Cooking Fresh Green Beans in the Crock Pot: A Simple and Delicious Technique

Cooking green beans in the slow cooker is one of my favorite ways to cook them!

My slow cooker is great for making main dishes, but I’m still learning how to make all the great side dishes it can make! This is a great side dish for any meal that the whole family will love. From weeknight dinners to special occasions, this easy side dish recipe will become part of your regular rotation.

This is actually a recipe that I made on Christmas Day . While the ham, potatoes, and green beans were cooking in one slow cooker, I set the other two to work on the side. I didn’t want to spend all day cooking.

It made cooking (and clean up!) a breeze. I really think that I could cook with my slow cooker every day of the week!.

This recipe is the best way to cook up fresh green beans. They turn out perfect every time! This is an easy recipe to make on busy weeknights. It can be hard to find a good simple side dish, but this green bean recipe is perfect. With just a few ingredients, this easy side dish packs a lot of flavor to go with your main dish. It’s great for any occasion, but especially for Christmas dinner.

The classic flavors will go over well with your family; they might even want to eat these as a main dish! Once you get this green bean side dish down pat, you can try out other flavors too. You could use yellow onion, garlic clove, smoky flavor, brown sugar, black pepper, red pepper flakes, crispy bacon, garlic powder, soy sauce, maple syrup, or bacon bits. The options are endless!.

As a busy home cook, I’m always looking for easy ways to prepare tasty sides to complement my main dishes. One of my favorite tricks is cooking fresh green beans in the crock pot. This hands-off technique consistently delivers perfect tender green beans, infused with delicious flavor.

If you haven’t tried making fresh green beans in the slow cooker, you’re missing out! Read on as I share my simple process, along with tips to take your crockpot green beans to the next level.

Why Cook Fresh Green Beans in the Crock Pot?

Here are some of the benefits of using a crockpot for green beans:

Hands-off cooking: Once assembled, no further cooking effort needed. Just turn on the crockpot and walk away.
Tender, evenly cooked beans: The gentle, moist heat tenderizes the beans without overcooking. No more undercooked crunchy beans!
Intensifies flavor: The long cook time allows the seasoning and flavors to fully permeate the beans.
Perfect for meal prep: Make a big batch for easy reheatable side dishes all week long.
Keeps beans warm: The crockpot keeps the beans hot and ready to serve for potlucks or big family meals.

How to Prepare the Green Beans

Start with fresh crisp tender green beans. I recommend slender French bean or haricot vert varieties over chunky string beans which become mushy.

Wash and trim: Rinse the beans, then snip off the stem ends. Leave whole otherwise so beans retain their texture.

Parboil briefly: Blanch beans in boiling water for 1 minute, then shock in ice water. This helps them retain color and crispness.

Pat very dry Beans must be dried thoroughly before slow cooking or they will get mushy from excess moisture,

Once prepped, you’re ready to assemble your beans in the crock.

Simple Crock Pot Steps

1. Choose Your Seasonings

One of the great aspects of crockpot beans is how flexible they are. Choose your favorite seasonings and flavors to liven up the beans. Ideas:

Fresh or dried herbs like thyme, rosemary, basil
Spices such as garlic, onion, paprika, chili powder
Lemon, vinegar, or wine for brightness
Butter or oil for richness

2. Layer the Crockpot

Place dried beans in the slow cooker. If using a 6 qt crock, aim for about 2 lbs prepped beans. Top with your seasoning blend. I like a simple mix of minced garlic, thyme, salt and pepper.

You can also add aromatics like chopped onion, lemon slices or bacon. Take care not to overfill the crock or the beans won’t cook evenly.

3. Add Liquid

Pour in enough fresh water, broth or wine to just cover the beans. Too much will make them mushy. For 2 lbs, I use 2 cups liquid.

Give the crock a gentle stir to evenly moisten the beans and distribute the seasonings.

4. Cook on Low

Cover and cook on low heat for 3-4 hours, until beans reach desired tenderness. Resist stirring during cooking, just let them gently simmer.

