Need a quick, delicious side dish? Look no further! My green beans with pancetta is simple, healthy, and tasty. Green beans are always a crowd favorite—and the crispy, delicious pancetta takes it to a whole new level.  Perfect addition to a holiday meal – or any day!

How To Make Green Beans with Pancetta

Heat a large skillet or wok over medium heat and add oil.  Add pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and crispy, approximately 8-10 minutes.  Remove and put on a plate lined with a paper towel.

In the same skillet, add shallots and cook, stirring frequently until golden brown.  This will take about 5 minutes.  Add sage and cook for ~1 minute.  Remove shallots and sage and add to the pancetta plate.

Next, add green beans to skillet and cook over medium-high heat, approximately 5 minutes.  You can add in a little water to deglaze the pan and get the yummy brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Season with salt and pepper.  Add pancetta, shallots, and sage back to the skillet and heat through, 2-3 minutes.

Green Bean Nutrition

Green beans are widely enjoyed throughout the United States.  A crunchy veggie that appeals to both kids and adults!  They are available year-round, but especially during the spring and summer.  They contain good amounts of Vitamins C, A, and K, along with folate and fiber.  These nutrients are important for your immune system, reproduction, vision, blood, and gut health.

Green Bean Selection and Storage

When picking green beans for my Green Beans with Pancetta, look for fresh green beans that have a bright green color, are firm, and contain no black spots.  They should also easily snap when you bend them.

If you aren’t going to eat your green beans right away, refrigerate them in a plastic bag for up to 1 week.

What is Pancetta?

Pancetta is a salty and delicious addition to my Green Beans with Pancetta.  But what is it anyway, and how is it different than bacon??  Both bacon and pancetta are cured pork belly.  The difference is that pancetta is just simply cured and either thinly sliced or cut into cubes, while bacon is cured and then smoked.  If you can’t find pancetta, you can easily substitute bacon into this recipe.

What should I eat with my Green Beans with Pancetta?

This is a great holiday side-dish, or for any day of the year.  Serve it at Christmas, Thanksgiving, or on a regular Tuesday night.  Your kids will love the depth of flavor the pancetta adds to the green beans, so make sure they give it a try.  I like to pair my green beans with a protein and a starch for dinner.  Eat as a side dish with my Instant Pot Whole Chicken, Crispy Mediterranean Chicken Thighs, or Chimichurri Chicken!

Similar Pages

Looking for more side-dish recipes?  Try my Baked Asparagus with Lemon, Instant Pot Artichokes, and Crispy Pancetta with Kale!

References

“Grab Some Green Beans For Flavor and Nutrition.” Have A Plant, https://fruitsandveggies.org/stories/p47077/.

“Green Beans.” Have A Plant, https://fruitsandveggies.org/fruits-and-veggies/green-beans/.

Green Beans with Pancetta

4.84 from 6 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Side Dish

Keyword: green beans, holiday side dish, thanksgiving

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Author: Chef Abbie Gellman RD

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 2 ounces pancetta sliced into ½ inch pieces
• 2 shallots cut in half and thinly sliced
• ¼ cup sage thinly sliced
• 1 pound green beans trimmed
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar or whatever vinegar you like

Instructions

• Heat a large skillet or wok over medium heat, add oil. Add pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and crispy, approximately 8-10 minutes. Remove to plate lined with a paper towel.
• Add shallots to skillet and cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown, approximately 5 minutes. Add sage and cook approximately 1 minute. Remove shallots and sage, add to pancetta.
• Add green beans to skillet and cook over medium-high heat, approximately 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add pancetta, shallots, and sage back to skillet and heat through, 2-3 minutes.
• Turn off heat and add vinegar, toss well to combine.

Video