Bacon-wrapped green bean bundles are one of those side dishes that always disappear from the platter first. Small bundles of green beans with a slice of bacon around the middle look great on the plate, and they go with almost anything, from steak to a Sunday roast. In the air fryer the bacon turns light golden brown and crisp at the edges, while the beans keep a fresh bite.
Advertisement: The page displays ads and contains advertising links (affiliate links). See our advertisers here.
The secret is a short blanching before the beans are wrapped. That way they have just the right bite when the bacon is done, and the whole dish is ready in 30 minutes, of which only 10 are spent in the air fryer at 190 °C. Here you’ll find my method, the typical mistakes and my best serving suggestions.
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
Table of Contents
Why I love bacon-wrapped green bean bundles in the air fryer
The air fryer is made for this kind of side dish. The hot air circulates closely around each bundle, so the bacon turns light golden brown and crisp, and the fat drips away instead of collecting around the beans. The ends of the beans become lightly browned and crisp, which makes a nice contrast with the juicy middle of the bundle.
I also like that the oven stays free for the roast or the potatoes while the beans take care of themselves in the air fryer. The bundles can be wrapped ahead of time and wait in the fridge until the main course is almost ready.
Why do the beans need to be blanched first?
Raw green beans need longer than the bacon. If they go straight into the air fryer, the bacon is done long before the beans are ready, and you end up with crisp bacon around raw beans. A 2-3 minute blanch in boiling water followed by a quick dip in cold water makes the beans bright green but still firm. After that, the air fryer only has to give the bacon colour and heat the beans through.
My kitchen test of bacon-wrapped green bean bundles
I tested the bundles in my Cosori Dual Blaze, which has a single basket with heating elements both above and below. At 190 °C for 10 minutes the bacon was light golden brown and crisp at the edges, and the ends of the beans had taken on a little colour. Because the heat also comes from below, the underside with the bacon seam browned too, even though I neither shook the basket nor turned the bundles. Nor should you, because the bundles come undone easily.
The preparation takes 20 minutes, including rinsing, blanching, drying and wrapping, so the whole dish is ready in 30 minutes. In my Philips XXL there is room for all 8 bundles in a single layer with air between them. If you have a smaller air fryer, cook them in two batches instead of stacking them. If the bacon is still pale after the 10 minutes, give the bundles 1-2 more minutes at 190 °C.
Choose thin slices of bacon. They have time to turn light golden brown and crisp in the 10 minutes in the air fryer, while the beans keep a little bite.
Tips and tricks from the author: Morten Jensen
The typical mistakes and how to avoid them
The first mistake is skipping the blanching to save a pot. Then the beans are still raw when the bacon is done. Give them 2-3 minutes in boiling water instead, and rinse them straight away in cold water so they keep their green colour. The second mistake is wrapping the beans while they are still wet. The water turns to steam in the basket and stops the bacon from turning crisp, so pat them completely dry with paper towels before you assemble the bundles. The third mistake is a loose slice of bacon that unfolds during cooking. Stretch the slice slightly, wrap it tightly around the middle of the bundle so the end sits underneath, and place the bundles in the basket seam side down. Also go easy on the salt, because the bacon is already salty.
How to serve bacon-wrapped green bean bundles
The bean bundles are a classic side dish that lifts both an everyday dinner and the weekend roast. Try them with:
- Pan-fried steak with potatoes and béarnaise sauce
- Roast beef or roast veal with brown gravy
- Whole roast chicken with potatoes and gravy
- Pork tenderloin or turkey breast for a festive dinner
If you want to vary it, you can tuck a couple of thin slices of garlic or a sprig of fresh thyme into each bundle before the bacon goes on. Brushing them with a little honey in the last minute gives the bacon a lightly sweet glaze.
Storage and reheating
Bacon-wrapped green bean bundles taste best on the same day, while the bacon is crisp. Leftovers keep for 1-2 days in the fridge, covered. Reheat them in the air fryer at 180 °C for 3-5 minutes, until they are crisp again. The dish is not suitable for freezing, because the beans turn soft when thawed.
Bacon-wrapped green bean bundles show that a good side dish does not have to be complicated. With a short blanching, tightly wrapped bacon and 10 minutes in the air fryer you get small, beautiful bundles that deserve their place next to even the finest roast.