5. Adjust Seasoning and Serve

Before serving, taste a few beans and adjust salt, herbs or acid as needed for perfect flavor balance.

Transfer to a serving bowl with slotted spoon, leaving excess liquid behind. Enjoy your tender, flavorful green beans!

Tips for the Best Crock Pot Green Beans

Don’t skip parboiling, drying and crock layering steps – they prevent mushiness.
Tailor herb or spice blends to complement your main meal.
Add cream, broth or extra seasoning the last 30 minutes.
Top with crispy fried shallots or bacon before serving for texture.
For potlucks, cook then switch crock to Warm to hold beans ready to serve.

Handy Crockpot Green Bean Recipes

Ready to whip up a batch of delicious crockpot beans? Here are a few of my favorite recipes:

~ Garlicky Lemon Green Beans ~

Lemon, garlic, olive oil and thyme infuse the beans with citrusy freshness.

~ Bacon Ranch Green Beans ~

Sprinkle crumbled bacon and ranch seasoning over the beans for a quick crowd-pleaser.

~ Chili Lime Crockpot Beans ~

A Southwest twist with spicy chili powder and tangy lime juice.

~ Brown Sugar Baked Bean ~

Molasses, mustard and brown sugar give these beans a sweet tangy flavor.

~ Green Bean Casserole Crockpot ~

All the classic flavors of green bean casserole made simple in the crock.

Troubleshooting Crockpot Green Bean Problems

Having issues getting perfect results with your crockpot beans? Here are some quick fixes:

Mushy beans – Don’t overfill crock. Reduce liquid to 1 1/2 cups per 2 lbs beans.

Undercooked crunchy beans – Make sure crock is reaching proper temperature. Cook longer, checking every 30 minutes.

Bland flavor – Increase herbs and seasonings. Add a splash of lemon juice or vinegar.

Burned or overcooked beans – Don’t cook on High, always use Low setting for beans.

Too much liquid – Drain in a colander before serving to remove excess broth.

Enjoying Your Crockpot Green Beans

I hope these tips have inspired you try cooking fresh green beans in your crock pot. Once you discover how easy it is to make tender, flavorful beans, you’ll want to prepare them this way for all your favorite meals.

Beans are the perfect pairing for so many entrees like baked chicken, ham, pot roast or sausage. Keep a batch of homemade crockpot green beans ready in the fridge to quickly heat and serve anytime.

can you cook fresh green beans in the crock pot

How to make fresh Slow Cooker green beans:

Spray a 6-quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray.
Add the olive oil to a medium-sized skillet. Cook the onion and garlic over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until they are soft.
Along with the other ingredients, add the onions and garlic that have been sautéed.
Put the lid on and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours, until the beans are soft.

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Love making side dishes in your slow cooker? Try some of these recipes:

can you cook fresh green beans in the crock pot

Crock Pot Green Beans

FAQ

Can you put raw beans in a slow cooker?

But research now suggests that one tough ingredient shouldn’t be cooked in the slow cooker at all — beans. All beans contain a compound called “phytohaemagglutinin,” also called PHA, or kidney bean lectin. Lectin is a type of protein that performs many functions in both plants and animals.

What beans should not be cooked in a slow cooker?

Slowly heating raw kidney beans in a slow cooker may increase the toxicity of the beans. Studies have found slow cookers do not reach a high enough temperature to destroy the harmful bacteria in undercooked beans. The PHA toxin is destroyed at 212°F when cooked for at least 10 minutes.

What happens if you don t soak beans before cooking in crock pot?

If you’re the impatient, bean-hungry type, you can cook your beans from dry without any soaking at all. Here’s the thing: Beans that have not been soaked ahead of time will always take longer to cook, but they will, indeed, cook.

Do you cut fresh green beans before cooking?

The only part of the bean that always needs to be removed is the tip of the stem end (this is sometimes called “topping” the bean), where the pod was once attached to the rest of the plant. There is no practical need to remove the tail end of a green bean—the choice to do so is aesthetic.