Save time without losing flavor by cooking Fresh Green Beans with Bacon in the Instant Pot or pressure cooker. Southern-style fresh green beans usually means cooking on the stovetop for at least an hour, depending how tender you like them. This method cooks this summer vegetable favorite in a fraction of that time!
Just give me a wedge of cornbread and a fork and I'll call it dinner!
As much as I like homemade canned green beans, there's nothing like fresh green beans slowly cooked with bacon or ham hock on the stovetop....until now!
I'm as Southern as they come, but like you, I'm also super busy! By cooking fresh green beans in the Instant Pot, I don't have to sacrifice that slow-cooked flavor and I save time to prepare the rest of our dinner!
How do you cook green beans in the Instant Pot?
- Wash 2 pounds fresh green beans and remove any bad spots.
- Cut off the end that was attached to the plant. Trimming the pointed end is optional.
- Cut them into 1- to 2-inch pieces OR leave them whole. If you are using string beans, you'll need to pull off the strings first.
- Cut bacon into strips and cook in the Instant Pot on Saute setting.
- Drain bacon drippings or leave them in, depending on your preference.
- Add green beans, salt, pepper and broth.
- Cook 6 to 7 minutes in the Instant Pot. 10 minute Natural Release.
Six minutes is perfect for my liking. If you like them softer like Grandma used to make, then add 2 to 3 more minutes to the cooking time or maybe let them naturally release the whole time instead of just 10 minutes.
Look at those gorgeous green beans!
Somebody get me some cornbread! (A thank you shout out to my talented brother, Kenneth, that made the wooden cutting board the bowl of greens are sitting on!
Can I make them on the stovetop?
Yes, if you don't have an Instant Pot or prefer making them on the stovetop, I also have a recipe for Fresh Green Beans with Bacon made in a pot on the stovetop.
Other Instant Pot recipes you will love
Reuben Sandwiches with Instant Pot Corned Beef
Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirl Cheesecake
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Instant Pot Fresh Green Beans with Bacon
Equipment
Ingredients
- 5 slices bacon
- 2 pounds fresh green beans
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (or omit garlic powder and use garlic salt)
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Stack the bacon slices on top of each other on a cutting board and cut crosswise in to narrow pieces.
- Cook the bacon in the Instant Pot insert pan on the Saute mode for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is crisp. I cook mine on the LOW or MEDIUM setting of Saute.
- Meanwhile, wash the green beans and remove any bad spots on the beans.
- Cut or snap off the ends of the beans where they were attached to the plant. Trimming the pointed end off is optional. I choose to leave it on because it's less work and more fiber! Cut the beans into 1- to 2-inch pieces or leave them whole, if you like.
- Drain the bacon drippings from the insert pot or leave 1 tablespoon of drippings in the pot, depending on your preference. The bacon will continue to release some fat while cooking. I like to leave in 1 tablespoon and reserve any remaining drippings in the fridge for other uses.
- Add the beans, broth, salt, pepper and garlic powder to the bacon in the pan. Make sure the sealing ring is inserted in the lid. Place the lid on the pot and turn the pressure valve to sealing (not venting) if your Instant Pot doesn't have it on sealing automatically.
- Pressure Cook on HIGH for 6 minutes. It will take about 15 minutes to come up to pressure, cook the 6 minutes, then let it Natural Release 10 minutes. Quick release by pushing the pressure valve to venting or on some models pressing the valve down. Caution: Be careful and do not get your face close to the release valve. If you have cabinets over your counters, you might want to hold a kitchen towel over the back half of the Instant Pot to divert the steam from hitting the bottom of your cabinets.
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