Green Beans Dijon make a tasty side dish

Tangy dijon mustard, minced garlic, fresh green onions and bits of crispy chopped bacon give a welcome pop of flavor to fresh green beans. This mid century side dish pairs well with almost everything!

I'm always looking for ways to dress up vegetables, so when when my friend Susan gave me her 96-year old aunt's recipes, this one caught my eye. The irresistible flavor combination got me running to the kitchen right away!

Susan's Aunt Helen was born in 1923 and was the quintessential mid century housewife. She is still living in LA, although she no longer cooks. But back in the day, this dish made frequent appearances at her dinner table. It's a great item to serve at holiday gatherings when you are looking for a tasty side dish to complement the main meal.

Start By Pan Frying Bacon

If you're a modern cook who has gotten used to cooking bacon in the microwave, you'll need to revert to old fashioned pan frying for this recipe. The flavor depends on the other items cooking in the bacon drippings. You will eventually drain it off, but the flavor will be retained and will coat the beans.

Hints For Cooking Green Beans Dijon

1. Prep your green beans before you start cooking anything else -- it takes a few minutes to trim the ends of the beans before you can start cooking them.
2. Cook the bacon until very crisp -- probably longer than you would normally cook it if you were making breakfast. You want it to be crispy enough to crumble or chop easily.
3. Carefully monitor green onions and garlic while sautéing in bacon drippings, as they can burn easily. Keep temperature low and watch them closely.

Looking for other delicious mid century vegetable recipes? Try our Broccoli and Cheese Casserole with Buttery Cracker Topping and Southern Sweet Creamed Corn in a Skillet.

Green Beans Dijon

• Author: Nancy Blackstone
• Prep Time: 20 Minutes
• Cook Time: 15 Minutes
• Total Time: 35 Minutes
• Yield: 6-8 Servings 1x
• Category: Side Dishes
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: American

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

2 pounds fresh green beans

4 slices bacon

1 bunch (¼ cup) chopped green onions

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons dijon mustard

¼ cup chicken broth

salt

pepper

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Instructions

1. Wash green beans, then trim both ends. Place in a deep skillet with ½ cup water, ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Cover with a lid and bring to a boil; cook to desired doneness. If you like them very crispy, cook 4-6 minutes, crisp-tender 6-8 minutes, and tender 8-10 minutes. I usually cook mine for about 7-8 minutes.
2. While beans are cooking, pan fry 4 slices of bacon in a skillet until they are nice and crispy. Remove to a cutting board and chop; do not discard bacon grease from pan.
3. Add green onions and garlic to pan and saute until tender, about 2-3 minutes.
4. Drain excess grease from pan, then stir in dijon mustard and chopped bacon.
5. Gradually add chicken broth, stirring constantly. Heat until thickened. If sauce gets too thick, thin with additional chicken broth.
6. Pour sauce over cooked beans, tossing until coated. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

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Notes

Prep beans by washing and cutting ends before you start any cooking

Cook bacon until very crispy

Keywords: Holiday side dishes, vegetable side dishes, Thanksgiving side dishes, Christmas side dishes