Instant Pot Green Beans | Green Beans With Bacon

This Instant Pot Green Beans with Bacon recipe is a quick, low carb, and nutritious dish that can be eaten either as a side dish or as a keto-friendly meal. Just beans, bacon, and a few seasonings make this a fast and easy dinner or side dish.

What Makes These Green Beans So Good?

• Easy. It's practically not even a recipe. It's so so so simple and basically a pour and cook recipe.
• Fast. Done in under 30 minutes.
• Healthy. A great veggie side dish.
• Low Carb. Only 7 net carbs per serving.
• Yummy. Packed with bacon and onion flavor.

Given it's quick, nutritious, tasty, and low-carb, plus something I can either eat as a side dish or as my main meal, I find myself making it SO often.

And can I just tell you something? This is one of my most popular recipes. I know it looks like nothing, but fortunately for you, it tastes FANTASTIC. Just #trustUrvashi on this one. It's totally worth it.

Ingredients You'll Need

• 1 cup Onion- The onion provides a savory, aromatic base that enhances the overall flavor of the dish. As it cooks with the bacon, it absorbs some of the smoky fat and develops a slightly sweet undertone, giving depth to the green beans.
• 5 slices Bacon- The bacon is the key flavor booster here. It renders fat that coats the beans and onion, infusing the whole dish with smoky, salty richness. The crispy bits of bacon also add texture contrast.
• 6 cups Green Beans- The star of the dish, green beans are hearty yet tender when pressure-cooked. Cutting them in half ensures even cooking and makes them easier to eat while allowing them to soak up the bacon and onion flavors.
• 1 teaspoon Salt- Salt enhances all the natural flavors of the beans, bacon, and onion. Kosher salt is preferred for its clean taste and easy-to-control texture.
• 1 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper- Adds a gentle heat and earthy balance, cutting through the richness of the bacon and highlighting the freshness of the beans.
• 1/4 cup Water- Provides just enough liquid for the Instant Pot to build pressure and steam the beans. It prevents burning while keeping the dish moist without diluting the flavors too much.

How Long Does It Take To Cook A Pot Of Green Beans In The Instant Pot?

How long you pressure cook your green beans with bacon should be determined by the consistency you prefer. I prefer a slight crisp to mine, so this recipe calls for 4 minutes under high pressure with a quick pressure release.

If you want them softer, increase the time under pressure by one minute. If you prefer them just slightly steamed, reduce the time under pressure by a minute.

Do You Have To Cook Bacon Before Putting It In Beans?

I prefer to saute my bacon before adding my green beans to give it a little more texture. Even though it is cooked under pressure with the green beans after it is sauteed, it helps it maintain a firmer texture than simply pressure cooking it alone.

How to Make Instant Pot Green Beans and Bacon

1. Chop up the bacon and place it into the Instant Pot. You do not need to sauté the bacon.
2. Add chopped white onion to the pot. You can use yellow onion, or frozen onions if you prefer.
3. Add cut green beans, salt, and pepper. You can also use frozen green beans. Do not use french cut green beans as they are too thinly sliced for this recipe.
4. Add just a little water. Remember, the onions and green beans will also be releasing very flavorful water. We don't want to make soup!
5. Set your Instant Pot or electric pressure cooker to 4 minutes on high pressure. At the end of the cooking time, release all pressure immediately by turning the valve to Venting.
6. Done! I often eat just steamed green beans for dinner alone. With the addition of bacon, it really can be a complete meal.

Tips and Tricks for Instant Pot Green Beans and Bacon

• Sauté or not?: I don't usually sauté the bacon. I put in all the ingredients, and just set the pot for 4 minutes. Think of this as a faster version of boiled pork for seasoning. 
• Crunchy or Tender: These southern green beans are falling-apart tender and full of flavor. If you like them crunchier, cook for 2 minutes under pressure. If you want them even softer, allow the pressure cooker to release pressure naturally for 10 minutes, and then release any remaining pressure--or just let it release pressure naturally all the way for even more well-cooked green beans.
• Other meats: You can also cut up small pieces of ham instead of bacon.
• Fresh or Frozen?: Are you wondering how to cook frozen green beans for this green beans and bacon recipe? You do not need to defrost the beans, nor do you need to increase the cooking time.
• No Pork: If you avoid pork, use chicken or beef sausage diced up into small pieces.
• Variations: If you want to make Instant Pot Green beans with Ham and Potatoes, use baby potatoes. Cut the potatoes into halves. Increase water to 1/2 cup. Use ham instead of bacon. Other than that, cook as directed.

How Long Do They Last?

Instant Pot Green Beans are a great side dish to make for meal prep. Not only do they pair well with a multitude of main courses, but they also store and reheat very well.

For the best results, try to enjoy this tasty Green Beans and Bacon recipe within 4-5 days of preparing them. This will keep the green beans from becoming too soft.

What Pairs Well With Green Beans?

These Instant Pot Green Beans pair well with so many of my favorite comfort foods, both low carb and not. Here are my favorite dishes to pair them with:

• Pecan Crusted Chicken
• Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin
• Sous Vide Steak

Love Green Beans? Check Out These Recipes!

• Air Fryer Green Beans with Bacon recipe- Made easy in your air fryer.
• Shawarma Green Beans- Ready for the table in just 15 minutes from start to finish!
• Oven Shwarma Green Beans recipe- no air fryer? No problem.
• Keto Green Bean Casserole- A must for your family get-togethers.
• Keto Coleslaw- A tasty low carb version of a family favorite.

So whether you plan on using this recipe as a side dish or just plan on cooking it for a quick and easy keto-friendly meal, you're sure to love these Instant Pot Green Beans with Bacon. Make sure to share this recipe with your friends on Pinterest and Facebook so they can enjoy it as well!

Don't forget to check out my other Best-selling Instant Pot Cookbooks!

Indian Instant Pot, Keto Instant Pot, Instant Pot Fast and Easy, Healthy Instant Pot & Vegetarian Instant Pot.