The kids fought over the last piece of this savory spring side. Taking only 3 ingredients you get the perfect salty crunch for your weekend brunch.

These low carb 3-ingredient bacon wrapped green beans are the kind of savory spring side dish my kids actually argue over—in a good way. Bright, crisp-tender green beans get bundled up in smoky bacon and roasted until the bacon turns deeply golden and crisp, with just enough natural salt and pepper flavor that you don’t need anything else. It’s the perfect “set it and forget it” side for weekend brunch when you want something that feels a little special but doesn’t require a long ingredient list or fancy steps.

Serve these bacon wrapped green beans on a big white platter so everyone can grab a bundle or two. They pair wonderfully with scrambled or baked eggs, a simple frittata, or an egg casserole for brunch. For dinner, they’re great alongside roast chicken, grilled steak, or pork chops. Add a fresh fruit salad or sliced tomatoes and cucumbers to balance the salty crunch, and if you’re feeding a crowd, you can double the recipe and keep the finished bundles warm in a low oven until everyone is ready to eat.

Servings: 4

1 pound fresh green beans, ends trimmed

Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or foil for easier cleanup and set a wire rack on top if you have one. This helps the bacon get extra crispy.

Rinse the green beans, pat them very dry with a clean kitchen towel, and trim off the stem ends. Divide the green beans into 8 equal bundles (about 8–10 beans per bundle, depending on size). Try to keep the beans in each bundle roughly the same length so they cook evenly and look tidy on the plate.

Lay one slice of thick-cut bacon flat on your cutting board. Place one bundle of green beans at one end of the bacon and roll the bacon tightly around the center of the beans, overlapping slightly as you go so the bacon stays snug. Place the bundle seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining bacon and green bean bundles, spacing them slightly apart so the hot air can circulate and crisp the bacon.

Sprinkle the tops of the bacon-wrapped bundles generously with the freshly ground black pepper. The bacon will provide plenty of salt, so there’s no need to add extra. If your family likes a little extra kick, you can grind a bit more pepper over the top, but remember the pepper’s flavor intensifies as it roasts.

Bake the bundles in the preheated oven for 18–25 minutes, or until the bacon is deeply browned and crisp and the green beans are bright green and tender-crisp. Thinner bacon may be done closer to 18 minutes, while very thick bacon might need the full 25 minutes. If you’re using a wire rack, the bottoms will crisp nicely; if not, you can carefully turn the bundles once halfway through cooking with tongs for more even browning.

Once the bacon is crisp to your liking, remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the bundles rest for 3–5 minutes. This helps the bacon finish crisping and makes them easier (and safer) for little hands to grab. Transfer to a warm white serving plate so the bright green beans and dark, smoky bacon really stand out, and serve immediately while everything is hot and crackly.

If you’re cooking for picky eaters, you can slightly underbake a few bundles so the green beans stay a bit firmer and less browned—some kids prefer that gentler texture. For extra-crispy bacon, par-cook the bacon slices on a sheet pan for 5–7 minutes at 400°F before wrapping the beans, then finish baking as directed (still keep the total ingredient count at three by skipping any extra seasonings). If you like a touch of sweetness but want to keep it low carb, use a sprinkle of your favorite granular sugar-free sweetener mixed with the black pepper before baking to mimic that sweet-and-salty brunch flavor. You can also swap in French-style green beans (haricots verts) for a thinner, more delicate bundle that cooks a bit faster—start checking for doneness at 15 minutes. To make ahead for busy weekends, assemble the wrapped bundles up to a day in advance, cover tightly, and refrigerate on the baking sheet; when you’re ready, grind on the black pepper and bake straight from the fridge, adding a few extra minutes of cook time. For smaller appetites or toddlers, cut each bacon slice in half crosswise and make mini bundles with fewer beans so the pieces are easier to handle and less overwhelming on little plates.