Smothered Green Beans and Potatoes
Smothered green beans and potatoes are a savory, hearty side dish enhanced with smoked sausage, garlic, onions, and plenty of seasoning! This smothered green beans recipe is the perfect dish for potlucks and holidays.
If you prefer your green beans more crisp, try The Best Sauteed Green Beans instead.
Whether you love green beans or not, I urge you to try this smothered green beans recipe! It’s one of my favorite veggie side dishes to serve during the holidays and beyond. With just a little bit of effort, 10 minutes of prep and 30 minutes of cooking time, you can make the best smothered green beans!
This is not your standard green bean recipe. Southern green beans and potatoes are generously seasoned and simmered in a rich, savory broth that includes fresh garlic, onions, and smoked sausage. Both the green beans and potatoes are tender and flavorful and the smoked sausage makes the broth or “pot liquor” so mouthwatering and satisfying, that you can drink it on its own!
Ingredients for Smothered Green Beans and Potatoes Recipe
Fresh green beans and small, quartered red potatoes are the main ingredients. To make green beans and potatoes, you must start by sauteing smoked sausage, onion, and garlic in olive oil. Flour thickens the chicken broth, and season the mixture with seasoned salt, cajun seasoning, garlic powder, black pepper, and onion powder.
How to Make Smothered Green Beans
Heat olive oil in a heavy-bottomed stockpot over medium-high heat, then add and brown diced sausage for 2-3 minutes. Add chopped onion and cook until softened about 3 minutes. Then add minced garlic and stir for 1 minute.
Sprinkle in flour and stir for 1-2 minutes. Then pour in chicken stock, followed by green beans, potatoes, seasoned salt, Cajun seasoning, garlic powder, black pepper, and onion powder.
Stir to combine, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes until the potatoes are tender. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
Then serve hot and enjoy!
Tips and variations for Green Beans and Potatoes
- You can prepare cajun smothered green beans with any smoked meat you prefer. Ham hocks are a good substitute for sausage. Pre-cooked crispy bacon works too. (Bacon grease/bacon fat is a delicious foundation of flavor for southern green beans.)
- Although I prefer fresh green beans, you can use frozen green beans instead (ensure they are completely defrosted before using them).
- I do not recommend canned green beans because they are likely to become mushy when simmered. If you do use canned green beans, opt for salt-free so you can season to taste. Remember to drain them since you make your broth.
- I use red potatoes but Yukon gold potatoes or russet potatoes are sufficient.
- The dish is ready when the potatoes are fork tender.
Frequently Asked Questions
More delicious veggie side dishes you’ll love
- Delicious Green Gumbo: a Fusion of two Southern Staples
- Baked Creamy Mixed Vegetables
- Carrot Fries Made in the Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Olive oil
- 1 cup Smoked sausage cut into bite size pieces
- 1 whole Onion chopped
- 3 cloves Garlic minced
- ½ tablespoon Flour
- 3 cups Chicken broth
- 1 pound Green beans cleaned and trimmed
- 4 small Red potatoes cut into quarters
- 1 tablespoon Seasoned salt
- ½ tablespoon Cajun seasoning adjust to taste
- 2 teaspoons Garlic powder
- 2 teaspoon Black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Onion powder
Instructions
- Use a heavy bottom stock pot and place it over medium high heat. Drizzle in your olive oil and heat it up for about one minute.
- Gently add your cut up sausage into the pot and sear it for 2-3 minutes, until it is browned on all sides.
- Now add your chopped onion into the pot and continuously stir it around until they are softened and translucent, about 3 minutes.
- Next, add your minced garlic into the pot with the sausage and onion, and stir it around for about 1 minute (careful not to burn the garlic).
- Sprinkle the flour into the pot and stir it in to absorb all of the grease from the olive oil and sausage. Continue to stir for 1-2 minutes to help cook off the flour taste.
- Now gently pour your chicken broth into the pot while you continue to stir to make sure the flour is fully incorporated into the liquid.
- Gently add in the green beans and the potatoes. Then sprinkle in all of your seasonings including the seasoned salt, Cajun seasoning, garlic powder, black pepper, and onion powder.
- Stir the green beans up so that all of the seasonings are combined. Turn the heat down to medium low, and cover the pot with a lid.
- Simmer the smothered green beans for 30 minutes, the potatoes should be fork tender. Stir around to help break the potatoes up a bit to thicken the liquid.
- Taste to check for seasoning and add salt and pepper to your liking.
- Serve right away, and enjoy!
