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Our Ultimate Recipe for Classic Texas Roadhouse Green Beans (A Simple Copycat)

Have you ever finished a meal at Texas Roadhouse, only to find yourself still thinking about their perfectly tender, smoky, and subtly sweet green beans? If so, you’re certainly not the only one. It’s a side dish that often becomes the main event, offering a beautiful harmony of savoury bacon, soft onions, and beans slow-simmered to perfection. We’ve often pondered the secret behind that unforgettable bowl. Well, we believe we’ve figured it out! We are delighted to show you how to recreate those iconic Classic Texas Roadhouse Green Beans in the comfort of your own home. There’s no need to wait for a special dinner out; this cherished side can grace your table any night of the week.

This recipe is far more than just a list of directions; it’s your key to bringing one of America’s favourite steakhouse flavours to your family. We will walk you through each straightforward step, from crisping the bacon to achieving that gentle simmer that makes the beans so incredibly tender and flavourful. Let’s begin!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• A True Steakhouse Experience: We’ve carefully recreated the combination of smoky bacon, sweet onions, and savoury spices to deliver a flavour that’s just like the original you adore. Every spoonful is brimming with that signature taste.
• Wonderfully Easy to Prepare: Despite its rich and complex flavour, this recipe is remarkably simple. With everyday ingredients and our clear instructions, even novice cooks can achieve wonderful results.
• Melt-in-the-Mouth Tenderness: Our low-and-slow cooking method ensures the green beans achieve a beautifully soft texture, setting them far apart from quickly boiled or steamed alternatives.
• Guaranteed to Impress: Whether it’s part of a Sunday roast, a summer barbecue, or a festive feast, these green beans are always a popular choice. It’s one of the finest Texas Roadhouse sides to replicate at home.
• Beyond the Tinned Bean: While we begin with tinned green beans to get that authentic soft bite, the final dish is transformed into something truly special and packed with flavour. The change is quite amazing.

Ingredients

• 4 tins (approx. 400g each) cut green beans, drained
• 6-8 slices of thick-cut bacon, chopped
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 240ml (1 cup) chicken broth or stock
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• A splash of liquid smoke (optional, for extra smokiness)

Step-by-Step Guide to Making Classic Texas Roadhouse Green Beans

Replicating this signature side dish is all about building flavour in layers. As you follow our steps, you’ll witness how simple ingredients combine to create something extraordinary. We begin by crafting a rich base with bacon and then let everything meld together in a gentle simmer.

1. Prepare the Bacon Base

First and foremost, we need to create the smoky, savoury foundation for our dish. In a large pot or Dutch oven set over a medium heat, add the chopped bacon. Cook, stirring from time to time, until it’s lovely and crisp and has rendered its fat, which should take around 8–10 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer the crispy bacon pieces to a plate lined with a paper towel. It is essential that you leave approximately two tablespoons of the bacon grease in the pot—this is pure flavour and vital for the next stage!

2. Sauté the Aromatics

While the bacon grease is still hot, add the diced yellow onion to your pot. Sauté for about 5–7 minutes, until the onion has softened and become translucent and a little sweet. This is a vital step in developing the flavour base. Once the onions are soft, stir in the minced garlic and continue to cook for one more minute until fragrant. Be careful not to allow the garlic to burn, as this can make it taste bitter.

3. Build the Savoury Sauce

Now we will build that distinctive sauce. Pour the chicken broth into the pot to deglaze, using a wooden spoon to gently scrape up any flavourful browned bits from the bottom. Whisk in the brown sugar, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, black pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder. If you’re including it, now is the time to add a splash of liquid smoke. Bring the whole mixture to a gentle simmer and let it cook for a couple of minutes so the sugar can dissolve and the flavours can start to merge.

4. Simmer the Green Beans to Perfection

Finally, it’s time to add the drained tinned green beans to the pot. Give everything a thorough stir to make sure the beans are completely coated in the delicious liquid. Return the pot to a simmer, then turn the heat down to low, cover with a lid, and allow the beans to cook for at least 30 minutes. For truly authentic, exceptionally tender beans, we highly recommend letting them simmer for up to an hour. The longer they cook, the more flavour they will absorb. Just before you’re ready to serve, stir most of the reserved crispy bacon back into the pot, saving a few pieces to sprinkle on top as a garnish.

