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Make-Ahead Bacon Wrapped Green Beans
5 from 26 votes

Make-Ahead Bacon Wrapped Green Beans

This recipe combines tender green beans bundled and wrapped in thin smoky bacon strips, baked to a perfect balance of softened beans and crispy bacon. The green beans are briefly boiled and shocked in cold water to retain their bright color and crisp texture before being seasoned with olive oil and garlic salt. Baking the pre-cooked bacon until golden ensures it crisps evenly when wrapped around the beans. The addition of brown sugar and rosemary adds a subtle sweetness and fragrance to the bundles, making them ideal as a flavorful side dish for gatherings or meal prep.

Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
50 mins
Servings: 12
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: French, American

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ pounds green beans also known as haricot verts, French
  • 12 lices Bacon not thick cut, smoky
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 ½ teaspoons garlic salt
  • ¼ cup light brown sugar packed
  • 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary plus more for garnish, if desired, finely minced

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat oven to 400˚F. Place several thicknesses of paper toweling on a work surface near the oven. Line a sheet pan with foil for easy cleanup.
  2. Arrange bacon strips on foil so they aren’t overlapping. Bake for 10 minutes or until strips are beginning to turn golden, but are still soft. Remove the pan from the oven and transfer bacon to paper towels to drain.
  3. While bacon is baking, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add beans, cover and cook for 1 minute. Place a strainer in the sink and drain beans. Immediate rinse beans with cold water for 1 full minute. Drain well and then transfer beans to a clean kitchen towel. Pat with the towel to remove as much water as possible.
  4. Place beans in a medium-size bowl. Combine olive oil and garlic salt. Drizzle oil over the beans and toss to coat.
  5. Arrange beans in 12 bundles of 10-12 beans. Place one bacon strip on a work surface. Place a bundle of beans on one end of the bacon strip. Roll bacon around the bundle and secure with a toothpick. Repeat with remaining bacon and bundles of beans. Arrange beans on a sheet pan lined with clean foil.
  6. Combine brown sugar and rosemary in a small bowl and stir well. Sprinkle one teaspoon of the brown sugar mixture over each bean/bacon bundle.
  7. Bake bundles for 15-20 minutes at 400˚F or until bacon is golden brown and beans are tender. Remove from oven and serve warm. Remove toothpicks and garnish with more finely chopped fresh rosemary, if desired.

Notes

  • Partial baking of bacon before wrapping helps achieve crispy texture without overcooking the beans.
  • Blanch green beans and shock in cold water to preserve color and a firm bite.
  • Make ahead by wrapping bundles and refrigerating before baking ensures freshness and saves prep time.
  • Sprinkling brown sugar caramelizes during baking, adding a sweet contrast to savory bacon and herbs.