Pioneer Woman Bacon Wrapped Green Bean Bundles

Pioneer woman bacon wrapped green bean bundles are a quick side dish with brown sugar bacon, cayenne and crisp beans, done in one hour. That makes them a solid pick for Thanksgiving, Easter or Christmas dinner, since they look fancy but come together with just a few simple steps.

Par-cooking the bacon before wrapping is what makes or breaks these bundles, because it lets the bacon crisp without overcooking the beans. Skip this step and wrap raw bacon around the beans, and you get flabby bacon or mushy vegetables on the plate.

The brown sugar and cayenne coating on the bacon creates a sweet, spicy caramel crust that sets this version apart from plain bacon-wrapped beans. It takes about 30 extra seconds of prep but turns each bundle into something closer to candy than a typical vegetable side.

Pioneer Woman Bacon Wrapped Green Bean Bundles

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Course: Side DishCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

10

servings

Prep time

25

minutes

Cooking time

35

minutes

Calories

110

kcal

Crisp-tender green beans wrapped in brown sugar coated bacon strips, then roasted until the bacon caramelizes and shatters.

Ingredients

• Nonstick cooking spray
  

• 1/3 c. light brown sugar
  

• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
  

• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
  

• 5 strips bacon (not thick-cut), halved crosswise
  

• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, plus more for the pot
  

• 1 lb. green beans or haricot verts, trimmed
  

• 1 tbsp. olive oil
  

• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Directions

• Preheat and prep the pan: Preheat the oven to 400°F, then place a rack on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment and lightly coat it with nonstick spray.
• Coat the bacon: In a shallow dish, combine the brown sugar, cayenne and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, then coat the bacon pieces in the mixture by pressing lightly on both sides so it sticks.
• Par-bake the bacon: Arrange the coated bacon on the prepared baking sheet and bake until golden and almost cooked through but still pliable, 10 to 12 minutes, then let it sit until cool enough to handle, about 5 to 8 minutes.
• Blanch the beans: Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the green beans until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes, then transfer them to an ice bath to stop the cooking before draining well and patting dry.
• Assemble the bundles: In a medium bowl, toss the beans with the olive oil, garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, then divide them into 10 bunches of about 8 to 10 beans each and wrap a bacon piece around the middle of each bunch, placing them seam-side down on the rack.
• Roast until crispy: Roast the bundles until the green beans are tender and the bacon is crispy and caramelized, 12 to 15 minutes.

Tools for this recipe

• Nordic Ware half sheet pan, Checkered Chef cooling racks, OXO 5-quart stainless steel colander, Diamond Crystal kosher salt, 3 lb. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I use thick-cut bacon for these green bean bundles?

I'd stick with regular-cut bacon, since thick-cut strips don't wrap as tightly and take longer to crisp. Regular bacon gets thin and shattery in the oven, which is the texture you want for these bundles.

Do I need a wire rack to make bacon-wrapped green bean bundles?

A wire rack lets heat circulate under the bundles, so the bacon crisps on all sides. Without one the bottoms can get soggy from rendered fat, so flip them halfway through if you are working on a flat sheet.

Why is my bacon not crispy on the green bean bundles?

The usual cause is skipping the par-bake, since the second roast only runs 12 to 15 minutes and that won't cook raw bacon through. Wet green beans also slow things down, so pat them completely dry after blanching.

Can I freeze bacon-wrapped green bean bundles?

Freezing is not a good idea because the green beans lose their snap and go limp once thawed. Assemble up to a day ahead and keep them in the fridge, then roast fresh right before serving.

Can I use canned green beans instead of fresh for this recipe?

Fresh green beans or haricot verts work best because they hold their shape and stay crisp-tender during roasting. Canned beans are already soft and fall apart inside the wrap, so use thawed frozen beans as a backup if fresh are not around.