Southern Smothered Green Beans and Potatoes
These tender smothered green beans and potatoes are pure cozy Southern comfort food. Fresh beans and baby potatoes simmer in a smoky Cajun-spiced gravy until they soak up all that flavor, then finished off with crispy bacon. It’s the kind of Sunday supper side dish that works for casual dinners but also stands tall with the best Thanksgiving sides.
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 253kcal
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
Notes
Makes 6-8 side servings.
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.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 cup | Calories: 253kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 21mg | Sodium: 319mg | Potassium: 727mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 866IU | Vitamin C: 29mg | Calcium: 55mg | Iron: 2mg