These southern style green beans are sure to be a crowd-pleasing recipe! These can be made in the instant pot and take less than 30 minutes from start to finish. Garlic and bacon smother these tender green beans in greasy delicious goodness!

Growing up in the south, I grew up eating most of my vegetables cooked with meat in them. Whether it was collard greens, cabbage, or green beans; you could bet there was some type of smoked meat or bacon added to the pot.

This was great for me once I started the keto diet because most of these recipes are naturally keto without any tweaking needed!

Southern style green beans are no exception to that rule. This recipe is made with bacon which could probably serve as a mascot if keto had one!

Hands down, this is my favorite way to eat green beans. Southern and soul food style!

For this recipe, I used my Instant Pot. The Instant Pot makes this recipe full proof, as pressure cooking the grean beans leaves them soft and tender. You can make them on the stove as well, however, you’ll need to cook them a little longer.

I recommend using fresh green beans, as they have the best flavor. Now don’t let that scare you off! Trust me, even if you’re just a beginner in the kitchen you can pull this off. 

Fresh green beans are super easy to work with. You can find them in the produce section of your grocery store. I like to buy the ones in the bag. 

How to Prepare fresh Green Beans

1. Snap the ends off of the green beans using fingers. The green beans should just naturally snap, similar to snapping the ends off of asparagus. Some green beans come already snapped.
2. Optional: Blanch the green beans. So I know most people don’t like this step, but honestly, it’s super simple. To blanch fresh grean beans, simply add them to a pot of boiling water for about 3 minutes. Then, drain the green beans and transfer them to a bowl of ice water for another 3 minutes. Drain them, and that’s it!

Blanching the green beans locks in the natural flavor and color. It also cleans them, so if you decide not to blanch them just be sure to rinse them off before cooking.

Southern Style Green Beans Ingredients

• Fresh Green Beans
• Bacon
• Butter
• Garlic
• Chicken Broth
• Garlic and Onion Powder
• Salt and Pepper

How to make southern style green beans in an Instant Pot

Start by snapping the ends off of the green beans, and blanching them (see above for blanching instructions). If you decide not to blanch the beans, then be sure to rinse them off prior to cooking.

Set the Instant Pot on the Saute option, and add the bacon. Allow to bacon to crisp up, and then add the butter and chopped garlic. Saute until the butter is melted, and the garlic becomes fragrant (about 2 – 3 minutes). Next, add the chicken broth and scrape up the brown bits in the pan.

Add the green beans, and mix so that the beans are coated with everything. Switch the Instant Pot to the pressure cook option, and set it for 20 minutes.

Replace the lid and turn the valve to the sealed position. Once the Instant Pot is done cooking the green beans, switch the valve on the lid to the release position. Once the steam is fully released, remove the lid and serve.

Check out these other tasty keto side dish recipes!

Oven Roasted Broccoli with Lemon and Parmesan

Broccoli Cheese Casserole

15 Easy Keto Side Dishes That You Don’t Want to Miss

Southern Style Green Beans

Yield: 10 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Additional Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Tender melt in your mouth southern style green beans.

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Ingredients

• 2 pounds fresh green beans, blanched or rinsed (see notes on preparing fresh green beans)
• 4 slices bacon, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Set the Instant Pot to the saute function, and add the bacon. Cook the bacon until it begins to crisp up.
2. Add the garlic and butter to the Instant Pot with the bacon, and saute until the garlic becomes fragrant. Add the chicken broth, and scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
3. Add the green beans, and stir everything so that the green beans are evenly coated.
4. Switch the Instant Pot to the Pressure Cook setting at High Pressure. Set the cooking time for 20 minutes and secure the lid on the Instant Pot. Turn the valve on the lid to the sealed position.
5. Once the Instant Pot is done cooking, switch the valve to the release position. Once the steam is released, remove the lid and serve.

Notes

To blanch fresh grean beans, simply add them to a pot of boiling water for about 3 minutes. Then, drain the green beans and transfer them to a bowl of ice water for another 3 minutes. Drain them, and that's it!

