Southern Style Green Beans Recipe: Easy, Flavorful, and Hearty

A Simple Southern Style Green Bean Recipe

This southern style green bean recipe is as simple as it gets. You don’t need a lot of ingredients to make it taste good — just the right ones. It’s a great one-pot meal or side dish that’ll fill you up and satisfy your craving for comfort food.

The Right Ingredients Matter

The key to this recipe is using fresh green beans, hearty smoked meat, tender potatoes, and a few pantry staples like onion, broth, salt, and pepper. These come together to create those classic Southern flavors we all love.

Ingredients for Southern Style Green Beans with Smoked Meat and Potatoes

Here’s what each ingredient does in this easy, down-home recipe plus a few tips to help you get it just right:

Fresh or Frozen Green Beans: These are the star here. Fresh ones give you color and a little snap. Frozen green beans work well too. I

Smoked Meat (Turkey, Ham Hocks, or Ham): This is where your flavor comes from. It makes the beans hearty and fills you up. You can skip the meat if you want. Just add some smoked seasoning or sauté garlic and onions to keep things tasty. And if you’re feeling adventurous, try jowls or bacon instead.

Potatoes: Peeled and cut into chunks, potatoes soak up that good broth and add some creaminess to the beans. If you want to know the best potatoes to use, check out my potato guide. And heads up, if these are all you’ve got, watch your cooking time so they don’t turn mushy.

Onion: Sweet or yellow onions work best. You can toss them in raw or make them a little richer by sautéing in butter first. Want more onion flavor? A pinch of onion powder does the trick.

Broth (Low-Sodium Chicken Broth or Water + Bouillon): This is your cooking liquid that brings it all together. Since smoked meat can be salty, go for low or no salt broth and always taste before adding salt. You can swap in bouillon for more flavor too.

Salt and Pepper: Just simple seasonings to make everything pop. Taste your broth before seasoning so you don’t overdo it.

What to Serve with Southern Style Green Beans with Smoked Meat and Potatoes

This dish can stand alone as a hearty side or one-pot meal, but pairing it with the right sides makes it even better.

Serve it Alongside

Southern Style Cornbread: A classic Southern pairing, cornbread’s crumbly texture and slight sweetness balance the smoky beans perfectly.

Glazed Carrots: Sweet and tender glazed carrots add a nice pop of color and a touch of natural sweetness to the plate.

Butter Biscuits: Fluffy, buttery biscuits are perfect for soaking up that flavorful broth.

Make it a Meal

Add a little something extra and turn it into a full Southern feast.

Juicy Baked Chicken: Tender and flavorful, this chicken pairs beautifully with the green beans and potatoes.

Southern Style Potato Salad: A creamy, foolproof potato salad brings a cool contrast to the warm, smoky beans.

Honey Cornbread: Sweet and moist cornbread that adds just the right amount of sweetness to the meal.

Buttery Herbed Stuffing: Rich and flavorful, this dressing ties all the flavors together for a comforting finish.

The Tools I Recommend to Get This Dish Done Right

If you want this Southern green bean recipe to come together smooth and easy, a few good tools make all the difference. I like using a sturdy Lodge Dutch oven — it holds the heat and gives everything time to get tender just right. A solid utensil set helps with stirring and serving, and a sharp knife makes trimming fresh green beans quick and painless. That’s all you really need to get this dish done right, just like we like it.

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A Southern Staple Worth Keeping

This is one of those dishes that shows up everywhere—potlucks, family shindigs, and lazy weeknights when you just want something easy and comforting. This simple Southern green bean recipe is exactly that: simple, but packed with flavor. All the ingredients are ones you probably already have on hand. Simple doesn’t mean bland, and this dish proves it. It’s hearty enough to stand on its own as a full meal, but also plays well as a side with just about any meat entrée.

Want more recipes that are just as easy and satisfying? Scroll down and take a look—you might find your next favorite.