Instant Pot German Green Beans

Don’t settle for boring and bland side dishes just because your schedule is busy! These German green beans are a simple and easy recipe to make that are packed with awesome flavor. 

This green bean recipe is a great weeknight side dish because so much of it is done hands off. After just a few minutes of prep work and some initial cooking time (to saute the bacon and onion), the majority of the time this recipe needs is in the pressure cooking coming to pressure and releasing the pressure. 

They pair really well with a variety of different main dishes, and are a kid friendly choice, so they are a great vegetable recipe to serve to your family.

Other simple but flavorful kid friendly vegetable recipes:

• Ginger Honey Roasted Baby Carrots
• Cajun Maque Choux Corn
• Greek Lemon Potatoes
• Korean Zucchini
• Orange Ginger Sugar Snap Peas
  

How to make this green bean recipe

This recipe is very simple to make! Here is a brief overview of the recipe to give you an idea of how it works. For the full set of directions and measurements, please make sure you scroll down to the recipe card below!

1. Dice the bacon and onion.
2. Turn the Instant Pot on to saute mode.
3. When it is hot, spray with cooking spray and add the chopped bacon.
4. Cook, stirring frequently, until the bacon is releasing its fat and is mostly done – you don’t want the bacon to be under cooked because it will be too soft when the recipe is done, but you also don’t want it to be really crispy. 
5. Add the diced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 minute more.
6. Cancel the sautee feature.
7. Add in the broth, green beans, and butter.
8. Place the lid of the instant pot on, making sure the vent is set to “sealing”.
9. Turn the Instant Pot on and set it to cook on high pressure for 4 minutes.
10. When the cook time is done, allow the Instant Pot  to naturally release pressure for 10 minutes. 
11. Carefully open the valve the remaining way (remember the steam coming out will be hot so be careful!). 
12. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. I find this recipe is plenty salty with the bacon and the chicken broth, but if you want more salt then you can add ¼ teaspoon more now.
13. Serve immediately. 

Recipe Note: The way I have this recipe timed is for a medium doneness of green bean. If you want your green beans to be softer, cook them for 5-7 minutes. If you want the green beans to be more crisp, cook them for only 2-3 minutes. 

Timing of this recipe

This easy recipe doesn’t require a lot of work, but will have some variability with the timing of the Instant Pot. This recipe is great if you want to start it and then let it do its thing  while you cook your main dish.

• You will need about 5-10 minutes to chop the onion and bacon and measure out the remaining ingredients.
• It will take you about 10 minutes to cook the bacon and onion.
• The Instant Pot will need about 10 minutes to come to pressure, although this can vary with different models.
• The green beans cook for between 2 minutes and 7 minutes, depending on how crisp or soft you want the green beans.
• The Instant Pot then needs 10 minutes to naturally release pressure.

In all, this recipe will take about 50 minutes from start to finish, with 30 minutes of that being hands off time in the Instant Pot. 

Prepping ahead of time

These green beans can be made ahead of time in several ways.

• You could cook the bacon and onion in a skillet ahead of time, and then store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 2 days before using. Then just add all the ingredients to the pressure cooker when you are ready to start cooking.
• You can also fully cook this recipe and then store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or a skillet on the stovetop when you are ready to enjoy it.

How to serve this to your family

These German green beans are a great side dish to serve with so many main dishes. Try them beside meatloaf meatballs, spiced pork chops, or panko crusted chicken tenders.

How to make these green beans cooked with onions and bacon kid friendly 

How we interact with food has a big impact on how our children feel about it. And how they feel about it has a big role for whether or not kids are willing to try it and like it. By turning food exploration into a journey and experience instead of micromanaging bites, we are helping children learn that new experiences can be fun and rewarding – especially when it comes to trying new foods!

The easiest ways to help with this are involving kids in the kitchen with you, and changing how you talk about food at the dinner table. Try these ideas:

Dinner conversations with kids

Using dinner conversations as a way to increase curiosity and interest in food is a great way to help kids be willing to try it. The goal is not to love every food, but instead to be willing to engage with and explore food. Use these questions are starters:

• Do you like green beans better when they are more crisp and firm, or when they have been cooked more and are softer?
• What other vegetables would be good cooked this way?
• What other dinners do you think these green beans would be good with?

Read more about how to explore the sense of taste with your kids.

Kids in the kitchen: How your kids can help you cook

Inviting our kids into the kitchen with us is a great way to help them build confidence in the kitchen, which gives them pride and ownership in the food they created – which helps them want to try it and be more likely to enjoy it.

This veggie dish is a great one for kids to help with because it helps them practice knife skills, measuring and pouring different ingredients, and lets them see how food is prepared. 

• Kids aged 1-3 can help you wash the green beans (if using fresh) and  pour ingredients into the Instant Pot.
• Kids aged 4-6 can do everything above plus help chop the bacon (with instruction and supervision) and measure the ingredients..
• Kids aged 7-10+ can help you do everything above, plus help you chop the onion.

*Please note that these recommendations are generalized, and to please use your personal discretion with your child’s skill level. And always, always supervise! Read more about how to have your children help you in the kitchen.