Green Bean Casserole with Bacon

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Old Fashioned Sausage Stuffing
Juicy Slow Cooker Turkey Breast

An easy bean side dish, this Green Bean Casserole with Bacon is everyone’s favorite holiday side dish recipe! This classic green bean casserole without mushroom soup is made with fresh green beans, crispy bacon, French fried onions and melted cheese.

Green Bean Casserole with Bacon is everyone's favorite classic holiday side dish kicked up with tons of mouthwatering flavor. Made with fresh green beans, crispy bacon, topped with French fried onions and melted cheese and no condensed soup, this Green Bean Casserole with Bacon is the perfect easy side dish any night of the week. 

GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE WITH BACON

There are just some must have foods that are part of the family tradition and this easy holiday side dish recipe for Green Bean Casserole with Bacon is one of them.

Classic green bean casserole is as much an American holiday REQUIREMENT as serving up turkey and ham at Thanksgiving and Christmas. 

You know the drill when it comes to holiday recipes. What’s for Easter? Baked ham … Christmas? … well, more baked ham but also maybe Homemade Pierogies

Thanksgiving has to be Slow Cooker Turkey Breast but now we throw in some easy holiday said dishes like Scalloped Potatoes Slow Cooker Cranberry, Apple Pecan Wild Rice Pilaf and Garlic Parmesan Mashed Parsnips and we have a party waiting to happen. 

Looking for more classic Thanksgiving side dishes? You should also check out my Homemade Creamy Baked Macaroni and Cheese, Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Casserole and Slow Cooker Sausage Stuffing.

Green Bean Casserole

GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE FROM SCRATCH

In my family, classic green bean casserole consisted of canned green beans and a can of condensed mushroom soup all baked up and topped off with those crispy little French fried onions. 

This green bean casserole is a bit different than that. My green bean casserole from scratch recipe leaves one big ingredient out.. the mushroom soup!

Yes!!! This is a ridiculously tasty green bean casserole with no mushroom soup!! None! Sorry, I just don’t like mushrooms!

But I do love a classic green bean casserole recipe with fresh green beans.. and crispy bacon .. and cheesy goodness so yup, new rip on a classic Thanksgiving side dish recipe!

BEST GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE

So what makes this green bean casserole without mushrooms the BEST bean side dish you need to have on your table?

  • This is a green bean casserole with no condensed soup – Control the ingredients used and serve up an even creamier green bean casserole than you remember
  • Fresh green beans – nothing in a can will ever compare to fresh produce
  • Melted cheese on top of your holiday casserole – because holiday calories don’t count!
  • Can an easy holiday side dish be pretty? – Heck yeah it can! Nothing is sexier than crispy bacon.
  • People feel pretty strongly about mushrooms – this green bean casserole recipe leaves them out so even the pickiest eaters are happy.

To serve up this Green Bean Casserole with Bacon, you will need:

  • Fresh green beans – no canned, watered down beans in this recipe!
  • Bacon – crispy and perfect
  • Butter – this is the starter to your roux and that is what let’s you leave out that can of condensed soup
  • Chicken stock – adds a great flavor to your green bean casserole base
  • All purpose flour – this is the thickener to your roux
  • Seasonings – because FLAVOR
  • Fresh garlic – garlic powder has it’s role in life but nothing compares to fresh garlic
  • Half n half – this is what will make your casserole side dish creamy
  • Cheese – because it’s the holidays and you have yoga pants to wear later on
  • Fried onion crisps – impossible to serve a green bean casserole without these!

GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE WITH BACON

To make Green Bean Casserole with Bacon, preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Cover a baking tray with parchment paper or add a metal cooling rack to it and lay your bacon out side by side to cook. 

Green Bean Casserole cooked bacon

Bake for 15 – 20 minutes or until crisp. Remove bacon from the oven and when cool enough to handle, chop into bite sized pieces and set aside. While your bacon is cooking, bring a large pot of salted water to boil. 

Green Bean Casserole with Bacon fresh green beans

Add the beans and blanch for 4 minutes. Remove from the water and set aside. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat and add the butter.  Once melted, add the garlic and saute for 1 minute, stirring often so that the garlic does not burn. 

Add the flour and whisk together, cooking for 1 minute.  Add the chicken stock and half and half, whisking to combine then add in your spices.

Continue whisking until it comes to a low boil and and then stir in the Parmesan cheese.

Green Bean Casserole with Bacon ingredients

Remove from the heat and add in 1/3 of the fried onions, bacon pieces and green beans. Stir to combine and transfer to a buttered baking dish. 

Green Bean Casserole with Bacon in a casserole dish

Top green beans with Monterey jack cheese and the remaining fried onion crisps.  Bake for 10-15 minutes, remove from the oven and serve while hot.

Green Bean Casserole with Bacon is everyone's favorite classic holiday side dish kicked up with tons of mouthwatering flavor. Made with fresh green beans, crispy bacon, topped with French fried onions and melted cheese and no condensed soup, this Green Bean Casserole with Bacon is the perfect easy side dish any night of the week. | A Wicked Whisk

GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE WITHOUT MUSHROOM SOUP

Let’s take a minute to talk about condensed soup.  I am a fan. I admit, when it comes to needing a creamy glue to bring a beloved casserole together in a blink of an eye, condensed soup is the way to go. 

However, it’s also often times full of a ton of sodium and I think for holiday side dishes, wouldn’t it be fun to surprise everyone with your swanky cooking savvy and non-condensed soup way of life? 

The answer to that is Yes, yes it would.  All joking aside, this Green Bean Casserole with Bacon is super easy to make and you will love serving up a green bean casserole with no condensed soup. Remember … swanky!

