side of the strip will make for a wimpy Green Bean Bundle.
- Fresh green beans. Look for green beans that are long and thin (French green beans, AKA "haricots verts"). If so, about ten green beans per bundle are perfect.
- Butter. Salted or unsalted will work.
- Brown sugar. For a delicious contrast to the salty bacon.
- Salt, garlic powder, + freshly ground black pepper. For seasoning.
How to Make Green Bean Bundles
(The below photos are intended to be helpful, but please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for FULL DIRECTIONS.)
A side dish of Green Beans Bundles looks super fancy but is surprisingly easy to make!
- Arrange bacon strips on a foil-lined pan and bake in a preheated oven for about 10 minutes. The bacon should be starting to brown around the edges but should remain underdone and pliable for green bean-wrapping.
- Drain the bacon on a paper towel-lined plate.
- Once cool enough to handle, cut each slice in half and set aside.
- While the bacon is cooking, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Plunge the green beans into the boiling water for 3 minutes.
- Drain the green beans and immediately transfer them to a large bowl of ice water in order to stop the cooking process (blanching).
- In a small pot, melt the butter. Mix in the salt, garlic powder, and brown sugar until full melted and well blended; keep warm.
- To assemble your Green Bean Bundles, lay 8 to 12 green beans in a pile. Take a half piece of bacon and wrap it around the top of the green bean bundle, tucking the ends underneath.
- Repeat and arrange all of the Green Bean Bundles on a lined baking sheet with the bacon seam-side down. As the bacon cooks, it tends to stick together where it overlaps under the green beans.
- Using a spoon, evenly drizzle the warm butter/brown sugar mixture over each Green Bean Bundle, and season with freshly cracked black pepper, to taste.
- Roast until the bacon is crisp and cooked through.
- Allow to rest for a few minutes before serving, lifting carefully from the pan to make sure the bundles don't fall apart. Enjoy!
Make-Ahead Green Bean Bundles
Since these Green Bean Bundles are the perfect addition to holiday menus, it's likely that you'll be cooking a lot of other things at the same time. Luckily, this recipe is ideal for prepping ahead of time!
- Make the brown sugar glaze as directed. Pour it into a glass measuring cup (or microwave-safe bowl), allow it to cool a bit, cover tightly, and refrigerate.
- Assemble your Green Bean Bundles as directed. Arrange them on a baking sheet, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to two days.
- When you're ready to bake off your green bean bundles, remove the baking sheet and glaze from the fridge to come to room temperature while the oven preheats.
- The butter in the glaze will have solidified when chilled, so reheat the measuring cup/bowl it in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time until the glaze is warm and stirrable.
- Spoon on the glaze and bake the Green Bean Bundles as directed.
Shortcut Casserole Version
If you love the flavor of these Green Bean Bundles (with all of their bacon-y goodness and brown sugar glaze) but you're running short on time and/or energy, I have a solution for you!
A few years back, I found myself in such a predicament, and I adapted this recipe into a Bacon Green Bean Casserole instead. Same basic ingredients, different format.
In other words, equally delicious but even quicker and easier than the original! {*virtual fist bump*}
Green Bean Bundles would make a lovely addition to your Thanksgiving menu or Christmas dinner. They'd also be great for Easter. Or to impress company year-round. Or to make any old Tuesday feel special.
Bottom line? These bacon-wrapped Green Bean Bundles look and taste far fancier than the minimal time it takes to throw them together, and your family or your dinner guests will enjoy them regardless of the occasion.
After all, that's the magic of bacon...am I right? 🙂
More Tasty Holiday Recipes
- Cornish Hens with Citrus Glaze
- Savory Herb & Cheese Monkey Bread
- Slow Cooker Creamy Cheesy Corn
- Holiday Honeycrisp Salad
- Brussels Sprouts Gratin
- Cream Cheese Corn Casserole
Green Bean Bundles with Bacon + Brown Sugar Glaze
Ingredients
- 8 slices bacon
- 1 pound long, thin green beans (French green beans/haricots verts), washed and trimmed
- 4 tablespoons (½ stick) butter
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with heavy foil. Lay bacon strips on pan without overlapping. Bake for 10 minutes or until bacon is just starting to brown on the edges while remaining underdone and pliable. Drain bacon on a plate lined with paper towels and, once cool, cut each slice in half. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.
- While the bacon cooks, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Blanch the green beans by plunging them into the boiling water for 3 minutes, draining, and then immediately transferring to a large bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process.
- In a small pot set over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Mix in the salt, garlic powder, and brown sugar until well blended.
- To assemble Green Bean Bundles, lay 8 to 12 beans in a pile. Take a half piece of bacon and wrap it around the top of the green bean bundle, tucking the ends underneath. Lay the bundle on a baking sheet with the bacon seam-side down. Repeat with all of the green beans.
- Using a spoon, evenly drizzle the butter/brown sugar mixture over each green bean bundle. Season with freshly ground black pepper, to taste.
- Roast at 350°F for 20 to 25 minutes or until the bacon is crisp and cooked through. Allow to rest on the baking pan for 3 to 5 minutes before serving.
Video
Notes
- If your green beans are thin, about 10 per bundle should work out perfectly.
- If your green beans are thick, less will fit per bundle and you will want to blanch them for 1 minute extra.
- Your bacon should be regular thickness (not thick-cut), and the strips should be uniform in width from one end to the other. If the bacon has a skinny end, that half piece won't be substantial enough to hold the green beans together.
- Since half a piece of bacon will not wrap around the green beans more than once, take care that your bundles don't fall apart when you transfer them from the baking sheet. I like to grip each bundle firmly with tongs while lifting the underside with a spatula so that it stays together.
- If you prefer, you may brush on the butter/sugar glaze with a pastry brush, as opposed to using a spoon.
- This recipe makes 16 Green Bean Bundles (2 bundles per serving for the nutrition calculations).
- MAKE-AHEAD INSTRUCTIONS:
- Make the brown sugar glaze as directed and transfer to a glass measuring cup (or microwave-safe bowl). Cover and refrigerate.
- Assemble the Green Bean Bundles as directed. Arrange on a baking sheet, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to two days.
- When ready to bake, remove the baking sheet and glaze from the fridge to come to room temperature while the oven preheats.
- Reheat the measuring cup/bowl of glaze in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time until the glaze is warm and stirrable.
- Spoon on the glaze and bake the Green Bean Bundles as directed.
Post originally published on November 8, 2013, and updated on September 19, 2019, and October 25, 2023. Adapted from Williams Sonoma.
Charlotte
These were the hit of Thanksgiving. Even the picky kids loved them! Totally addicting.
Cathy
These look delicious. I’m wondering if I could make a day ahead and then reheat the day of Thanksgiving in the crockpot? I’m trying to conserve oven space.
Samantha Skaggs
I haven't tried that, Cathy, but it's a creative idea! I imagine it would work as long as you're okay with the bacon not being perfectly crispy...it would probably be on the softer side after reheating in the crockpot.