Homemade Green Bean Casserole with Bacon
Green Bean Casserole with Bacon will be everyone’s favorite holiday side once you make it homemade! Easy to bring together and flavor that cannot be replicated with processed ingredients. You will make this side only from scratch after this recipe!
I went my whole life believing I didn’t like Green Bean Casserole. I rejected it on every Thanksgiving buffet and refused to make it. It never made sense cause I love green beans on their own. I always serve my Lemon Turkey Meatballs with green beans.
It turns out that I didn’t like the version with cream of mushroom soup. Making a homemade sauce to go over the green beans was a game changer! A creamy homemade bacon mushroom sauce that I could drink with a straw brought this Green Bean Casserole recipe over the top. And it only takes 30 minutes!
Try my Candied Yams for another Thanksgiving side.
What do I need to get started?
- Thick cut bacon.
- Butter.
- Onion.
- Baby Bella Mushrooms. Since this is homemade, the mushrooms replace canned cream of mushroom soup.
- Garlic.
- Salt and pepper.
- Thyme. I used fresh, but you can use dried thyme as well.
- All purpose flour.
- Chicken broth.
- Half and half.
- Grated parmesan cheese.
- Green beans. I always use fresh green beans but you can use frozen green beans if that’s all you have on hand.
- Crispy French Fried Onions. I always use Frenchs Crispy Onions.
How to make Green Bean Casserole with Bacon
Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees and preparing a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Add the cut bacon to a non stick skillet over medium high heat and fry until the fat has rendered out and the bacon is crispy. Remove the bacon from the pan with a slotted spoon, keeping the bacon grease in the pan.
Melt the butter with the bacon fat and then add the chopped onion and mushroom. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft. Turn the heat down to medium and add the salt, pepper, thyme, and garlic. Cook until the garlic is aromatic – about 30 seconds.
Stir in the flour and cooked for two minutes. Mix in the chicken stock and cook until thickened, then add the parmesan cheese and half and half. Cook over medium heat until hot and bubbling, then remove.
In a large bowl, toss the sauce together with the green beans and cooked bacon until the green beans are completely coated in sauce. Transfer to prepared baking dish and cover with the fried onions. Bake for 25 minutes uncovered until golden brown. If the onions are browning too much, cover with aluminum foil.
Storage and Freezing
Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to three days. Reheat in the microwave and place under the broiler for a few minutes to crisp the onions. I do not recommend freezing this casserole.
To make the casserole ahead of time, make the sauce up to three days in advance and toss with the bacon and green beans. Place in the baking dish and store in the refrigerator covered for up to 3 days. Add the crispy onions right before baking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Making a roux with the flour and butter will thicken the sauce nicely and prevent it from getting too mushy. For leftovers, pop under the broiler for a few minutes to get it nice and crispy again.
Make it up to three days in advance and cook the day of serving. Saves a lot of time when you’re making all those Thanksgiving sides!
If you don’t have fried french onions, try topping with butter and seasoned bread crumbs.
Prepare an ice water bath, boil 4 quarts of salted water, add the fresh green beans, boil for 5 minutes, drain and transfer the green beans to the ice water bath to stop the cooking process.
Tips and Tricks
- Make some bacon extra crispy and top the casserole with it along with the crispy onions.
- If you like your green beans a little snappy, reduce the cooking time by a few minutes.
- Thyme adds a wonderful flavor, but you can replace with any herb you love.
- Make with my Garlic Rosemary Mashed Potatoes for great flavors at the holiday table!
Green Bean Casserole with Bacon
A creamy and flavorful homemade Green Bean Casserole with fresh ingredients and bacon.
Ingredients
- 3 slices thick cut bacon, diced
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 cup Baby Bella mushrooms, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 tablespoon dried thyme
- 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1 cup half and half
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 24oz fresh green beans, blanched and steamed
- 6oz crispy fried onions
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ and prepare a 9x13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat and add the cut bacon. Fry the bacon until the fat has rendered out and the bacon is crispy, about 8 minutes. Remove the bacon from the pan and set aside. Leave the bacon drippings in the pan.
- To the non-stick skillet, melt the butter over medium high heat, add the onions and mushrooms and saute until the onions have softened. Turn the heat down to medium and add the minced garlic, salt, pepper, and fresh thyme leaves. Stir and cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 30 second.
- Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes. Mix in the chicken stock and cook over medium heat until thickened. Mix in the half and half and parmesan cheese. Cook and stir over medium heat until bubbling and thickened. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- In a large bowl, add the green beans and cooked bacon. Pour the sauce over the green beans and mix until the green beans are completely covered. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with the crispy fried onions and bake uncovered for 25 minutes. (if the crispy onions are getting to browned while cooking cover with foil, this may increase cooking time)
- Let cool for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Nutrition Information
Yield 8 Serving Size 1 side servingAmount Per Serving Calories 220Total Fat 12gSaturated Fat 5gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 6gCholesterol 22mgSodium 623mgCarbohydrates 23gFiber 4gSugar 6gProtein 8g