FAQ
Preheat the air fryer and bake the bundles at 190 °C for 10 minutes. They are done when the bacon is light golden brown and crisp at the edges. If the bacon is still pale, give them 1-2 more minutes.
Yes. Blanch the beans for 2-3 minutes in boiling water and rinse them straight away in cold water. Otherwise they will still be raw when the bacon is light golden brown and crisp.
Yes. You can blanch the beans and wrap them in bacon up to a day ahead. Store the bundles covered in the fridge, and give them 1-2 extra minutes in the air fryer.
Recipe
Bacon-wrapped green bean bundles in the Air Fryer
Cooking Guide
Keep the screen on and follow the recipe step by step while you cook.
Step 1:
Avoid the screen turning off while you cook.
Step 2:
Start the guide and follow the recipe one step at a time.
Cost of the dish
Prices may vary depending on where you shop.
Our estimate is based on average food prices for the current year 2026.
Estimated price for the whole dish:
Airfryer size
All our recipes are tested in a Philips Airfryer 2000 Series NA230/00 – 6.2 L
Does the recipe fit my Airfryer?
If you’re unsure, you can always reduce by one serving in the recipe, or click the 0.5x button.
You can also Ask the AI Chef
It’s easy! Just press the Ask the AI Chef button you see at the bottom.
Shopping list
Ingredients
- 400 g green beans (fresh, e.g. haricots verts)
- 8 slices bacon (thin, about 125 g)
- 0.5 tsp black pepper (freshly ground)
- 1 pinch salt
How to make it
Preparation
- Rinse 400 g green beans and trim off the stem ends. The thin tip at the other end can stay on.
- Divide the beans into 8 equal bundles, and gather each bundle so the ends line up.
- Wrap 8 slices bacon around the bundles, one slice around the middle of each bundle. Stretch the slice slightly first, and wrap it tightly so the end sits underneath and holds the bundle together.
- Season the bundles with 0.5 tsp black pepper and 1 pinch salt. Go easy on the salt, because the bacon is already salty.
Cooking in the air fryer
- Preheat the air fryer to 190 °C fan.
- Use tongs to place the bundles in the hot basket seam side down – in a single layer with a little air between them.
- Bake the bundles at 190 °C for 10 minutes. Do not shake the basket, and do not turn the bundles during cooking – that way they will not come undone.
- The bundles are done when the bacon is light golden brown and crisp at the edges, and the ends of the beans are lightly browned and crisp. If the bacon is still pale, give them 1-2 more minutes at 190 °C.
Serving
- Lift the bundles out with the tongs and serve them straight away while the bacon is crisp.
Our notes for the recipe
Always blanch the beans first – otherwise they will still be raw when the bacon is done. Pat them completely dry, and use thin slices of bacon so the bacon has time to turn light golden brown and crisp while the beans keep a little bite. Place the bundles seam side down so the bacon does not come undone. Variation:
Tuck a couple of thin slices of garlic or a sprig of fresh thyme into each bundle before you wrap the bacon around it. You can also brush the bacon with a little honey in the last minute for a lightly sweet glaze. Serving suggestion:
Bacon-wrapped green bean bundles are a classic side dish for steak, roast beef, roast veal and whole roast chicken, and they go well with potatoes and a good sauce. Prepare ahead:
The bundles can be blanched and wrapped in bacon up to a day ahead. Store them covered in the fridge, and give them 1-2 extra minutes in the air fryer. Portion size:
The recipe makes 8 bundles, 2 per person. If your air fryer is smaller, you can cook the dish in two batches so the bundles lie in a single layer with air between them.
Your notes for the recipe
Nutrition per serving (Guideline)
Important about shelf life and nutrition
Nutrition per serving (guideline): Calculations are based on data from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Shelf life (guideline): Shelf life data is provided, as far as possible, by public institutions, including national food authorities. Our information is therefore only indicative, and it is your responsibility to obtain and calculate accurate information about shelf life and nutrition for all recipes on airfryerkogebogen.dk
Easily share the recipe with others:
Via email or on Facebook
Open the recipe on your phone
Scan the QR code with your phone and get the recipe directly on your mobile while you cook.
Author
Airfryerkogebogen.dk
