Green Beans with Maple Bacon & Ginger

12 Reviews
Published Mar 6, 2020 ∙ Kristina Stosek

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These Green Beans with Maple Bacon and Ginger will be a standout side dish at your next Holiday table. The vibrant green beans are perfectly tender-crisp, glazed with a savory tamari-ginger sauce, while the bacon is sweetened with a touch of maple syrup. To add extra flavor, I’ve included fresh young green onions and a sprinkle of sesame seeds. This wholesome side dish is not only delicious but also quick and easy to prepare, taking less than 10 minutes to cook.

green beans with maple bacon and ginger

Perfectly Cooked Green Beans: The Key to Flavorful and Tender Beans

We all love green beans, but overcooked beans can be unappetizing, both in appearance and flavor. To avoid mushy, tasteless beans, the key is to blanch them properly. Blanching involves briefly cooking the beans in boiling water, then immediately shocking them in ice water to preserve their texture and color.

Blanching

One of the most important steps in the blanching process is cooking the beans in well-salted water. Adding salt enhances the natural flavor of the beans and prevents them from tasting bland and watery. Vegetables that are blanched should always be cooked in salty water for the best results.

Water Salt Ratio

The ratio is simple: use one tablespoon of salt for every liter of water. After blanching and shocking the beans, drain them thoroughly and set them aside until you’re ready to add your favorite sauces, seasonings, or use them in dishes like casseroles. This method ensures your green beans will be flavorful, vibrant, and perfectly cooked every time.

green beans with maple bacon and ginger

Why Green Beans are the Perfect Low-Carb Side Dish

Green beans, when cooked properly, are a crunchy, low-calorie, and high-fiber vegetable, with just 3.6 net carbs per cup. This makes them an excellent choice for anyone following a low-calorie or keto diet.

But the benefits don’t stop there. According to Heart Organization, green beans are packed with essential nutrients, including vitamin C, folate, vitamin K, and silicon—an important mineral that supports healthy bones, skin, and hair.

These nutritious beans are often served as a side dish to proteins like chicken, beef, turkey, ham, pork, or fish. The best part? They pair perfectly with almost any dish. Here are my 5 favorite gluten-free entrees to serve with green beans:

Gourmet Pork Rib Roast

Crispy Chicken a l’Orange

Gluten-Free Asian Meatballs

Chilli Lime Chicken with Chorizo Rice

Grilled Halibut

Green Beans with Maple Bacon & Ginger

12 reviews
Published Mar 6, 2020 · Kristina Stosek
Prep Time:
10 min
Cooking Time:
10 min
Serves:
4

Ingredients

1 lb. fresh young green beans, ends trimmed
3 pieces of GF bacon, halved and cut into thin strips
3 green onions, mostly white part, cut into match sticks
2 tsp. Minced ginger
1 Tbsp. Pure maple syrup
2 Tbsp. GF reduced sodium Tamari sauce
1/4 tsp. GF ground black pepper
1 Tbsp. Black or white sesame seeds
Himalayan salt and GF ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Blanch green beans in well-salted boiling water until tender crisp. About 2 - 3 minutes. Drain and place in a bowl of ice water until beans are cooled. Drain well. If the beans are older you may have to cook them a little longer
  2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until crispy. Drain most of the fat
  3. Add green onions and ginger and cook for 1 minute coating the onions with the bacon, and ginger
  4. Add maple syrup, tamari sauce and black pepper and cook over medium heat until the sauce starts to thicken. Roughly 1 - 2 minutes
  5. Add the beans and coat well with the bacon ginger mixture. Remove from the stove and sprinkle with sesame seeds

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Comments

  1. Joh.R

    my family loves this green bean recipe, super flavourful!

  2. Melissa Tegethoff

    Green Bean dish is an excellent choice for a side dish.