Baked Macaroni and Cheese with Ham making a roux

DO YOU NEED TO USE FRESH GREEN BEANS?

Green bean casserole can certainly be made with canned green beans if you are unable to find fresh green beans of if you simply prefer the canned or frozen green beans.

Simply substitute three 14 ounce cans of green beans for the fresh green beans called for in the recipe and skip the step where you blanch them. Drain the water from the cans and use your green beans as directed.

PRO TIPS FOR PERFECT GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE

  • If you don’t wish to add the bacon, feel free not to.  This green bean casserole recipe is delicious with or without the addition of bacon.
  • This recipe calls for 6 slices of crispy cooked bacon.  If you are running short on time or just want to free up your oven or stove top, consider using one of the pouches of pre-cooked bacon pieces usually found in the salad dressing aisle of your grocery store. They are super convenient and taste great without the mess and extra work of cooking up bacon. 
  • Monterey Jack cheese is super mild so if you are looking for a bit more punch, get creative with your cheese choices.  Swiss, cheddar, Havarti are all amazing substitutions.
  • This Green Bean Casserole with Bacon is a great make ahead dish.. simply assemble the Green Bean Casserole and let cool completely.  Cover dish tightly and refrigerate. The next day, bake for an extra 5-10 minutes and enjoy!

I have to point ask you though, why are we only eating green bean casserole at the holidays?  That casserole dish of green deliciousness is legit for any day of the year so stop saving it for just the holidays!! 

Be wild, get crazy .. serve that easy Thanksgiving side dish up on a random Wednesday night with some chicken and a batch of buttermilk biscuits. Your family will love you for it.

MORE SIDE DISHES YOU WILL LOVE

This Green Bean Casserole with Bacon is super delicious and a great new twist on your classic holiday side dish.  Looking for more amazing side dishes to try?  Check out a few of my favorites below..

Enjoy!

Green Bean Casserole with Bacon is everyone's favorite classic holiday side dish kicked up with tons of mouthwatering flavor. Made with fresh green beans, crispy bacon, topped with French fried onions and melted cheese and no condensed soup, this Green Bean Casserole with Bacon is the perfect easy side dish any night of the week. 

If you’ve tried this Green Bean Casserole or any other recipe on this website, please don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment. I love hearing from you! 

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Green Bean Casserole with Bacon

Green Bean Casserole with Bacon is everyone's favorite classic holiday side dish kicked up with tons of mouthwatering flavor. Made with fresh green beans, crispy bacon, topped with French fried onions and melted cheese and no condensed soup, this Green Bean Casserole with Bacon is the perfect easy side dish any night of the week. 
An easy Green Bean Casserole with Bacon is everyone's favorite holiday side dish! This classic green bean casserole without mushroom soup is made with fresh green beans, crispy bacon, French fried onions and melted cheese.
Heather - A Wicked Whisk
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Serving Size 8

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds fresh green beans trimmed and halved
  • 6 pieces bacon cooked crispy, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tablespoon all purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup chicken stock
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 1/2 cup half and half
  • 8 ounces monterey jack cheese shredded
  • 1/2 cup parmesan cheese grated
  • 6 ounces fried onion crisps

Instructions

  • To make Green Bean Casserole with Bacon, preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Cover a baking tray with parchment paper or add a metal cooling rack to it and lay your bacon out side by side to cook.  Bake for 15 - 20 minutes or until crisp. Remove bacon from the oven and when cool enough to handle, chop into bite sized pieces and set aside. 
  • While your bacon is cooking, bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the beans and blanche for 4 minutes. Remove from the water and set aside. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat and add the butter. Once melted, add the garlic and saute for 1 minute, stirring often so that the garlic does not burn. Add the flour and whisk together, cooking for 1 minute. Add the chicken stock and half and half, whisking to combine then add in your spices. Continue whisking until it comes to a low boil and and then stir in the parmesan cheese. Remove from the heat and add in 1/3 of the fried onions, bacon pieces and green beans. Stir to combine and transfer to a buttered baking dish. 
  • Top green beans with monterey jack cheese and the remaining fried onion crisps. Bake for 10-15 minutes, remove from the oven and serve while hot.

Notes

PRO TIPS FOR PERFECT GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE

  • If you don't wish to add the bacon, feel free not to.  This green bean casserole recipe is delicious with or without the addition of bacon.
  • This recipe calls for 6 slices of crispy cooked bacon.  If you are running short on time or just want to free up your oven or stove top, consider using one of the pouches of pre-cooked bacon pieces usually found in the salad dressing aisle of your grocery store. They are super convenient and taste great without the mess and extra work of cooking up bacon. 
  • Monterrey Jack cheese is super mild so if you are looking for a bit more punch, get creative with your cheese choices.  Swiss, cheddar, Havarti are all amazing substitutions.
  • This Green Bean Casserole with Bacon is a great make ahead dish.. simply assemble the Green Bean Casserole and let cool completely.  Cover dish tightly and refrigerate. The next day, bake for an extra 5-10 minutes and enjoy!
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Nutrition

Serving: 8g | Calories: 230.7kcal | Carbohydrates: 11.2g | Protein: 8.9g | Fat: 17.2g | Saturated Fat: 10.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2.9g | Cholesterol: 45.5mg | Sodium: 547.4mg | Potassium: 202.2mg | Fiber: 2.1g | Sugar: 3.9g | Vitamin A: 695IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 161mg | Iron: 0.8mg

Update Notes: This post was originally published in March of 2019 but was republished with an updated recipe, new photos, step by step instructions and tips in July of 2023.

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