Cheesy Bacon Green Bean Casserole

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Your family is going to LOVE this easy cheesy bacon green bean casserole! It takes minimal prep work and the best part is that it’s made with real ingredients and NO condensed soup so you can feel good about feeding it to your family!

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You Will Love This

This green bean casserole is made with no condensed soup! I’m not sure who decided that cream of mushroom soup had to be the base for green bean casserole, but I don’t support that decision. Let it be known that I’m a huge mushroom fan but they just don’t belong in green bean casserole. And they really don’t belong in a can at all.
Anyway – rant over! This green bean casserole is made with real ingredients, but it’s still super simple to throw together in just minutes! The simple cheese sauce gives the casserole the perfect creamy texture so your green beans will never end up drowning in sauce or too dry.
If you loved this green bean casserole, be sure to check out my 25 Minute Walking Taco Casserole, my Baked Ravioli Casserole, or my Cheesy Chicken Parmesan Casserole.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Green Beans – Frozen green beans are the easiest for this recipe. Fresh green beans will work too, but typically by the time you’re preparing this green bean casserole around the holidays, they will be out of season anyway. So save yourself some time and grab the bag of frozen beans from the store!
Butter – You could use olive oil, but butter is going to give you the best flavor and texture for this recipe. I prefer to use unsalted butter so that I can adjust the seasoning myself. You could also use the leftover bacon grease from cooking the bacon in place of the butter for some extra bacon flavor!
Bacon – I’m a huge fan of baking my bacon. It’s the easiest way to cook a large amount of bacon at one time. Place bacon in a single layer on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for about 20-25 minutes at 400 degrees until crisp.
Onion – I like to use yellow onion for this recipe, but white will work as well. For the best flavor, be sure to cook the onion over medium heat and stir frequently so that it doesn’t get any color on it. You don’t want to caramelize or brown the onions for this recipe.
Garlic – Fresh garlic is going to give you the best flavor for this recipe. You can thinly sliced it or mince it – whichever you prefer.
Flour – Stick with all-purpose for this recipe to give your cheesy sauce the best texture.
Whole Milk – Whole milk is going to give you the best flavor and texture for the cheese sauce. You could also use half and half if that’s all you’ve got on hand but the sauce will be a bit thicker. You could also combine 1 cup whole milk and 1 cup heavy cream to replace the whole milk in this recipe but this will also likely make the sauce a bit thicker.
Sharp White Cheddar – You can use any of your favorite melty cheeses for this recipe – sharp cheddar, Fontina, Havarti, or even Monterey Jack. I like the flavor and texture that sharp white cheddar adds to this dish.
French Fried Onions – You can definitely skip the French fried onions if you don’t have any on hand, but they add such a delicious salty crunch that I really do recommend using them!

Instructions

Heat butter to a large sauté pan and cook onions and garlic. Add flour.

Mix until well combined and cook for about a minute.

Add whole milk and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring frequently until the milk is warmed through a bit and just starts to simmer.

Add shredded cheese.

Reduce heat to low stirring until the cheese is melted and the sauce begins to thicken.

Stir in frozen beans and crumbled bacon.

If you’re using this type of large saute pan, you can put it straight into the oven. If you’re not using an oven-safe pan, transfer to a 9×13 baking dish and bake.

Top casserole with French fried onions and crispy bacon, then bake for another 5 minutes. Let cool just a few minutes and then dig in and enjoy!

Tips

If your family isn’t into onions, try dicing them very finely. They will blend in almost seamlessly with the sauce so your picky eaters won’t notice, but your green bean casserole will still have all the same great flavor!
Frozen or fresh green beans are going to give you the best flavor and texture for this dish. Canned green beans will not work quite as well because they’re already cooked. They’ll end up being mushy in this casserole and won’t give you quite as much flavor.
To make this green bean casserole vegetarian, just skip the bacon! The flavors will still be delicious without the bacon.

FAQ

What do I do if my green bean casserole is too watery?

When you use my super easy green bean casserole, you’ll never have to worry about runny or watery casserole again! The quick roux makes the cheesy sauce perfectly creamy, thick, and delicious in no time. Don’t be scared off by the thought of making a roux – it’s literally just butter and flour and this recipe makes it foolproof!

Can you reheat green bean casserole?

Yes! If you have leftover bacon green bean casserole, just bake it in a 350-degree oven for about 20 minutes or until heated through. You can also zap it in the microwave for a minute or so depending on how much you have left, but to heat it through more evenly, bake it in the oven.

Will my green bean casserole thicken?

Yes! Your green bean casserole will thicken a bit as it sits. You can pop it back in the oven for a few minutes to help it loosen up. Basically, it just needs to warm through and the sauce will get creamy again.

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