Tessa's Recipe Rundown
Taste: The addition of cheese and bacon PLUS homemade extra-creamy sauce (instead of that canned condensed stuff) all takes this casserole to a whole new level of deliciousness.
Texture: Creamy, crisp, crunchy, cheesy, satisfying.
Ease: Very simple to make. 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 the most crowd-pleasing side dish on 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 hearty, soul-warming soups like Pot Pie Soup, rich, decadent pies like Caramel Apple Streusel Pie, and cozy, flavorful cookies like Brown Butter Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies. 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 casserole recipe using fresh ingredients. Skipping the canned ingredients really brightens and intensifies all the natural flavors and elevates the entire dish.
This green bean casserole is scrumptious, savory, creamy, crunchy, and magnificent. This classic holiday side dish is Thanksgiving perfection. Just check out Mary’s kind review below:
Reader Love
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!
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Your family and friends will look forward to this casserole for Thanksgiving, Friendsgiving, and Christmas for years to come!
Sprinkle of Science
How to Make the BEST Green Bean Casserole Recipe
The Fried Onions
While the rest of this Green Bean Casserole is 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, dry, and 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 cleaned, sliced bella or button mushrooms. Add in with the onions and proceed with the recipe as written.
Can I Skip the Bacon?
If you need to make this recipe vegetarian, feel free to experiment with skipping the bacon and using a couple tablespoons of butter or a splash of oil to sauté the onions and garlic. You may need to melt an additional tablespoon of butter to make the roux.
Can I Use Heavy Cream Instead of Milk?
Sure, just note that you’ll get a richer, thicker, and creamier texture.
Can You Use Almond Milk in this Green Bean Casserole?
While I haven’t tried this myself, 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?
Absolutely! Here’s how:
- Once the casserole is assembled but just before baking, cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
- Top with shredded cheese and fried onions before baking.
- If baking straight from the fridge, add a few minutes to the baking time.
If you need to make this casserole further ahead, I’ve included tips for freezing and baking from frozen just below.
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 or 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 or ceramic pan, allow to defrost overnight in the fridge. Top with shredded cheese and fried onions before baking. Bake for about 45 minutes from frozen.
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Ingredients
- 4 strips bacon, diced
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose 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. Using a slotted spoon, remove the mixture to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving the bacon drippings behind.
- 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 in a greased 9 by 13-inch baking pan.
- Make ahead: At this point, you can cover the pan and refrigerate the unbaked, untopped casserole for up to 2 days.
- When ready to bake, top with shredded cheese and fried onions. Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden brown.
Notes
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.
This is the BEST green bean casserole I have ever had! I made it for Thanksgiving and received so many compliments. I was even eating it reheated for days after the holiday. I forgot to save the recipe so I just spent the last 45 mins searching the internet for the exact recipe I used at Thanksgiving because I am going to make it again with our Christmas Prime Rib! So glad I found it again, thanks for sharing your recipe!
Just found this and made a trial batch before making the whole batch for Thanksgiving. So many people are tired of canned condensed soup. This recipe tastes phenomenal! The only thing I changed was using fresh trimmed haricot verts and just blanched them in hot water for 2 minutes then rinsed in cold water. I’d be leary about switching the cheese, unless it’s one that melts like cheddar. Fantastic! Thanks!
I’ve used almond milk plenty of times to make gb casserole and anytime I make a roux. It doesn’t thicken quite as fast as dairy milk but it still works great, and no one can ever tell! Just make sure you use UNSWEETENED plain. 🙂
Good to know!
How do you think this would work in a crock pot? I’m going to be tight on oven space so I was thinking of putting this in a crockpot on low for a couple hours and then about a half hour before serving top with cheese and sprinkle on the fried onions. I was also thinking to toast up the onions in a dry skillet before topping the green beans just to ensure they are warm and crisp.
Thoughts?
Sounds like it would work but I’ve never tried so I can’t be sure.
Can I add fresh cut mushrooms with the onion?
You can add in whatever you’d like!
Could this recipe be modified for a slow cooker? Traveling & limited oven space for Thanksgiving
Hi Sarah – I’m not sure as I’ve never tried that. See Leann’s comment below as she seems to have a good starting point for trying 🙂
I tried this recipe-it was very good! Thank you for sharing 🙂 I will definitely be making it again on Christmas Eve.
Made this last night for my Thanksgiving dinner party, it was a big hit. Used fresh green beans instead and omitted the cheese. Very flavorful and got a lot of compliments. Will definitely be making again.
This is a fantastic dish. A big hit at Thanksgiving among lifelong connoisseurs of the green bean casserole dish. I agree with what Tessa said above–casseroles are very forgiving when it comes to ingredient proportions. I went a little nuts on the sour cream, to good effect.
Wonderful! Thanks for your comment.
I would not substitute almond milk for whole. Almond milk will not act as a thickening agent and it will stay runny. Ever made pudding with almond milk? It never sets!
It sounds delicious. I am going to make this for Thanksgiving! I am curious if it will be ok to use Almond milk instead of whole milk?
Happy Thanksgiving!
I haven’t tried but generally using almond milk in such a way will produce a more runny, thin result instead of bring thick and luscious as Amber mentioned. Since the recipe already has cheese and sour cream I would say to stick with whole milk (dairy) if possible for best results.
I made this last week for the Office Pot Luck. Every morsel was eaten by my co workers!! I’m going to make again for my family Thanksgiving. I do have a question though. The first time I made it there wasn’t very much fat left from the bacon. Can I add butter to the pan so the flour has something to mix with? Thank you! And I love your blog.
Oh wonderful! Happy to hear that. Yes you can definitely add some butter if there’s not enough bacon grease. Happy Thanksgiving!