Tips for Perfect Southern Style Green Beans

To guarantee your green beans are as delicious as they can be, we’ve compiled a few tips and tricks that truly make a difference. These small details will take your dish from simply good to absolutely unforgettable.

Why We Use Tinned Green Beans

It may sound unusual, but for this recipe, tinned green beans are our secret ingredient. Fresh or frozen varieties possess a much firmer, crunchier texture. To get that characteristically soft, slow-cooked quality of classic Southern style green beans, tinned beans are undoubtedly the best choice. They are perfectly suited to soaking up all the wonderful flavours of the bacon and broth during the simmer. Not only are they convenient, but they are also a good source of vitamins, as referenced by sources like the USDA.

Don’t Rush the Simmer

Patience is one of the most important ingredients here. Although the green beans will be cooked through and ready to eat after 30 minutes, allowing them to simmer for a full hour or even a little longer lets them become incredibly tender while absorbing every bit of flavour from the sauce. If you have the time, it’s well worth the wait.

Balancing the Flavours

The success of this dish lies in its perfect balance of salty, sweet, and smoky elements. You should feel free to adjust the seasonings to suit your own taste. If you have a sweeter tooth, add a little extra brown sugar. If you are mindful of your sodium intake, you could opt for low-sodium soy sauce and chicken broth. We suggest tasting the sauce before you add the beans and making any adjustments then.

What to Serve with Your Country Green Beans

These wonderfully versatile green beans pair beautifully with a whole host of main courses, which makes them a true staple for any meal. They are an ideal partner for a classic steak dinner, a succulent roast chicken, or a hearty pork chop. We find these Country green beans are an excellent accompaniment to grilled meats at a barbecue, providing a savoury counterpoint to sweet sauces. For a complete and satisfying meal, you could serve them alongside our delicious Bruschetta Chicken for a modern, flavour-packed dinner. They also complement pasta dishes beautifully, especially a rich and creamy one like our Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta Recipe.

Storing and Reheating Your Bacon Green Beans

One of the finest qualities of these Bacon green beans is that they often taste even better the day after they are made! The flavours have more time to meld together, making any leftovers a real treat.

• Storage: Allow the green beans to cool down completely before you transfer them into an airtight container. They will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• Reheating: To reheat, simply place the green beans and their liquid into a small saucepan over a medium-low heat. Warm them gently, stirring occasionally, until they are hot all the way through. You can also use a microwave, but we feel the stovetop method is best for preserving their texture.

FAQ

Conclusion: Bring the Steakhouse Home

So, there you have it—the secret to making truly irresistible, restaurant-quality Classic Texas Roadhouse Green Beans at home. With a handful of simple ingredients and a little patience, you can create a side dish that’s bursting with smoky, sweet, and savoury flavour. It’s a recipe that proves that sometimes the most memorable dishes are the simplest ones, cooked with care.

The next time you are planning a special dinner or simply wish to elevate a weeknight meal, we encourage you to give this recipe a go. We are confident it will become a new family favourite. Go on, gather your ingredients, and bring a taste of Texas to your kitchen tonight! Don’t forget to drop a comment below and let us know how your green beans turned out. We love hearing from you!

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Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 50 mins
Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 4 tins (approx. 400g each) cut green beans, drained
• 6-8 slices of thick-cut bacon, chopped
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 240ml (1 cup) chicken broth or stock
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• A splash of liquid smoke (optional, for extra smokiness)

Instructions

1. In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the chopped bacon until crisp (8-10 minutes). Remove bacon with a slotted spoon, leaving about 2 tablespoons of grease in the pot.
2. Add the diced onion and sauté in the bacon grease for 5-7 minutes until soft and translucent. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 more minute until fragrant.
3. Pour in the chicken broth to deglaze the pot, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Whisk in the brown sugar, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder.
4. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then add the drained green beans. Stir to coat, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for at least 30 minutes (or up to 1 hour for extra tender beans).
5. Before serving, stir in most of the crispy bacon. Garnish with the remaining bacon pieces and serve warm.