Country Style Green Beans – Cracker Barrel Copycat

These Country Style Green Beans take simple canned green beans to the next level, adding the savory flavors of bacon and onion for a dish that’s packed with Southern comfort. A Cracker Barrel copycat, this simple recipe is a true classic with a delicious, home-cooked feel.

Roasted green beans are my favorite, but I wanted to doctor up some canned green beans, and these are perfect.

Flavored with bacon and onion, these are a copycat of Cracker Barrel’s country-style green beans, and they’re so easy to make.

I usually order breakfast when I go (have you had Cracker Barrel pancakes?), but that’s not all they serve.

These green beans are also on their menu and are so good. I mean, they’d have to be for them to deserve their own copycat recipe!

You start with canned green beans, but the salty bacon, a bit of sugar, and onion give them so much flavor. They’re a perfect side dish for any dinner, and they make a lot, so they’d be great for a family gathering.

While you’re at it, make copycat cracker barrel coleslaw and crockpot fried apples, too.

Ingredients

• Center cut bacon – I use center cut only for the purpose of not having to deal with the extra fat. You can use regular bacon strips if you prefer.
• Canned green beans – You’ll need a can of cut green beans and the liquid it comes in.
• Yellow onions – Chopped onions become browned and caramelized when cooked down, giving the beans so much more flavor.
• Sugar, salt, and pepper – For seasoning.

How to make this Cracker Barrel Green Beans Recipe

1. Step One: Cook the bacon over medium-high heat in a saucepan until slightly browned. Do not make them crispy; otherwise, they’ll be overcooked by the end.

2. Step Two: Once the bacon has started to brown, pour in the beans and liquid. Season with salt, sugar, and pepper and mix well.

3. Step Three: Add diced onion on top and place the lid on the saucepan. Bring to a light boil and reduce the heat to simmer.
   
4. Step Four: Simmer for 45 minutes until the beans have absorbed all of those yummy flavors. Transfer the country style green beans to a serving platter and enjoy!

How to serve it

This cracker barrel green bean recipe has limitless options when it comes to what to serve it with.

For the holidays, it makes a great Thanksgiving side dish for things like slow cooker turkey breast with make-ahead turkey gravy, garlic mashed potatoes, and stuffing.

During the week it’s a quick side for crockpot honey bourbon chicken and baked mac and cheese, then on the weekends we’ll have them with something like crock pot roast beef.

Storage & Reheating

How to store leftovers

Keep leftovers stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Reheating Instructions

These can be reheated quickly and easily in the microwave. If you’re serving a crowd and are reheating lots, these can also be warmed up in the oven, the slow cooker, or in a skillet.

4.50 from 6 votes

Country Style Green Beans {Cracker Barrel Copycat}

Created by Melissa Williams

Servings: 8 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 55 minutes mins

Total Time: 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

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These Country Style Green Beans take simple canned green beans to the next level, adding the savory flavors of bacon and onion for a dish that's packed with Southern comfort. A Cracker Barrel copycat, this simple recipe is a true classic with a delicious, home-cooked feel.

Ingredients

 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 3 slices center cut bacon chopped into small pieces
• ▢ 43.5 ounces cut green beans, plus liquid three 14.5 oz cans
• ▢ ¼ cup yellow onion chopped
• ▢ 1 teaspoon sugar
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt
• ▢ ½ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

• Over medium high heat, add the chopped bacon to a 2 quart saucepan and cook until slightly browned but not crisp.
  3 slices center cut bacon
• Once the bacon has started to brown, add in the green beans and their liquid.
  43.5 ounces cut green beans, plus liquid
• Add in the salt, sugar, and pepper and mix well.
  1 teaspoon sugar, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
• Place the chopped onion on top and cover.
  ¼ cup yellow onion
• Bring to a light boil then turn the heat down to low and simmer for 45 minutes.
• Serve and enjoy!

Notes

• These green beans taste great fresh, but even better after sitting—perfect for making ahead.
• For extra flavor, use chicken broth instead of the liquid from the beans.
• Keep the bacon drippings in the pan—they add rich, savory flavor.
• Swap yellow onions with shallots for a milder, slightly sweet twist.
• Store covered in the fridge for up to 5 days.

⭐️ Final Step! Please let me know how you liked this recipe by leaving a review and rating below. Your feedback supports my small business and allows me to continue providing free, high quality recipes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 55kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 0.4mg | Sodium: 155mg | Potassium: 334mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1064IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 59mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.

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Originally published August 26, 2015; photos and text updated November 9, 2024