Warm Green Bean Salad with Bacon

What’s Inside: Packed with wholesome ingredients, this warm green bean and bacon salad is a crunchy, savory side dish that’s perfect for weeknight dinners and holiday meals alike! Also ideal for meal-prepping ahead of a busy week.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Easy, flavorful (you saw there’s bacon, right?) and a cozy side dish anyone would love… green beans are a staple in my house! If you’re on the elimination phase of AIP, you know this is not on the menu unfortunately and wasn’t for me while I was working on some gut healing, but luckily they were easy for me to reintroduce. Why would these healthy green veggies be excluded on a diet, you might wonder? They do contain lectins and agglutinins, which can be hard to digest and compromise your gut lining, especially when your gut is already impaired. But like with many foods, this can heal so you can enjoy all the benefits of the food!

Nowadays, green beans are a favorite way to incorporate bright green veggies into my regular recipe rotation. Plus, recipes like this warm green bean and bacon salad are Paleo-friendly and packed with wholesome ingredients!

This green bean salad recipe is perfect for making ahead of a busy week or whipping up on a weekday. It would also be a wonderful addition to your holiday table in place of your average green bean casserole!

Looking for more healthy sides? Check out this recipe round-up of 20+ Gluten-Free Side Dishes (Perfect For Every Occasion!)

Ingredients

You’ll need just a few fresh ingredients and pantry staples to make this quick and easy warm green bean salad with bacon:

• Fresh green beans (trimmed)
• Water (for boiling; filtered, if possible)
• Bacon (your preferred brand, chopped into small pieces)
• Extra-virgin olive oil (pr another light-tasting compliant oil like avocado)
• Red onion (sliced thinly)
• Red wine vinegar
• Dijon mustard
• Raw honey
• Sea salt

How To Make It

1. Blanch the Green Beans: Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add green beans, once bright green and tender after 2-3 minutes, add to a cold ice bath so they stop cooking.
2. Cook the Bacon: Meanwhile, in a skillet over medium heat, add bacon pieces and cook until crispy. Remove bacon bits and set aside. Reserve 2 Tbsp of rendered bacon fat and add to a small mixing bowl (and optionally save all of it for yourself).
3. Cook the Veggies: Lightly clean the skillet and add olive oil over medium heat, add onions and sauté until soft (3-4 mins). Add steamed green beans to onions and mix well, remove from heat. Add green beans, onions, and bacon bits to a serving bowl.
4. Make the Vinaigrette: Meanwhile in a small mixing bowl, add bacon at, vinegar, mustard, honey and a pinch of sea salt. Whisk vigorously until a thick, creamy dressing forms.
5. Serve: Pour dressing over the green beans dish and toss well to coat, serve!

Tips and Variations

• Use pancetta in place of the bacon for a more robust, salty, pork flavor!
• Add some minced or sliced garlic, or substitute shallots for the onion.
• Serve with some sliced, toasted almonds for crunch!
• Not a fan of Dijon? You can use your preferred mustard! Whole grain would also work well.
• Swap the red wine vinegar for apple cider vinegar, if needed.
• Make this side dish a main course by adding some cubed sautéed or ground chicken, steak, or pork to make a quick stir fry!
• Add more colorful veggies like bell peppers, radishes, or squash.

Serving Suggestions

Serve this warm green bean and bacon salad with any of these entrees and side dishes to make a complete meal:

• Sautéed Lemon-Garlic Chicken Liver & Onions
• Grilled Balsamic Pork Tenderloin & Coleslaw
• Juicy Grilled Pork Chops with Pineapple Salsa
• Egg-Free Meatballs
• Roasted Ranch Sweet Potatoes
• Creamy Dairy-free Mashed Cauliflower
• Quick Roasted Spaghetti Squash
• Sautéed Garlic Kale

Storage, Freezing, and Reheating Instructions

• Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
• Freeze this green bean salad with bacon in an airtight, freezer-safe plastic bag or container for up to 1 month.
• Reheat from chilled or frozen in a skillet over medium heat until warmed through and any excess liquid has evaporated

More Healthy Side Dish Recipes

• Healthy Baked Sweet Plantains (Maduros)
• Ghee-Roasted Brussel Sprouts
• Paleo Stuffed Artichokes
• Autumn Massaged Kale Salad
• Curry Spiced Carrots
• Balsamic Beets and Greens