Tessa’s Recipe Rundown
Taste: The addition of cheese and bacon PLUS the fact that the extra-creamy sauce is homemade instead of that canned condensed stuff, AND we’re using fresher frozen green beans, all takes this casserole to a whole other level of deliciousness.
Texture: Creamy, crisp, crunchy, cheesy, satisfying.
Ease: Pretty darn easy, though it is a bit more work than if we were just using condensed milk and no bacon. You can refrigerate the unbaked, untopped casserole for a couple days if you want to make ahead for Thanksgiving.
Pros: So much more fun and tasty than regular green bean casserole.
Cons: None!
Would I make this again? I make this casserole every holiday season.
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Cheesy Green Bean Casserole with Bacon is about to be everyone’s favorite addition to your Thanksgiving table.
It’s officially one of the most delicious months of the year! Between November and December, I really can’t choose which has the best food.
Not just holiday food, but rich, hearty, soul-warming soups and stews and decadent candies, cookies, and pies. I love every minute of it.
Of course, November in the U.S. means Thanksgiving. This homemade Cheesy Green Bean Casserole with Bacon has become a staple Thanksgiving side dish for me.
This is a homemade green bean casserole recipe using fresh ingredients. The fact that there are no canned ingredients in this recipe really just brightens and intensifies all the natural flavors and elevates the entire dish.
The entire dish is so scrumptious, savory, creamy, crunchy, and magnificent. This classic holiday side dish is Thanksgiving perfection.
You might just love it so much, you’ll make this easy recipe again for Christmas!
How to Make the BEST Green Bean Casserole Recipe
The Fried Onions
While the rest of this Green Bean Casserole Recipe are homemade, I could not find any easy alternatives to the fried onion topping. But what would green bean casserole at Thanksgiving be without those crispy fried onions?! You should be able to find French’s brand crispy fried onions at your local supermarket, but you can otherwise grab them online here.
How to Make Tender Green Beans
- Blanch the fresh green beans in boiling water for about 4 to 6 minutes.
- Strain into a large bowl filled with ice water to stop the cooking.
- Drain, then proceed with the recipe.
Can You Use Frozen Green Beans For Green Bean Casserole?
Yes! Just thaw before using.
Can You Add Mushrooms to This Green Bean Casserole?
Yes! You can add in 3/4 pound of bella or button mushrooms that have been cleaned and sliced. Add them in with the onions and proceed with the recipe as written.
Can You Use Heavy Cream Instead of Milk?
Sure, just note that you’ll definitely get a richer, thicker, and creamier texture!
Can You Use Almond Milk in this Green Bean Casserole?
Readers have reported success using unsweetened almond milk in this recipe. Just note that the final texture won’t be as rich and creamy.
Can You Double This Recipe?
Yes! Simply double all the ingredients and bake in two 9×13-inch baking pans.
Can You Make Green Bean Casserole Ahead of Time?
Can You Freeze Green Bean Casserole?
Yes! Assemble the casserole in a heat-safe and freezer-safe pan, but don’t top with the shredded cheese and fried onions yet. Wrap the pan in plastic wrap. Cover with tin foil, label, and date. Freeze for up to 4 months.
To bake, remove plastic and foil. If using a glass pan, allow to defrost overnight in the fridge. Top with shredded cheese and fried onions before baking. Bake for about 45 minutes from frozen.
More Thanksgiving Recipes:
- Crowd-Pleasing Sweet Potato Casserole
- Cranberry Sauce
- Pumpkin Bread Rolls with Cinnamon Butter
- Slow Cooker Turkey Breast with Easy Gravy
- Hawaiian Bread Rolls
- Caramel Apple Streusel Pie
See my Thanksgiving Headquarters here for all my recipes!
Cheesy Green Bean Casserole with Bacon
Ingredients
- 4 strips bacon, diced
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 pound green beans, ends trimmed and cut in half
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 cup French’s French Fried onions
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a medium skillet set over medium heat, add the bacon. Cook, stirring often, until most of the fat has rendered and the bacon is beginning to crisp. Add the onions and cook until soft and translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring. Remove the mixture to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Sprinkle the flour over the bacon drippings and whisk to combine. Cook for 1 minute, whisking constantly. Gradually whisk in the milk, then add the sour cream and bacon mixture. Stir until the mixture has thickened to gravy consistency. Remove from heat and season with black pepper to taste.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt generously. Add the green beans and cook until tender but still crisp and green, about 5 minutes. Drain immediately then shock in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Drain again and pat dry.
- In a large bowl combine the bacon mixture with the green beans, tossing to coat. Spread evenly among a greased 9 by 13-inch baking pan. At this point, you can cover and refrigerate the unbaked, untopped casserole for up to 2 days. Top with shredded cheese and fried onions. Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden brown.
This post was originally published in 2014 and has been updated with new photos, recipe improvements, and additional baking tips. Photos by Patty Kraikittikun-Phuong.
Do you only top it with the cheese, or do you mix a little in the gravy mixture?
Hi Amanda! Feel free to experiment with adding some cheese to the gravy, but we’ve only tried this casserole per the recipe instructions, just topping with the cheese. Let us know how it goes if you give it a try 🙂
I made this on Saturday but forgot to get the bacon, so I used a pound of ground chicken instead. It was SO good! I also forgot to grease the pan and salt the boiling water (I was a little frazzled from Thanksgiving). But it was so satisfying, and fresh green beans made all the difference. I thought we’d have enough to last us a week but it lasted 2 days. I’m going to make it again today and try it with a tube of breakfast sausage. Thanks a million!
I’ve made this every Thanksgiving for the past five years. Every year everyone claims they don’t like green bean casserole, try this and say it’s SO good lol! I joke that I just reconvert everyone into green bean casserole lovers every year. Thanks so much for this deliciousness!
I’m in a pickle, can canned green beans be used,and how much?
Thank You
Margaret
Hi Margaret, that should be fine (frozen is better if you can, just thaw before using), but I honestly can’t say how many cans you’d need as we haven’t tested that, just make sure the green beans equal 1 pound.
Temperature setting was left out.
Hi Terri! Do you mean the oven setting? “Preheat the oven to 350°F” is listed as the first sentence in the directions of the recipe 🙂 Please let me know if you’re looking for another temperature setting. Thanks!
This is a staple at our holiday meals every year. My boys fight over the leftovers. Thank you for all or your fabulous recipes
So happy to hear that! Thanks for letting us know, Dawn 🙂
I absolutely love this recipe. Been using it for yearss ever since I found it. It has literally been a godsend as I cannot eat regular green bean casserole due to a mushroom allergy. Thank you so much. My husband loves it better than the regulat one since I introduced him to it. I have found my family loves to use maple bacon instead of regular for the additional depth of bacon flavoring.
This makes me insanely happy! Thank you so much for the kind words, Amber!
it turned out great!!
I’m so glad to hear that, Rebecca!
So glad to hear that!
So good!!! Everyone always gushes about them when I make it. A little extra work but so worth it!
I made this last year for Thanksgiving. I will be making it again this year with one major change. I will be doubling the recipe. It is so good!