Easy, Classic Creamed Beans and Taters
This version of Creamed Beans and Taters takes that familiar pairing of green beans and potatoes and wraps it in a simple, velvety cream sauce. It’s the kind of dish that makes the most of what you’ve got, using pantry staples to create something truly comforting.
Time to Rediscover One of Your Favorite Meals
If you grew up anywhere near a Southern kitchen, there’s a good chance beans and taters made a regular appearance on the table. It’s one of those humble dishes that doesn’t try to impress, but somehow always does!
Traditional Southern green beans often simmer low and slow with a ham hock or bacon pieces until they’re silky and full of flavor. This recipe keeps that comforting spirit but shortens the cooking time and lightens things up just enough by sautéing the beans and finishing everything with a creamy, cheesy sauce.
The real beauty of this dish is that you can use fresh green beans, frozen green beans, baby potatoes, red potatoes, or whatever you have on hand. The cream cheese sauce pulls everything together, coating the beans and potatoes without feeling heavy.
And if you love this side dish, your mouth’ll be watering when you hear about this Fresh & Creamy Green Bean Casserole!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Green Beans, fresh or frozen
- Small new potatoes
- Cream cheese
- Milk
- Butter
- Salt
- Pepper
Helpful Tips Before You Start
- Cut your potatoes the same size. This little trick helps them all get fork-tender, all at the same time!
- Don’t you rush those beans. Cookin’ your green beans over medium heat allows them to soften up while getting a bit of color and a whole lot of extra flavor.
- Use low heat for the sauce. Cream cheese likes to be melted gently—high heat can cause it to separate.
- Adjust the sauce to your liking. If you want a thinner cream sauce, just pour in a little more milk a tablespoon at a time.
How to Make Creamed Beans and Taters
Step 1: Cook the Potatoes
Wash and quarter the new potatoes, then place them in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook for 10–15 minutes, until fork-tender. Drain in a colander and set aside.
Step 2: Sauté the Green Beans
While the potatoes cook, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the green beans and cook, stirring often, until tender with light browning in spots. This adds flavor without overcooking them. Remove the beans from the skillet and set aside.
Step 3: Make the Cream Sauce
Lower the heat to low and add the cream cheese, milk, salt, and pepper to the skillet. Stir constantly until the cream cheese melts, then whisk lightly until smooth. If the sauce seems too thick, stir in 2–3 tablespoons of milk until it reaches your desired consistency.
Step 4: Combine and Serve
Remove the skillet from the heat. Add the cooked potatoes and green beans back into the pan and gently stir until everything is coated in the creamy sauce. Transfer to a serving dish or serve straight from the skillet while warm!
What to Serve with Creamed Beans and Taters
This side dish is a great addition to any Southern dinner table! Serve it with fried chicken tenders, meatloaf, pork chops, or country-fried steak. It’s also a solid choice for holidays or Sunday dinners when you want comforting side dishes that don’t require constant attention.
Storage & Leftovers
Let leftovers cool, then store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently over low heat or in the microwave, stirring occasionally. If the sauce thickens, just add a splash of milk to loosen it back up.
Frequently Asked Questions
Cook them over medium heat just until tender, and avoid overcrowding the pan. If using frozen beans, keep an eye on them – they cook faster than fresh beans and will brown nicely without turning soggy.
New potatoes (baby potatoes) are the standard, but red potatoes and Yukon Golds work too. Just adjust cooking time slightly if your potato pieces are larger or denser.
Great idea! Bacon or diced ham would both be right at home here.
Ingredients
- 1 Pound Green Beans fresh or frozen
- 6-8 small new potatoes
- 4 ounces cream cheese 1/2 of a brick
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/4 cup butter 1/2 of a stick
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Wash and quarter new potatoes. Cover with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil until fork-tender, about 10-15 minutes. Place in a colander to drain.
- While potatoes are cooking, melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add green beans and cook, stirring often, until tender and very lightly browned (see photo, beans will just be browned in spots).
- Remove from the skillet, leaving the butter, and place the new potatoes in a colander while you make the sauce. (This is not to drain them; this is just to keep from dirtying up another bowl by putting them in it.
- To the remaining butter in the skillet, add cream cheese, milk, salt, and pepper. Lower the heat to low and stir constantly until the cheese melts. Use a whisk to beat lightly until smooth and creamy. If you prefer a thinner sauce, stir in 2-3 more tablespoons of milk.
- Remove from heat, add beans and potatoes. Stir to coat. Serve warm and enjoy!
My momma would make peas and potatoes in a light cream sauce, cook the peas and new potatoes together and use some of the water to make the cream sauce since she always used canned milk you needed to thin it to make it milk. Yum!!! I like the cream sauce idea as I am not a huge fan of cream sauce, like it, it just doesn’t really like me these days.
Will have to give this a go!
This has become my very favorite dish! It is yummy, looks beautiful, is easy to fix and only requires a little meat and salad to make a great company meal.
As was mentioned before, this recipe cries out for bacon.
As do our souls, Northerner. As do our souls….
Oh my word! These are great. Made them for dinner to go with glazed beef loaf and I work a different shift from my husband so his is in the fridge waiting on him, don’t know yet what he will think. I imagine he will love them too but I kinda hope not cause I would be more than happy to finish up the leftovers tomorrow LOL! I did already hide some at the back of fridge for my lunch at work hope he doesn’t find them.
This sounds wonderful, will make this soon. I love how you use globby and cohesive in the same sentence ! You are fun to read , thanks for the recipe !
Hi Christie,
Tried your green bean n taters last night, what a hit with my old man who hates any kind of greens and he asked for more! Here in Scotland we call potatoes ‘totties’ Unfortunately some of the stuff called for in your recipes is’nt available over here, but I try to find the nearest equivalent, with some strange results, but still good. I’ve been looking for your mexican wedding cookies recipe but can’t find. What month is it in? Keep up the good work, I look forward to all your e-mails. X
https://www.southernplate.com/2008/11/mexican-wedding-cookies.html
Here is the recipe!!
OMG! I served these last night with a thick slice of ham and corn on the cob. To die for. Hope you don’t mind but I added one squeezed tomato, y’know, and about two tbls. of tarragon vinegar. So coule – wait for it – You could rub it in your hair!
Now there’s a southernism for ya!
Love you muchly,
Gayle