Bacon Wrapped Green Bean Bundles are loaded with a herby, buttery flavor and a hint of sweetness! This easy green bean recipe is an excellent addition to your holiday dinner table, and perfect if you’re not a fan of the traditional Green Bean Casserole. These Bacon Wrapped Green Beans can easily be made to suit dairy-free, low carb, paleo, and Whole30 diets. They’re also naturally gluten-free!
Looking for other green bean recipes for Thanksgiving this year? Try my Fresh Green Bean Casserole or my simple but equally delicious Green Beans with Bacon and Pine Nuts!
There’s a slight chill in the air, the leaves are starting to turn…it’s beginning to look a lot like fall! That means Thanksgiving is right around the corner and it’s time to start thinking about Thanksgiving dinner!
The star of the show is set (turkey, of course) so let’s look at side dishes, and in particular, the annual classic: green beans.
I love a traditional green bean casserole, especially when it’s made from scratch with fresh green beans. However, sometimes it’s fun to switch up the usual take on Thanksgiving sides. That’s where these Bacon Wrapped Green Bean Bundles come in!
Not only are they a simple, no-fuss recipe to throw together (and we NEED that, especially on Thanksgiving or Christmas Day!) but they taste amazing! You can even prep them the day before so they’re ready to bake in the oven right before dinner. They look great and are also very easy to serve, already portioned out by the bundle.
In this recipe, I used fresh ingredients like rosemary, bacon, and (of course) green beans. Fresh, real ingredients are healthier, always taste better than processed or canned, and I just love the al dente tender-crunch quality of the green beans - it’s pretty addictive!
Ingredients
- Green beans: Make sure you use fresh and not canned! Fresh green beans hold together in this recipe. Mushy canned ones would just fall apart! Haricot verts or french green beans work best.
- Bacon: You can use smoked or unsmoked, just make sure they are not thick sliced. I know we all love thick-cut bacon, but it's trickier to get it to cook through when making the bundles.
- Butter: Butter coats the green beans adding a delicious flavor and helping them to crisp up in the oven.
- Herbs: Fresh rosemary adds so much flavor to these green bean bundles! I also used garlic powder rather than fresh garlic as it’s easier to mix evenly with butter.
- Brown sugar: Brown sugar adds a caramel sweetness to this bacon-wrapped green bean recipe. It’s not too much, just the right amount!
- Salt & black pepper: Seasoning is always important! You don’t need too much salt as the bacon already provides some. Black pepper gives these bundles a nice peppery kick.
- Fresh parsley: An optional garnish! I love finishing dishes with simple, fresh herbs for an added layer of flavor at the end.
How to Make Bacon Wrapped Green Beans
- Prep the oven and pan. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil for easy cleanup.
- Bake the bacon. Secondly, separate the bacon slices and lay them flat on the baking sheet, and then bake them for 8 minutes.
- Boil the green beans. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the green beans for 2 minutes, just until they are bright green and slightly tender. Drain and rinse with cold water for 1 minute immediately or put in an ice bath. Pat dry.
4. Make garlic butter and coat. Combine the melted butter, garlic powder, and salt in a small bowl. Pour over green beans, tossing to coat.
5. Wrap the green beans up. Wrap 8-10 green beans into a bundle with half a piece of bacon, securing with a toothpick. Lay on the baking sheet and repeat until all of the beans are wrapped.
6. Sprinkle and bake. Combine brown sugar, pepper, and rosemary. Sprinkle over the bundles. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the bacon is crispy and the green beans are tender. Sprinkle with chopped parsley if desired.
Can I use canned green beans?
Unfortunately, canned green beans are too soft and will fall apart. Fresh green beans are firmer and much easier to wrap up, and will hold together as they bake.
What kind of bacon do you recommend?
I like to use smoked, regular sliced bacon. I’d avoid thick bacon as it’s more difficult to wrap and it's harder to get it to cook through evenly when wrapped around the green beans. Unsmoked bacon would work well too!
Can I make these Bacon Wrapped Green Bean Bundles ahead of time?
I'm all about prepping side dishes for holiday meals and entertaining ahead of time. It makes things way less stressful!
