This Slow Cooker Green Beans and Potatoes is the perfect comfort food recipe for busy nights as a side or a main meal. It also makes a great side dish for the holidays, and frees up precious oven space at Thanksgiving and Christmas.
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Crockpot Potatoes and Green Beans
Crockpot Green Beans with Bacon and Potatoes is a hands off veggie dish that works great as a side or as a meal all on its own. With minimal preparation, and no need to watch over it, this great recipe practically makes itself and is great for beginner cooks.
The bacon adds a delicious smoky flavor, but you can also add sliced kielbasa or Italian sausage to make it a heartier meal, or skip it to create a vegetarian version.
This recipe, like my Roasted Green Beans And Carrots and Crack Green Beans recipe, also makes a great Thanksgiving or Christmas side while keeping the oven free.
Ingredients
- Yukon gold potatoes - skin on and cut into large pieces
- Fresh green beans - trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- White or yellow onion - diced small
- Olive oil - just a little, to help the seasoning stick
- Bacon - chopped into small pieces
- Butter - for extra flavor
- Seasonings - Kosher salt, black pepper plus more, garlic powder, onion powder
See recipe card for quantities.
How to make it: step by step
- Step 1: Place diced potatoes at the bottom of your slow cooker (Image 1).
- Step 2: Pour in 1 tablespoon olive oild, add all the spices, diced onion and bacon (Image 2). Mix well to coat.
- Step 3: Add green beans and stir together. Finally, add butter slices on top of the vegetables (Image 3)
- Step 4: Cook for 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low (Image 4).
- Step 5: Sason with additional salt and pepper and serve hot.
Agnieszka's tip:
Halfway through cook time, open the slow cooker and give a quick stir to prevent green beans on the bottom from browning too much.
Storage and Reheating Tips
- To store - let leftovers cool completely, store up to 5 days in the fridge in an airtight container. I don't recommend storing in the freezer.
- To reheat - you can reheat it in a pan on the stove (I like to add a tablespoon or two of water or chicken broth), in the microwave, or place it back in the slow cooker and set your device to “keep warm”.
How to Serve Slow Cooker Potatoes and Green Beans
- As a cozy main course - a steamy bowl of bacon green beans and tender potatoes is perfect to enjoy on the couch. To make it more substantial, you can also add some sliced kielbasa or your favorite sausage.
- As an easy side for weeknight dinners - try it alongside my Pork Kebabs, Glazed Chicken Meatloaf or Buffalo Chicken Thighs
- It’s also wonderful as a Holiday side. Try it for Thanksgiving with my Stuffing Stuffed Chicken Breast
Tips & Tricks
- Add extra herbs like some fresh thyme or chopped rosemary for earthy flavor.
- No need to peel potatoes for this recipe.
- Waxy potatoes like Yukon gold and red skin potatoes work best. They hold their shape and don't fall apart easily like Russets.
- You can skip the bacon for a vegetarian version. Or add Bacos (or similar imitation bacon bits) at the end of cooking, and they kind of soften a little. You can also coat some chickpeas in smoked paprika and roast until crisp, then add at the end.
Recipe FAQs
Both fresh or frozen beans will work, though I recommend fresh green beans for best results.
Waxier potatoes such as Yukon golds or red skinned potatoes will work best. Russet potatoes are too starchy and will fall apart easily.
I recommend a 7-quart oval shaped crockpot or similar size to accommodate ingredient amounts.
Yes! If you like more spice, I recommend adding some cajun seasoning. This spicy version, usually made with smoked sausage, is often referred to as “swamp potatoes”.
More vegetable sides
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Recipe
Slow Cooker Green Beans and Potatoes
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 lbs yukon gold potatoes scrubbed and cut into large pieces
- 1 lb green beans trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 small onion diced small
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 slices bacon chopped into small pieces
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper plus more, as needed
- ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¾ teaspoon onion powder
- 4 tablespoon butter
Instructions
- Place potatoes, diced onion, olice oil, salt, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder and bacon in your slow cooker. Mix well to coat the potatoes.
- Add green beans and stir together.
- Finally, add 5 tablespoons of butter (cut into pieces) on top.
- Slow cook for 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low. Open the slow cooker halfway through cooking time and give it a stir to prevent green beans on the bottom from browning too much.
- Serve hot.
Notes
Nutrition
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Meet the Author
Hi, I'm Agnieszka. I'm a mom of three and recipe developer, writer and photographer behind Wholly Tasteful. I love creating comforting, delicious, family-friendly recipes that you can feel good about.
Mike says
I'm entering this into the family green bean side dish competition this Thanksgiving. Thanks for the recipe!
Cindy says
Maybe I didn’t but enough butter or olive oil because the beans weren’t gettting done?
Agnieszka says
Hi Cindy. Not sure why your beans didn't soften but I don't think it's the amount of fat. Perhaps you just got tough beans.