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Creamy Green Beans

by Katerina

5 from 7 votes

Dec 22, 2020, Updated Oct 04, 2023

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Creamy Green Beans prepared with fresh green beans and mushroom sautéed with garlic, sauced up with real cream and parmesan cheese sauce, and topped with crispy bacon crumbles.

Easy Creamy Green Beans Recipe

If you need a side dish that’s quick to make and big on flavor, please make our Creamy Green Beans recipe! Green beans and mushrooms are sautéed to a flavorful perfection and then tossed in a luxurious cream sauce, with crispy bacon sprinkled on top for an extra punch of flavor. In just around 30 minutes, you’ve got a hassle-free dish that’s set to impress at any meal.

Why You Should Make This Green Beans Recipe

• Quick and Easy: With a prep and cook time totaling less than 30 minutes, this recipe is great for busy evenings.
• Gourmet Taste: The combination of fresh veggies, cream, and bacon offers a gourmet meal.
• Versatile Pairing: This side dish complements a variety of main courses, making it a versatile addition to your cooking repertoire.
• All-Natural Ingredients: Made with fresh, real food ingredients, it’s a wholesome choice that doesn’t compromise on flavor.

How To Make Creamy Green Beans

As I said, a really nice feature of this green bean recipe is how easy it is, but you don’t need any processed foods to make it. Just real veggies, real cream, real bacon, and real cheese.

Ingredients

• Bacon: You’ll need 4 slices of thick cut bacon, diced.
• Green Beans: Trim the stem ends from your fresh green beans, and snap them in half, if desired.
• Mushrooms: You’ll need 8 ounces of fresh sliced mushrooms.
• Salt and Pepper
• Garlic: I use three fresh garlic cloves, minced, but you can also substitute a little over ¼ teaspoon of powdered garlic, if you’d prefer.
• Broth: Vegetable, beef, and chicken broth will all work! I prefer to use low-sodium broth in any case.
• Heavy Cream: You’ll need 1 cup of heavy cream.
• Parmesan Cheese: This recipe uses half a cup of grated parmesan.

Directions

1. Sauté Bacon: Cook the bacon until crisp, then remove, keeping the bacon fat in the skillet.
2. Cook Veggies: Sauté the green beans and mushrooms in the bacon fat, seasoning with salt and pepper.
3. Add Garlic and Broth: Infuse flavor and deglaze the pan with the broth, allowing a brief simmer.
4. Mix in Cream and Cheese and create a rich, savory sauce, letting it thicken to perfection.
5. Top with Bacon: Sprinkle the crispy bacon on top for a final, flavorful touch.

Types Of Mushrooms For Cooking

This recipe works well with almost any type of mushroom. I gravitate toward Baby Bellas (porcini), but you could also slice up some button mushrooms, portobellos, shiitake, or a gourmet blend. You can even use oyster mushrooms, lightly broken apart into bite-sized pieces.

Tips For Cooking Creamy Green Beans

• Choose Fresh: While you could try using frozen green beans in this recipe, they tend to be more watery than fresh green beans, which may create problems during the sauté process. I really recommend fresh green beans for this! And, remember, whatever you choose, be cautious with adding ingredients (especially anything wet or frozen) to hot bacon grease.
• Dry the Mushrooms: To get a nice golden-brown sauté on the mushrooms, I like to wash them well and then pat them dry. Mushrooms tend to be liquid-y in the pan as it is, so the dish really benefits from adding them in dry, rather than damp.
• Change it up! You can also tweak this recipe to your own tastes. Try mixing in a handful of blanched, slivered almonds, or sprinkling crispy breadcrumbs over the top and baking until golden. You could sub sausage crumbles for the bacon, or leave it out altogether and use butter to sauté the veggies.

What To Serve With Green Beans

This mushroom and green beans recipe is very versatile, and it works in conjunction with plenty of other dishes. If you want to pair it with another recipe, I highly recommend the following.

• Breadsticks: My Keto Breadsticks as well as these Easy Garlic Parmesan Breadsticks are a lovely side dish that goes wonderfully with green beans!
• Pork Roast:
• Roast Chicken: Chicken, bacon, cream sauce, green beans… it’s all a menu made in heaven! Try this super simple recipe for Easy Roasted Chicken, you’ll love it!
• A Decadent Cake: I mean, I think cake goes pretty well with just about anything, but to round out a wintery, holiday-style menu, I especially love making this Black Magic Chocolate Cake – it’s one of my absolute favorites.

Storage

• You can store leftovers in an airtight container and keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, tightly covered.
• To reheat, place leftovers in a covered skillet over low heat, and cook until heated through.

Green Beans Recipes To Try

• Roasted Green Beans with Squash and Tomatoes
• Carrots and Green Beans
• Roasted Green Beans
• Lemon Butter Green Beans

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5 from 7 votes

Creamy Green Beans

by Katerina | Diethood

Our Creamy Green Beans dish features fresh green beans and mushrooms sautéed with garlic and sauced up with real cream and parmesan cheese. To finish, a sprinkle of crispy bacon crumbles adds an irresistible, savory crunch.

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 4 slices thick cut bacon,, diced
• ▢ ½ pound fresh green beans,, trimmed
• ▢ ½ pound fresh sliced mushrooms
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ▢ 3 cloves garlic,, minced
• ▢ ⅓ cup vegetable broth,, you can also use chicken broth
• ▢ 1 cup heavy cream,, half & half will also work, but the sauce won't be as creamy
• ▢ ½ cup grated parmesan cheese

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Instructions 

• Set a large 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the diced bacon to the skillet and cook for 6 minutes or until cooked to a crisp. Remove bacon from the skillet using a slotted spoon. Do not discard the bacon fat.
• Set the skillet back over medium-high heat and add the green beans and mushrooms; season with salt and pepper and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Stir in the garlic and cook for 10 seconds, then stir in the broth and bring to a simmer. Cover and continue to cook for 2 minutes.
• In the meantime, in a mixing bowl whisk together the heavy cream and parmesan cheese.
• Remove the cover from the green beans, stir in the heavy cream mixture, and bring to a simmer. Lower heat to medium-low and continue to simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the cream thickens.
• Remove from heat and taste for salt and pepper; adjust accordingly.
• Sprinkle previously cooked bacon over the green beans and mushrooms, and serve.

Equipment

• Measuring Cups and Spoons
• Large Skillet
• Glass Mixing Bowls
• Whisks

Notes

• Green Beans: Use trimmed, fresh green beans for the best flavor and texture.
• Mushrooms: If you wash the mushrooms, dry them thoroughly.
• Variations: Feel free to tweak the recipe by adding slivered almonds or substituting sausage for bacon.
• Flavor Infusion: For an extra kick, consider infusing the cream with chopped fresh herbs like rosemary or thyme before adding it to the pan.
• Cheese Choice: While Parmesan is a classic option, experiment with other cheeses like Pecorino Romano or Grana Padano.
• Seasoning: Adjust the salt and pepper to taste to ensure the perfect balance of flavors.
• Thickening the Sauce: If you like a thicker consistency, allow the sauce to simmer a bit longer, or consider adding a slurry of cornstarch and water to thicken it up quickly.
• Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container and keep them in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 446kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 40g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Cholesterol: 116mg | Sodium: 610mg | Potassium: 457mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1387IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 202mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.

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