These slow cooker canned green beans are one of those set-it-and-forget-it sides every Southern cook needs in their back pocket. Made with just 7 simple ingredients, including canned green beans and crisped-up bacon bits (not adding in raw bacon here!), this low-maintenance dish simmers away in the crock pot for 4–6 hours. The result? A slightly sweet, buttery Southern green bean that’s tender, flavorful, and perfect for feeding a crowd. With 24 servings, it’s a go-to for holidays, potlucks, or any big gathering where you need a reliable and delicious side.

Gosh I loooovvveeee a green bean!

Green beans are hands down my favorite vegetable.

No question about it.

And I self-admittedly LOVE a canned green bean. Our pantry is always stocked with them - they are such an easy vegetable side dish with any dinner recipe I am making for us.

And you know us Southerners, we love to host a get-together, and this is the perfect low-maintenance dish to have at any holiday gathering or party because it feeds a crowd! Let me show you how easy it is.

5 bowls of green beans with a fork and green napkin next to it.

Reader Review

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

"I used my Ninja Foodie to cook the bacon. I drained the grease then added all the ingredients back to the pot and cooked on slow cook function. The crispy bacon, browned bits and butter were a game changer! Normally my MIL puts a couple raw strips of bacon in her beans and onions and they’re meh. Your recipe beats “mom’s beans”!! Thank you!!"

- Holly

⭐️PRO TIP ⭐️- when frying up your bacon, use some kitchen scissors* and cut the raw bacon strips into small pieces directly into the skillet. That way you are cooking up bacon bits immediately instead of frying up strips and then having to crumble up later. Way less messy IMO and I have been doing this for years. I like to get mine from the Dollar Store and just stock up on a couple of pairs since they are cheap and need to get replaced every so often (or you can use the Amazon link above).

frying up bacon in a skillet. — **STEP ONE:** Cut slices of bacon into tiny bits inside a large skillet.

Cooking bacon bites in a skillet. — Cook on medium heat for about 10 minutes or until the bits are just crispy.

bacon bits cooling on a plate lined with paper towels. — Use a slotted spoon to remove and cool on a paper towel-lined plate until needed.

A wooden cutting board on a. kitchen counter with a diced onion and knife on it. — **STEP TWO:** finely dice an onion...

A slow cooker with diced onions inside. — ...and place inside a slow cooker.

A slow cooker with brown sugar and diced onions inside. — **STEP THREE:** add in the brown sugar...

A slow cooker with diced onions, butter, and brown sugar inside. — ...and butter.

A slow cooker with butter, brown sugar, and onions inside and a can of green beans next to it getting ready to go in. — **STEP FOUR:** Add in the can of green beans (not drained) and crispy bacon bits.

A slow cooker with a wooden spoon stirring green beans inside. — **STEP FIVE:** stir then cover with a lid. Cook on low for 4-6 hours.

⭐️Tip on the green beans ⭐️ - use any cut/style and brand you like, just make sure they are unseasoned. I have made this recipe dozens of times for friends and family and have used different varieties of green beans, just depending on what was in my pantry or at the store, and any of them work fine - just a personal preference. I prefer to either use flat Italian style or just the regular cut green beans. They sell big 100-ounce cans at most grocery stores or places like Costco - but you can also just use small cans if needed to add up to the amount ( roughly 7-8 regular 14-ounce cans will be needed).

5 small bowls full of green beans with bacon bits inside.

Recipe

Ridiculously Easy Slow Cooker Canned Green Beans

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 3 reviews

Author: Heather Bilyeu
Total Time: 6 hours 10 minutes
Yield: 24

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Description

These slow cooker canned green beans are one of those set-it-and-forget-it sides every Southern cook needs in their back pocket. Made with just 7 simple ingredients, including canned green beans and crisped-up bacon bits, this low-maintenance dish simmers away in the crock pot for 4–6 hours. The result? A slightly sweet, buttery Southern green bean that’s tender, flavorful, and perfect for feeding a crowd. With 24 servings, it’s a go-to for holidays, potlucks, or any big gathering where you need a reliable and delicious side.

Ingredients

Scale

½ Pound Bacon (6-7 slices) - cut into bits
100 Ounces of Canned Green Beans
¼ Cup Brown Sugar
4 Tablespoons Butter
½ Onion - finely diced
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Pepper

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Instructions

In a large skillet over medium heat, place the bacon that has been sliced into bits. Cook until finished. Remove cooked bacon from the skillet and place it on a paper towel to soak up any excess grease.
In a slow cooker, add cooked bacon bits, green beans, brown sugar, butter, finely diced onion, salt, and pepper.
Cover and turn on low to cook for 4-6 hours or high for 2-3 hours.
Enjoy when ready.

Notes

Store leftovers in the fridge for 3 days.
This recipe feeds a crowd for the holidays but can easily be halved if you don't need to fix this much.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 6 Hours
Category: Sides & Veggies
Method: Slow Cooker
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: ½ Cup
Calories: 66
Sugar: 2.4 g
Sodium: 86.1 mg
Fat: 5.6 g
Carbohydrates: 2.8 g
Fiber: 0.2 g
Protein: 1.2 g
Cholesterol: 11.2 mg

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