These green beans are incredibly simple to make, but will remind you of eating at Grandma's house for Sunday dinner.
I can't believe I'm about to say this, but here it goes. Green beans are a vegetable that I prefer canned rather than fresh. I'm not sure what happens when they're canned, but I absolutely love the texture. My guess is because I love them cooked "to death" in a very porky broth! There's a time and place for al dente hericot vert (that french for barely cooked green beans), but these pressure cooker green beans are not that at all. These remind me of Sunday dinner at mom's house.
Why This Recipe Works
- Using canned greened beans, instead of fresh, makes it possible to cook the green beans and potatoes together. When cooking with fresh, you'd either end up with mushy potatoes, or slightly al dente green beans. Instead, the potatoes are perfectly cooked, while the green beans are as tender and flavorful as if they've simmered for hours.
- Rendering the bacon adds flavor and richness to the dish.
The Process
Using sauté setting - add bacon to pot...
...and cook until almost crispy. Might take almost 10 minutes, but don't rush this. You want to render out all of the fat!
Add onions to pot and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until soft and translucent.
Then add vinegar and scrape up all the fond (brown bits) from the bottom of the pot.
Add green beens to pot (including liquid from can)...
...and season with salt and pepper.
Finally, add the potatoes...
...and give a good mix. Lock lid and cook for 5 minutes at high pressure.
Once cook time is complete, quick-release pressure... and that's it.
And this is the AMAZING result…
Expert Tips
- Don't rush the process of rendering the bacon by cooking it on the stove at a higher heat. The steady temperature of the sauté function is perfect for this step. Cooking the bacon at a higher heat could burn the bacon before all of the fat is rendered out- which means ruined bacon and less bacon fat to use for flavor. Still not sure about the rendering process? This article from Bon Appétit has more information.
- Don't drain the bacon grease! This recipe is intentionally written so that the bacon fat will be rendered and included in the recipe. It adds an incredible richness.
- When reducing the amounts to make a smaller dish, the cook time remains the same.
★ Did you make this Pressure Cooker Green Beans? Please give it a star rating below! ★
Southern Style Pressure Cooker Green Beans
Ingredients
- 8 oz. bacon thick cut, sliced into 1-inch pieces
- 1 cup yellow onions diced
- 3 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- 100 oz. canned green beans with liquid
- 2 tsp. sea salt
- ½ tsp. black pepper
- 1.5 lbs. red potatoes roughly chopped
Instructions
- Using sauté setting – add bacon to pot and cook until almost crispy. This may take almost 10 minutes, but don’t rush this. You want to render out all of the fat!
- Add onions to pot and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until soft and translucent. Then add vinegar and scrape up all the fond (brown bits) from the bottom of the pot.
- Add green beens to pot (including liquid from can) and season with salt and pepper. Finally, add the potatoes and give a good mix. Lock lid and cook for 5 minutes at high pressure.
- Once cook time is complete, quick-release pressure. And that’s it.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
More Southern Style Pressure Cooker Sides:
Instant Pot Cabbage with Southern Style
Pressure Cooker Collard Greens – Southern-Style in ONE HOUR!
Becky
Finally someone posts a recipe using canned green beans. I bypass so many recipes that call for fresh which I never had much luck with. ( I can't seem to get all the strings off.) I tried these last night as I had all the ingredients and boy were they good! Easy and came out perfect!
Melissa
Anytime I see a recipe with fresh green beans I use canned. Never a problem.
Mari
This was so easy and good.
Eleanor Fetter
Step 2: "Add onions to pot (including liquid from can)" What? "Liquid from can," what liquid, what can? I think that belongs in step 3, after "Add green beans to pot." Other than that, it sounds good.
Gary
Oops, thanks for the heads up!
Cj Kolb
That is 5 stars ......just like Moms, Grandmothers, and every woman in this family
Sharon
Used this recipe except used one pound of fresh green beans and 3/4 c. water. Never had green beans and potatoes that were this GREAT! YUMMY!
jan mackinney
Do you pour off the fat from the bacon?
Gary White
Noooo!!! That's where all the flavor is. Fat equals flavor!
Olla
I don't want to add onion.
Connie Hamby
I canned green beans in the summer. I already have saved bacon grease. Can I just heat that up on saute mode? My green beans have liquid from canning. Can I use that juice?
Gary White
Yes to both of your questions!
Tricia
YUM! YUM! and YUM! Making this right now for like the 8th time!!!
Samina
This is absolutely, amazingly delicious. It will be in steady rotation in our house. I'm delighted to find your site. Many thanks!
Gregg V Rasor
Wow! That is amazing! Four of us had some and everyone loved it! Saying I have to make it again!
Tricia
This recipe is so good. I've made it several times.
Linda
Help! My daughter LOVES green beans and LOVES potatoes but is vegetarian 😐.
Can I use that morning star farm fake bacon? Or Bac'n bits? I know it won't be nearly as good but maybe good to her?
Gary White
I wish I could help, but cooking this without bacon, or with a bacon substitute, would yield a be a completely different result. The bacon fat is what makes this recipe come to life. It would most likely in your best interest to find a similar recipe that is written to be vegetarian.
We do have a delicious vegetarian potato soup she may enjoy: https://thefoodieeats.com/instant-pot-vegan-potato-soup/
Tricia
Making this for like the 7th or 8th time. Luv it and so simple. I never knew either of my grandmothers (dad's mom died when he was just 3 & my mom's mom died when I was only 6 months). So, I would like to think that they would have made something like this had they been around. Thank you for sharing this great recipe.
Gary White
Glad you enjoyed it!
Tricia
This is so good. Don't recall how many times I've made this. If you have not tried making it yet, believe me, it's a keeper and makes a good amount for family gatherings.
Lis
I made a vegan version by omitting the bacon, and used vegan butter to saute the onions. I also added a bit of liquid smoke to the mix. When serving, I sprinkle the bacon flavored bits to compensate for the lack of real bacon. My husband is from the Southeast and thinks that it tastes pretty southern to him. Thank you for the recipe!