These Bacon Wrapped Green Beans bundles are simple to make and easier to grill than you’d think. Make sure that the beans are all equal in length and purchase a thin-cut bacon for this recipe.
These bacon wrapped green beans make a fantastic side dish for every day cooking or special occasion like Thanksgiving, Easter, or Christmas. Let’s be honest, bacon just makes everything better! We love serving this with with meatloaf! It’s also a great side for smoked turkey or glazed ham. This recipe calls for two ingredients. Yes, two! That’s it. You can cook them on any outdoor grill, in a skillet, air fryer, or oven!
Why wrap green beans in bacon?
Much like asparagus, green beans retain a bit of crunch when grilled. It is the perfect substitution for asparagus, and the bacon adds a bit of salt and smokiness to the green beans.
Should I blanch the green beans before wrapping them in bacon?
No, you do not have to blanch the green beans. However, if you’d like them to be more tender, consider blanching them for 5-6 minutes in a large pot of water. Dip them into a bowl of ice water to halt the cooking process, dry them off, and wrap them in bacon.
Ingredients:
- 40-48 fresh green beans (french green beans or haricot verts)
- 8-10 raw bacon strips
- Optional ingredients: a sprinkle of garlic powder, black pepper, or brown sugar
How to Make Bacon Wrapped Green Beans:
- Wash green beans and blot dry with paper towel. Make sure all moisture is gone from the surface. Remove stems and separate into groups of 5-6 green beans per bundle.
- Wrap each bundle with a slice of bacon, making sure the seam is underneath.
- Use a toothpick to secure the bacon if needed. Be gentle, or the bacon will tear, and the bundles might fall apart on the grill.
- Preheat your grill for 375 degrees F or medium-high heat.
- Place bundles seam side down onto the grill grates (you can also use a large cast-iron griddle for the job, but cooking directly on the grates works well).
- Cook for 3-4 minutes. Gently turn bundles and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes or until the bacon has cooked through.
- If flare-ups occur, reduce temperature (on a gas unit) or move to the indirect zone of your grill to finish cooking.
- Once cooked through, remove bundles from the grill and serve immediately.
- Store leftover bacon wrapped green beans in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat in a 350-degree oven until warmed through.
Do you have to use green beans?
No, of course not. You can wrap most vegetables in bacon. Use items that cook at the same rate as the bacon: sliced bell peppers, asparagus spears, summer squash, carrots cut into strips, etc. We don’t recommend using winter gourds or potatoes unless they have been parboiled before wrapping.
Check out our Best Holiday Recipes for the Grill and Smoker!
Bacon Wrapped Green Beans
Ingredients
- 40-48 green beans fresh, all the same length
- 8-10 slices bacon
Instructions
- Wash and blot dry green beans. Make sure all moisture is removed from the surface. Trim off stems and separate into groups of 5-6 green beans per bundle. See recipe notes for parboiling.
- Wrap each bundle with a slice of bacon making sure the seam is underneath. Use a toothpick to secure if the bacon if needed. Be gentle or the bacon will tear and the bundles will fall apart on the grill.
- Preheat grill for 375 degrees F, or medium-high heat.
- Place bundles seam side down onto the grill grates (you can also use a large cast-iron griddle for the job, but cooking directly on the grates works well). Cook for 3-4 minutes. Gently turn bundles and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes or until the bacon has cooked through.
- If flare-ups occur, either reduce temperature (on a gas unit) or move to a cooler part of the grill and finish cooking over indirect heat.
- Once cooked through, remove bundles from the grill and serve immediately.
