Pancetta Crack Green Beans
Learn how to make Pancetta Crack Green Beans with this easy and delicious recipe. Discover the perfect blend of sweet, savory, and crispy in every bite!
When it comes to side dishes, green beans often take a backseat. However, with the right ingredients and a little creativity, they can become the star of your meal. One such recipe is the beloved Crack Green Beans. Traditionally made with bacon, this recipe takes a delightful twist by using pancetta instead.
![Pancetta Crack Green Beans in a skillet](https://emkayskitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Serve-Pancetta-Crack-Green-Beans-683x1024.jpg)
Some of the links on this page might be affiliate links. View my Privacy Policy for details.
I’m not much of a beans person, but once I tried these, I loved them. The beans turn out sweet, but savory and full of flavor. It’s hard to stop eating these, whether hot or cold. They are so good. The inspiration for this recipe came from Megan vs Kitchen.
Jump to:
What exactly is Pancetta?
Pancetta is a pork belly meat that is cured, but not smoked (unlike bacon). It is often referred to as Italian bacon and brings a unique flavor profile to the dish. Pancetta is cured with salt and various spices, giving it a rich, savory taste that perfectly complements the sweetness of this sauce. Its delicate flavor and crisp texture make it a great substitute for bacon in this recipe.
![Crack Green Beans in a skillet.](https://emkayskitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Serve-Crack-Green-Beans-1024x683.jpg)
Ingredients for Crack Green Beans
Frozen Green Beans – there are recipes using canned, but this one was tested with frozen beans, as I mentioned above.
Pancetta – Can be substituted with bacon.
Brown sugar – I used cane sugar as it is more widely available here. Normal brown sugar should work, too.
Dark soy sauce – can substitute with regular soy sauce (though the color of the dish will be lighter) or Amino Acids.
Butter – everything tastes better with butter:)
Seasonings – Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Black Pepper, Salt (omit if using bacon), Chili flakes
How to Make Crack Green Beans
Heat up a skillet to medium/high heat. Cut the Pancetta into small pieces, however big or small you like them to be. Add to the skillet and fry until desired consistency is reached. I like mine on the crispier side, but not too crispy so that it’s still pleasant to eat with the beans.
Remove bacon from skillet and place on a paper towel to soak up the extra fat. Remove extra fat from the skillet, if there is a lot. Then add the green beans. Sauté the beans until they are warmed through.
Add the soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, butter, brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and black pepper. Stir everything to combine. Keep stirring until the sugar is melted and the sauce is thickened and coats everything well (about 5 minutes).
Remove from heat and serve. The beans taste great hot or cold. Either way they are good!
![Pancetta frying in a skillet](https://emkayskitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Pancetta-frying-in-a-skillet-768x1024.jpg)
![Green beans sautéing in a skillet](https://emkayskitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Green-beans-sauteing-in-a-skillet-768x1024.jpg)
![Crack Green Beans ingredients in a skillet](https://emkayskitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Crack-Green-Beans-ingredients-in-a-skillet-768x1024.jpg)
![Pancetta Crack Green Beans in a skillet](https://emkayskitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Pancetta-Crack-Green-Beans-in-a-skillet-768x1024.jpg)
What to Serve with Crack Green Beans
These are perfect to serve as a side dish when you are grilling something, like my favorite grilled chicken thighs, or steak. They are also good with mashed potatoes, and a simple salad, like this arugula salad.
![Pancetta Crack Green Beans in a skillet.](https://emkayskitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Serve-Pancetta-Crack-Green-Beans2-1024x683.jpg)
How to Store and Re-heat Green Beans
If you have any leftover green beans, store them covered in the fridge for up to 2-3 days. To re-heat, add to a skillet and gently re-heat using low heat. These crack green beans also taste good cold.
Other Great Side Dishes to Try
If you’re looking for more side dishes to make with dinner, here are some of my other favorites:
- Grilled Radishes
- Sautéed Bok Choy
- Garlic Asparagus with Immersion Blender Hollandaise
- Fun Air Fryer Sweet Potato Cubes
Lastly, if you make this Pancetta Crack Green Beans side dish, please take a moment to comment below and leave a rating. It’s such a help for others who might want to try the recipe. And of course, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram if you make this recipe. I’d love to see the photos of the recipes you have made!
Pancetta Crack Green Beans
Ingredients
- 2oz (50g) Pancetta (about 6-8 very thin slices)
- 16oz (450g) Green beans, frozen
- 2 tbsp Dark soy sauce
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp Butter
- 3 tbsp Brown sugar
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp Onion powder
- ½ tsp Salt* or to taste
- ⅛ tsp Black pepper or to taste
- Chili flakes, to taste (optional)
Instructions
- Heat up a skillet to medium/high heat. Cut the pancetta into small pieces, however big or small you like them to be. Add to the skillet and fry until desired consistency is reached, about 5 minutes.
- Remove bacon from skillet and place on a paper towel to soak up the extra fat. Remove extra fat from the skillet, if there is a lot. Then add the green beans. Sauté the beans until they are warmed through.
- Add the soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, butter, brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and black pepper. Still everything to combine.
- Keep stirring until the sugar is melted and the sauce is thickened and coats everything well.
- Remove from heat and serve.
Notes
![](https://emkayskitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Serve-Apricot-Fruit-Leather1-75x75.jpg)
![German Mascarpone Dessert with Grapes in a glass.](https://emkayskitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Serve-Mascarpone-Dessert-with-Grapes-1-75x75.jpg)