Prep the bundles up until they're wrapped, but not baked. If the bacon is still warm, allow the bundles to cool to room temperature, and store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. I would recommend doing this no more than 1 or 2 days ahead of time. When you're ready, sprinkle them with the sugar, rosemary, and pepper mixture, and bake them as per the instructions below.
My guests have special dietary needs. How can I make these green beans suit everyone at the holiday dinner table this year?
I hear you! Holiday meals can be tricky to accommodate everyone. Here are some easy swaps you can try for each different diet. Note: they’re already gluten-free!
- Dairy-free: Swap the butter for dairy-free butter or oils like refined (not virgin) coconut oil or olive oil.
- Low carb & keto diets: These green beans wrapped in bacon are already pretty low carb, but to make them close to zero carb, swap the sugar for stevia or erythritol.
- Paleo: Switch the brown sugar for coconut sugar or stevia. Make sure you use paleo compliant bacon and grass-fed butter, ghee, or oils like refined coconut oil or olive oil.
- Whole30: Skip the sugar altogether. As with paleo, make sure you use paleo compliant bacon and grass-fed butter, ghee, or oils like refined coconut oil or olive oil.
More Bacon Delights
More Thanksgiving recipes you'll love
- Juicy Roast Turkey with a Butter Herb Rub
- Easy Southern Cornbread Dressing
- Easy Homemade Pumpkin Pie
- Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows and Pecans
- Soft Homemade Potato Rolls
- Garlic Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes
- Classic Southern Pecan Pie
- Creamed Peas and Potatoes
Be sure to FOLLOW ME on INSTAGRAM, PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, and TWITTER for more great recipe tips and ideas!
Bacon-Wrapped Green Bean Bundles
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds thin fresh green beans haricot verts or french green beans work best)
- 6 slices bacon cut in half (do not use thick-cut bacon)
- ¼ cup butter melted
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2-4 Tablespoons brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary finely chopped
- 1 Tablespoon chopped parsley optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or foil for easy cleanup. Separate the bacon slices and lay flat on the baking sheet. Bake for 8 minutes.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the green beans for 2 minutes, just until they are bright green and slightly tender. Drain and rinse with cold water for 1 minute immediately or put in ice bath. Pat dry.
- Combine butter, garlic powder, and salt in a small bowl. Pour over green beans, tossing to coat.
- Wrap 8-10 green beans into a bundle with half a piece of bacon, securing with a toothpick. Lay on the baking sheet and repeat until all of the beans are wrapped. Combine brown sugar, pepper, and rosemary. Sprinkle over the bundles.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes until the bacon is crispy and the green beans are tender. Sprinkle with chopped parsley.
Nutrition
More Holiday Side Dish Recipes
- Balsamic Glazed Baby Onions by Savory Experiments
- Best Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipe by The Fresh Cooky
- Brussels Sprouts and Bacon Stuffing by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
- Brussels Sprouts and Potatoes with Sausage Crumbles by Food Lust People Love
- Cauliflower Gratin by Lemon Blossoms
- Cheese Herb Potato Gratin by Shockingly Delicious
- Cheesy Broccoli Cauliflower Casserole by Blogghetti
- Cranberry Fluff by An Affair from the Heart
- Easy Chorizo Cornbread Dressing by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
- Hasselback Sweet Potatoes with Cranberries & Pecans by Sweet Beginnings
- Holiday Side Salad by Our Good Life
- Honey Roasted Carrots by Devour Dinner
- No Knead Cloverleaf Dinner Rolls by Karen’s Kitchen Stories
- Roasted Buttercup Squash by Palatable Pastime
- Roasted fingerling potatoes with Parmesan by The Foodie Affair
- Sauteed Spinach with Bacon by Kate’s Recipe Box
- Slow Cooker Cheesy Vegetables by Cheese Curd in Paradise
- Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecans by West Via Midwest
- Sweet Potato Salad by A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Traditional Cranberry Sauce by Family Around the Table
- Twiced Baked Sweet Potatoes by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
Love these perfectly portioned little bundles. So elegant.
Glad these are green beans and not asparagus! I am totally making these for the holidays this year. Looks so delicious!
This looks delicious!