This slow cooker 3-ingredient bacon green beans and potatoes recipe tastes like something a kind neighbor would show up with on a breezy spring afternoon, still warm and smelling like home. It’s the kind of dish that makes you stop what you’re doing, grab a fork, and then immediately beg for the secret because it’s hard to believe something this comforting comes from just three ingredients. Around here in the rural Midwest, we’ve been simmering garden green beans and new potatoes with good pork for generations, and this version lets the slow cooker do the work while you go about your day. The green beans stay vibrant and tender, the baby potatoes turn soft and buttery, and everything is kissed with smoky bacon drippings that feel like a hug from an old friend.
Serve these bacon green beans and potatoes piled onto a warm plate with a simple main like roast chicken, grilled pork chops, or a skillet-fried ham steak. A slice of soft white bread or a warm dinner roll is perfect for soaking up those savory drippings at the bottom of the plate. Add a crisp side salad with a tangy vinaigrette or some sliced garden tomatoes to brighten things up. This dish also holds its own on a potluck table or holiday buffet—just keep it in the slow cooker on warm so folks can spoon out seconds.
Slow Cooker 3-Ingredient Bacon Green Beans and PotatoesServings: 6
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds fresh green beans, ends trimmed
1 1/2 pounds small yellow baby potatoes, halved if larger than 1 1/2 inches
12 ounces thick-cut bacon, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
Directions
Lay the trimmed green beans in the bottom of a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker, spreading them out in an even layer so they cook evenly.
Add the baby yellow potatoes on top of the green beans. If some of the potatoes are much larger than the others, cut them in half so everything becomes tender at about the same time.
Place the chopped bacon in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is deep golden brown and crisp and has rendered a generous amount of fat, about 8 to 10 minutes. Do not drain the drippings.
Carefully spoon the hot bacon and all of its drippings evenly over the potatoes and green beans in the slow cooker. Use a spoon or tongs to gently toss the vegetables just enough to lightly coat them in the bacon fat without breaking up the potatoes.
Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 5 to 6 hours, or on HIGH for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, until the green beans are tender but not mushy and the potatoes are soft when pierced with a fork.
Once cooked, gently stir from the bottom so every bite gets some of the savory bacon and drippings. Taste and, if you like, you can add a pinch of salt or black pepper from your own pantry at the table, but the bacon usually seasons it well on its own.
Serve the green beans, potatoes, and bacon hot, spooning some of the flavorful drippings over each plate so everything glistens and stays moist.
Variations & Tips
If your green beans are especially young and thin, check for doneness on the earlier side so they stay vibrant and don’t overcook. You can use regular-cut bacon instead of thick-cut; just watch it closely so it doesn’t burn while crisping. For a slightly lighter dish, you can cook the bacon until just rendered and lightly golden instead of fully crisp, which will leave a bit less intense smoky flavor. If you don’t have baby potatoes, cut larger yellow or Yukon Gold potatoes into 1 1/2-inch chunks so they cook evenly and hold their shape. For a little extra color at the table, you can sprinkle on chopped fresh parsley or chives from your garden right before serving, though this does add an optional ingredient beyond the base three. Food safety tips: Always cook the bacon until it reaches at least 145°F and has rendered its fat before adding it to the slow cooker; starting with raw, unrendered bacon can leave you with an unpleasant texture and greasy top layer. Keep the slow cooker covered while cooking so the temperature stays in the safe zone, and don’t leave the dish on the warm setting for more than 2 hours after cooking without refrigerating leftovers. Cool leftovers promptly and refrigerate in shallow containers; reheat thoroughly until steaming hot before serving again.
