Tender slow-cooked green beans that are the perfect complement to any home-cooked meal. These copycat Cracker Barrel Green Beans are perfect for holiday meals, potlucks, Sunday lunch, and weeknight dinners.
Copycat Cracker Barrel Green Beans
My family has no choice but to love Cracker Barrel like I do. When we lived in Tennessee, and I was pregnant with each of my kids, Cracker Barrel was a staple for dinners. Oh my goodness, how a plate of dumplings, homemade mac and cheese, with pinto beans or green beans made me happy. I know I’m not the only one who loves down-home southern cooking from Cracker Barrel. Their food is a definite crowd-pleaser.
So, when I was hosting our family reunion, I got my Cracker Barrel recipes out and got to cooking. I used a big ole’ can of beans for my family’s reunion, so this recipe made a lot. Don’t worry; if you want some for a small family dinner, I’ll provide the measurements for that, too.
Here’s What You’ll Love About this Recipe
- These beans are tender and tasty
- They go with just about anything you put on the table
- They taste better the next day, so making ahead is not a problem
Ingredients
- thick-cut bacon
- canned cut green beans – leave the juices in. Do not drain
- sweet onion
- sugar
- salt and pepper to taste
Equipment Needed
Large stock pot
How to Make Cracker Barrel Green Beans
- Add the bacon to the large pot and cook over medium heat until it is browned but not crispy.
- Stir in the green beans with the liquid, onion and sugar
- Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 30-35 minutes
- Season with salt and pepper
Pro-Tips
Cutting your bacon into pieces before cooking will speed up the cooking process, and they will already be in bite-sized pieces for eating
Scrape all of those chunks of bacon off of the bottom to distribute them into the beans
Use a large Dutch oven to cook these beans.
Cook them low and slow. The longer you cook them, the tastier and more tender they will be.
Variations
Substitute chicken broth for the green bean juice. This will add more sodium, so go a little bit lighter on the salt. Flavor with salt, adding a little bit at a time and taste-testing in between.
What to Serve with these Southern Green Beans
FAQs
Why is bacon added to Cracker Barrel’s Green Beans?
Adding bacon to green beans is a Southern staple. It adds flavor and salt to the beans.
Should I Drain the Bacon Grease before adding the Green Beans?
No. Leave the bacon grease. It adds so much flavor to the recipe. The green beans wouldn’t taste the same without it.
Make Ahead and Storage
You can make these beans a couple of days in advance. They actually get tastier after a day or two.
Store beans in the fridge for up to one week
Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave
Freezing: You can freeze these beans. Let them cool completely and store them in a freezer-safe container. Freeze up to two months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight or simmer in a pan on the stove over low heat until warmed through.
More Side Dishes You’ll Enjoy
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Printable Recipe
Copycat Cracker Barrel Green Beans
Equipment
- 1 dutch oven or stock pot
Ingredients
This recipe makes a large amount. See notes below for a smaller portion size.
- 1 lb. bacon thick cut – Cut into pieces for quick cooking
- 6 lb. green beans canned
- 2 medium sweet onions like Vidalia – diced
- 6 tsp. sugar
- ½ tsp. salt adjust according to taste
- pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add the bacon to a large stock pot or dutch oven and cook over medium heat until browned but not crispy
- Stir in the green beans (with their juices), onion, and sugar
- Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 35-45 minutes
- Season with salt and pepper
