As I research about and create more Southern recipes, I learn how much of our cozy comfort foods come from making a full meal out of a handful of simple ingredients. Turns out, it's just about everything!
As a GRITS (that's Girl Raised in the South), it's humbling. Our celebratory dishes are often from our ancestors making something out of nothing, including smothered green beans and potatoes.
We'll smother just about anything in the south (pork chops, greens, even a plate of hashbrowns at the Waffle house...) so of course these beans are the most requested recipe on Sweet Tea + Thyme.
This is perfect with your holiday ham and turkey; think of it as one of the best Southern side dishes for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter because just like my baked mac and cheese, it's a dish everyone will be asking for again and again.
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Southern Smothered Green Beans and Potatoes
The secret to great Southern-style green beans with potatoes is all about balance: a flavorful gravy, tender green beans, and potatoes that soak up all that flavor without falling apart.
That gravy starts with pot likker build on smoky thick cut bacon, onions and garlic cooked down in bacon fat. Fresh thyme, smoked paprika and a little Cajun seasoning give it that Southern depth of flavor. A touch of flour thickens it just enough to make it a true 'smothering' sauce instead of leaving us the liquidy pot likker.
The green beans are the easy part, cooked until perfectly Southern-tender. The potatoes need just a smidge of care: the right potatoes are fork tender and flavorful, not falling apart.
Then we it off with that crispy bacon sprinkled over the top and add a slice of cornbread for a proper southern side dish.
While my slow cooker Southern green beans are the all-day version that taste just like grandma’s, these holiday-ready green beans and potatoes are ready in an hour, quick enough for any day, but hearty enough to hold their own on the holidays.
Ingredients Needed
Full ingredients, measurements, and printable instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Fresh Green Beans - young, thin green beans freshly snapped.
- Baby Yellow or Red Potatoes - you must use a waxy potato. Russets/baking potatoes can not be subbed in, they break apart while cooking and will make everything starchy and lumpy.
- Thick-cut Bacon - use a nice fatty bacon so we can use that bacon grease to cook in.
- Yellow Onions and Garlic
- Fresh Thyme - the bright, lemony flavor lifts up the smothering sauce.
- Smoked Paprika and Creole or Cajun Seasoning - I use my homemade Cajun seasoning so I can control the salt. Store bought seasoning is pretty salty so taste as you go.
- Flour
- Chicken Stock - low sodium chicken broth is your best bet.
- Hot Sauce - this acts as heat and acid to brighten the rich flavor.
- Salt and Pepper
Ingredient Swaps
- No bacon? Smoked sausage works well here, just add butter to make enough fat for the aromatics to cook in. Cajun-style smothered green beans recipes also add in smoked ham!
- No fresh green beans? Try frozen green beans, they will cook faster than fresh so add them with the potatoes.
- No hot sauce? Use a splash of apple cider vinegar and a a hearty pinch of cayenne pepper for that heat.
How to Make Green Beans with Potatoes
Step 1
Crisp the bacon.
Cook thick-cut bacon in a Dutch oven over medium heat until golden, 6–8 minutes. Transfer the crispy bacon to a plate.
Step 2
Build the flavor base.
Sauté yellow onions with a pinch of salt in the bacon fat until soft and lightly golden, 5–7 minutes. Add garlic and thyme; cook 30 seconds. Stir in smoked paprika and Creole seasoning; let bloom 30 seconds.
Step 3
Make the smothering gravy.
Sprinkle flour over the onions and stir well. Cook 1–2 minutes, then slowly whisk in chicken stock, scraping the bottom of the pot.
Step 4
Start the beans.
Add fresh green beans. Simmer for 10 minutes until they begin to soften and absorb flavor.
Step 5
Add the potatoes.
Stir in baby potatoes, then partially cover the pot and simmer gently 25–30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are fork-tender and beans are Southern-tender.
Step 6
Season and serve.
Taste before salting, bacon and Cajun seasoning add plenty. Finish with black pepper and a few shakes of hot sauce. Fold some of the bacon back into the pot, save some for garnish, and serve hot.
Chef's Tips for the Best Side Dish
- Finish with acid, not more salt. If the gravy tastes heavy, a dash of hot sauce or a squeeze of lemon brightens it right up without over-salting.
- Let it rest. Five to ten minutes off the heat gives the gravy time to settle and cling to the beans and potatoes. It tastes even better when you’re not rushing it from stove to table.
Troubleshooting
Smoked meats like bacon or sausage already bring salt to the party. Taste the broth before adding extra salt, you might not need much at all. If it still feels salty, splash in a little more stock or even a squeeze of lemon juice to balance it.
That’s just what happens when green beans cook down the Southern way. They end up tender and full of flavor; they're not meant to be bright green like a quick-steamed veggie.
The flour and bacon fat work together to make the smothering gravy. If it’s thinner than you like, just let it simmer uncovered for a few minutes to reduce and thicken.
Canned beans cannot be used for this recipe. If you want something similar, try my Texas Roadhouse style green beans with bacon.
More Southern Holiday Side Dishes
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Southern Smothered Green Beans and Potatoes
Ingredients
- 6 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into pieces
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 3-4 sprigs fresh thyme, or ½ teaspoon dried
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1½ teaspoons Creole or Cajun seasoning
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 cups chicken stock, more if needed
- 1 ½ pounds fresh green beans, trimmed into 3-inch pieces
- 1 ½ pounds baby yellow potatoes or red potatoes, halved
- A few shakes hot sauce, to taste
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven, cook bacon over medium heat until golden, 10-12 minutes. Transfer to a plate.6 slices thick-cut bacon
- Add onion with a pinch of salt and cook until softened and lightly golden, 5–7 minutes. Stir in garlic and thyme; cook 30 seconds. Add smoked paprika and Creole seasoning; cook 30 seconds to bloom the spices.1 large yellow onion, 4 cloves garlic, 3-4 sprigs fresh thyme, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1½ teaspoons Creole or Cajun seasoning
- Sprinkle in flour and stir until the onions are coated. Cook 1–2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste. Slowly pour in chicken stock, stirring to avoid lumps and scraping the bottom of the pot to deglaze. Bring to a gentle simmer.2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 3 cups chicken stock
- Add the green beans to the chicken broth. Simmer uncovered 8–10 minutes until they begin to soften and absorb flavor.1 ½ pounds fresh green beans
- Stir in potatoes, making sure they’re mostly submerged (add a splash more stock if needed). Partially cover and simmer gently 25–30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are fork-tender and green beans are wilty and tender.1 ½ pounds baby yellow potatoes or red potatoes
- Taste the gravy before adding salt (the bacon and seasonings add plenty). Add black pepper and a few shakes of hot sauce to balance the flavors. Fold some of the bacon back into the pot, saving most of it for garnish. Serve warm with cornbread.A few shakes hot sauce, Kosher salt and black pepper
Recipe Notes
Chef's Tips
- Use waxy potatoes (red or yellow) so they hold their shape without going mushy.
- Keep the pot at a gentle simmer, not a rolling boil, so the beans and potatoes cook evenly.
- If the gravy feels too thick, loosen with a splash of stock; if too thin, simmer uncovered for a few minutes.
- Let the pot rest 5–10 minutes before serving so the gravy settles and clings beautifully to the beans and potatoes.
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