Crockpot Green Beans

Name: Crockpot Green Beans
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 300 min
Total time: 310 min
Ingredients: 2-2 1/2 pounds trimmed fresh green beans (see note about tenderness tips); 2-3 ham hocks; 32 ounces chicken broth; 1 tablespoon dried minced onion (or 1/4 cup diced yellow or sweet onion); 2 teaspoons garlic powder; 1 teaspoon seasoning salt (or salt and black pepper); 1-2 cups halved baby new potatoes (optional)

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These Crockpot Green Beans are a recipe that’s almost always on our holiday menu for both Thanksgiving and Christmas, and for good reason. They’re super simple to make! With only 7 ingredients, they’re easy to shop and stress-free for anyone to prepare.

Our green beans in the slow cooker are inspired by the classic Southern green beans and potatoes that my grandma always made growing up. We add ham hock and lots of onion and garlic for a rich and hearty flavor. Plus, by using the crockpot, cleanup is a breeze too.

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Using the slow cooker is great for entertaining, so you can focus on the main course and your guests, rather than a complicated menu. We love a slow cooker meal around here, be sure to also try our Crock Pot Scalloped Potatoes and Slow Cooker Pot Roast.

Table of Contents

Why you’ll love this recipes

Hands-free side dish. Whether you’re hosting a crowd or just making a weeknight meal, this is a side dish you can prep in 10 minutes and the slow cooker does all the actual cooking for you.
Versatile for serving. No matter the dinner menu, we guarantee these crockpot green beans have a place at the table.
Customize the flavors. You can make them spicy, add more garlic, Worcestershire, and other spices if you desire.

Crockpot green beans on a plate with chicken casserole.

ingredients

Scroll Down for Ingredient Amounts Listed in the Recipe Card Below

Fresh green beans: The key ingredient, you can buy these already with the ends trimmed at the store if you desire.
Ham hocks: Adds nice smokiness to the broth in the slow cooker. Once they become tender after several hours of cooking, you’ll want to shred the meat for delicious flavor.
Chicken broth: The cooking liquid for the green beans.
Dried minced onion or diced yellow or sweet onion: Use dried if that’s easiest or you can use regular yellow onion as well.
Garlic powder: Infuses the broth with garlic flavor.
Seasoning salt or salt and black pepper: Adds nice garlic, salt, and pepper into every bite.
Halved baby new potatoes: We love adding potatoes into our green beans for extra heartiness.

The ingredients for crockpot green beans.

Tools You’ll Need

how to make crockpot green beans

Place the ham hocks at the bottom of the crockpot.
Add the fresh green beans on top. If using, add the diced new potatoes.
Pour in chicken broth.

Adding the ingredients for crockpot green beans in a crockpot.

Season with dried minced onion, garlic powder and seasoning salt or salt and black pepper.

Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours, until the green beans are tender and the ham hocks are pull apart tender.
Remove the ham hocks, shred the meat off the bones, and return the meat to the crockpot.

Adding pork to green beans in a crock pot.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the green beans, potatoes, and ham into a serving bowl. Pour your desired amount of broth on top.

expert tips

Be sure to put the ham hocks at the bottom of the crockpot. This is key, they take a long time to cook so you want to make sure they are fully submerged in the chicken broth.
If you like a crisp-tender green bean then cook them for less time. You’ll want to cook for 5 hours instead of 6. If you like your green beans very tender, then cook for 7 hours. If you like extra crisp beans, add the beans after the ham hocks have cooked for 3-4 hours.
Make it spicy. If desired, you can serve with hot sauce or stir red chili flakes into the broth before serving.
Swap the potatoes. We use new potatoes here, but Russets or Yukon gold also work well.
Bacon or ham instead of Ham Hocks. If your store doesn’t have ham hocks, you can substitute it with bacon or ham. Simply cook a 1/2 pound of either until crispy on the stove top and drain the grease. Add half of it to the crockpot with the green beans and cook to desired green bean tenderness. Once it’s done, transfer everything to a bowl and garnish with the rest of the cooked meat.
Cook on High. Ham hocks need a longer slower cook time to become tender. Depending on the size of your ham hocks, it’s possible they’ll be tender in 4 hours on high heat. If you prefer a faster cook, you can also use the above bacon or ham method and cook on high for 2-3 hours.

what to serve with green beans in the crockpot

There are so many options, these slow cooker green beans and potatoes can be served alongside chicken, steak, salmon, ham…you name it, this side dish is delicious with it!

storage

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop in a skillet with some of the broth for a couple of minutes.

These slow cooker green beans shouldn’t be frozen, they will be quite mushy in texture once they’re thawed.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long should you cook green beans in the slow cooker?

We recommend on low heat for 6-7 hours depending on how tender or crisp you want them in texture.

Can you overcook green beans in the slow cooker?

Yes, you can cook them for too long or at too high of a temperature where they become very mushy in texture. Keep an eye out and taste them as they cook so they are a texture that is to your liking.

What is the best cooking liquid for slow cooker green beans?

We use chicken stock for a rich and hearty flavor. By adding potatoes it also helps to naturally thicken the broth to make them almost stew-like.

Can I use canned green beans?

Yes, but lower the cooking time. They’re already cooked, so simply add in the last 1-2 hours of cook time with the ham hocks and potatoes. Or if making with bacon or ham, they’ll be done even quicker.

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