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 85Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 14mgSodium: 233mgCarbohydrates: 7gNet Carbohydrates: 4gFiber: 3gSugar: 3gProtein: 4g

This broccoli cheese casserole is the perfect low carb keto side dish. Cream cheese, cheddar, and fresh broccoli are baked into a cheesy delicious casserole. Your entire family is sure to enjoy this recipe!

Broccoli is usually the last thing on any picky eater’s list. However, who can say no to cheese?! 

What better way to jazz up fresh broccoli, then by making broccoli cheese casserole. I am a full believer in incorporating vegetables into as many meals as possible.

However, they can get pretty boring after a while on their own. Adding cheese, or my favorite seasonings always is a good way to get my family excited about eating them.

For this recipe, I used cream cheese which is good on pretty much anything in my book! I added in a few other kinds of cheese, along with ranch seasoning which really takes this broccoli cheese bake to the next level.

What goes with broccoli casserole?

You can serve this casserole with steak, baked chicken, fish, or just enjoy it on its own. This dish is also great for holiday gatherings. Just be sure to double the recipe and use a larger baking dish if making it for a crowd.

With just a few simple ingredients, this recipe is ready in less than 30 minutes!

Can broccoli cheese casserole be frozen?

Yes, it can be frozen as long as it’s stored in a freezer container and fully thawed before reheating. Be sure to drain any excess liquid from the dish.

Prior to freezing the casserole, be sure that it has cooled completely. It can also last in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days.

Broccoli Cheese Casserole Ingredients

• Broccoli Florets
• Cream Cheese
• Shredded Cheddar Cheese
• Sour Cream
• Ranch Seasoning
• Salt and Pepper
• Shredded Cheddar Jack Cheese

How to make broccoli cheese casserole

I recommend using fresh broccoli for this recipe. I like to give it light steam in the microwave prior to making the casserole.

To steam the broccoli, add the broccoli and a small amount of water (about 3 tablespoons) to a medium microwave-safe bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and microwave for 3 minutes. Allow it to cool for 3 minutes, and drain any excess from the bowl.

In the same bowl, add the cream cheese, cheddar cheese, sour cream, ranch seasoning, and salt and pepper. Mix together until everything is combined.

Pour the broccoli and cheese mixture into an 8×8 baking dish and spread evenly. Sprinkle the cheddar jack cheese on top.

Bake for 10 – 12 minutes, or until cheese is completely melted.

Variations of this recipe

• You could add chicken, ham, or bacon for extra protein.
• Try adding a cup of cauliflower rice for even more vegetables, and to make this more filling.
• Feel free to try switching up the types of cheese. Smoked gouda is one of my favorites to add in place of the cheddar!

You might also like these other easy casseroles with broccoli:

• Ham Casserole with Broccoli and Cauliflower Rice
• Keto Broccoli Cheese Casserole

Broccoli Cheese Casserole

Yield: 6 servings

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Creamy low carb keto broccoli cheese casserole.

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Ingredients

• 20 ounces fresh broccoli, (about 5 cups or 2 crowns)
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon ranch seasoning mix
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/4 cup shredded cheddar jack cheese, (you can also use Monterey Jack instead)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. To steam the broccoli, add the broccoli and a small amount of water (about 3 tablespoons) to a medium microwave-safe bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and microwave for 3 minutes. Allow it to cool for 3 minutes, and drain any excess water from the bowl.
3. In the same bowl, add the cream cheese, cheddar cheese, sour cream, ranch seasoning, and salt and pepper. Mix together until everything is combined.
4. Pour the broccoli and cheese mixture into an 8x8 baking dish and spread evenly.
5. Sprinkle the cheddar jack cheese on top of the casserole evenly.
6. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 303Total Fat: 25gSaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 72mgSodium: 533mgCarbohydrates: 11gNet Carbohydrates: 8gFiber: 3gSugar: 4gProtein: 12g