Slow Cooker Green Beans with Smoked Turkey

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These Slow Cooker Green Beans are cooked low and slow in a flavorful broth with tender smoked turkey legs that fall right off the bone! If you’ve been craving cozy, Southern-style home-cooked flavor without babysitting the stove, this recipe is for you!

For more green bean recipes, make my homemade green bean casserole and frozen roasted green beans!

slow cooker green beans with smoked turkey on a serving plate with a serving fork.

If you’re craving a side dish that tastes like Sunday dinner without standing over the stove all day, these Slow Cooker Green Beans are it.

The beans get all tender and silky, the turkey falls apart beautifully, and that smoky broth? Babyyy, it’s the kind of flavor that makes you grab a piece of cornbread and go quiet for a minute. I love this recipe because it’s simple, comforting, and packed with that old-school Southern goodness we all grew up on.

You just throw everything in the Crockpot and let it do its thing while your kitchen starts smelling like someone’s grandma has been cooking all afternoon.

Make this green bean recipe for special occasions, Christmas, Thanksgiving etc. This easy recipe definitely deserves a spot on your holiday menu!

Why You Should Make This Green Beans Recipe
Key Ingredients
How To Make Slow Cooker Green Beans
Pro Chef Tips
How To Serve
Recipe FAQs
More Delicious Side Dishes

Why You Should Make This Green Beans Recipe

Simple ingredients, maximum flavor! It tastes like od-school Southern comfort with almost zero effort.
Easy side dish recipe with minimal cooking! The slow cooker does all the work, no babysitting the pot. Who doesn’t love a simple side dish?
Seasoned tender green beans that taste even better the next day! It’s a win win all around.
It’s budget-friendly, cozy, and feeds a crowd.

Key Ingredients

ingredients to make slow cooker collard greens - fresh green beans, smoked turkey legs, chicken broth, butter, worcestershire sauce, lipton soup mix, onion, garlic, and seasonings.

(full list of ingredients can be found in the recipe card)

Fresh Green Beans hold their shape and stay tender (not mushy) after hours in the slow cooker. They soak up all that smoky broth and get perfectly buttery soft.
Smoked Turkey Legs is where the savory magic comes from! The smoked turkey infuses the entire pot with rich, smoky flavor and breaks down into juicy meat that makes the beans hearty and flavorful.
Onion & Garlic are the flavor foundation. As they cook low and slow, they melt into the broth and pack in the flavor.
Chicken Broth broth adds depth of flavor. Use low sodium chicken broth to control the salt level.
Black Pepper, Cajun Seasoning, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder is the seasoning blend that wakes up the beans. Smoked turkey has salt, but these add warmth, spice, and savory notes.
Butter enhances all of the flavors and rounds out the smokiness.
Worcestershire Sauce and Apple Cider Vinegar (just a splash) brightens everything at the end. It lifts the flavors and balances the richness.

How To Make Slow Cooker Green Beans

Step 1: Trim the fresh green beans by cutting about 1/4 inch off of each green bean. (this is to remove the chewy stringy bits) Place into the bottom of the slow cooker.

Step 2: In a large skillet, add a drizzle of olive oil over medium heat. Sear the smoked turkey legs for about 3 minutes. Remove and place into the slow cooker.

onions, garlic, and seasonings in a skillet.

Step 3: To the same pot, add chopped yellow onions and cook for 5 minutes, until slightly softened, then add garlic cloves, butter, garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, brown sugar, seasoned salt, and black pepper. Continue to cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan (aka all of the flavor!). Pour in chicken broth and French onion soup mix and stir until everything is combined.

slow cooker green beans in the slow cooker with smoked turkey, onions, broth, seasonings, and garlic.

Step 4: Pour the chicken broth mixture into the slow cook on top of the green beans and turkey. Cover with a lid and cook on low for 6-7 hours, until the meat is falling off of the bone. Remove the turkey from the slow cooker and shred the meat, discarding the bone. Add the meat back into the slow cooker and stir in apple cider vinegar and Worcestershire sauce and a splash of hot sauce and serve.

Pro Chef Tips

Sear your turkey legs first (optional, but SO worth it). If you’ve got 3 extra minutes, brown the smoked turkey legs in a hot skillet before adding them to the slow cooker. It wakes up all that smoky flavor and gives your broth a richer, deeper base.

Taste as you go. The turkey brings a lot of salt, but your green beans still need black pepper, a pinch of brown sugar (yes!). Taste as you go and adjust, every brand of smoked turkey is different.

Pull the meat off the bone before serving. Once the turkey legs are tender, remove them, shred the meat, discard the skin and bones, and stir the juicy meat back into the pot. It’s the secret to that hearty, delicious pot-likker vibe.

Don’t drain the liquid, serve with it! That smoky, savory broth is GOLD. Spoon some over your beans, over rice, or even over cornbread. It’s basically liquid seasoning.

How To Serve

slow cooker green beans on a white serving plate.

When I tell you these green beans go with everything, I mean it in the best way. It’s a fantastic side dish that just slides onto any plate and makes the whole meal taste better.

Serve them with buttermilk cornbread to soak up all that smoky broth, or pair them with buttermilk fried chicken if you want a classic, no-miss combo.

If you’re keeping things cozy and hearty, go for smothered pork chops, mississippi pot roast, or smothered turkey wings (my favorite way).
And if it’s the holidays, serve these crock pot green beans with all of the soul food classics – 3 cheese mac and cheese, candied yams, sausage stuffing, collard greens, and dinner rolls to catch every drop of that flavorful “pot likker.”

Basically? These green beans are the perfect side dish that play well with everybody.

Recipe FAQs

Can I use canned green beans?

You can but note that the beans may be a bit softer in texture. Also, don’t add them until the last hour of cooking. Cook the meat and onions etc in the broth, adding the canned green beans at the end.

Can I use frozen green beans instead of fresh?

You can, but fresh green beans truly give you that tender, silky, Southern-style texture. Frozen beans tend to get softer faster and may break down more. If using frozen, reduce the cook time by 1–2 hours.

Can I substitute smoked turkey with ham hocks or bacon?

Absolutely. Smoked ham hocks work beautifully, and bacon adds great flavor too (just cook it first!). Smoked turkey keeps the dish lighter while still giving that rich, cozy taste.

Do I need broth, or can I just use water?

You can use just water, but using chicken broth makes for a richer broth. Smoked turkey already provides seasoning, so you don’t need a full pot of broth, just enough to boost the flavor.

Can I make this ahead of time?

Yes! This dish reheats beautifully. In fact, the flavors deepen overnight. Reheat on the stovetop or pop leftovers back in the slow cooker on warm.

My broth is salty, how do I fix it?

Smoked meats can vary in saltiness. Add more water or unsalted chicken broth to dilute, or throw in a peeled potato to absorb some salt (just remove it before serving).