This delicious Green Bean Casserole with Bacon recipe is the ultimate side dish with a creamy sauce and a crunchy topping.
Growing up, green bean casserole was one of my favorite parts of our Thanksgiving dinners. You know the one – made with condensed cream of mushroom soup and canned green beans. As I got older and my pallet became more sophisticated, that dish just wasn’t the same for me. I’m not here to knock a much loved classic, but I am here to give you a homemade choice that’s absolutely delicious!
Why This Recipe Works
- The bacon adds a smoky, rich flavor that can’t be beat.
- The combination of sour cream and heavy cream creates a thick sauce without the hassle of using flour or a Roux.
- Using frozen mushrooms keeps things easy without sacrificing flavor.
- The Parmesan cheese and olive oil in the topping makes a crunchy, flavorful topping that’s simply perfection!
Serving the perfect side dish at a family gathering or holiday dinner is so satisfying. My family goes crazy for my roasted broccoli recipe and my Scalloped Potatoes are a real crowd pleaser that’s hard to top, but this Green Bean Casserole is an example of how you can up your game when it comes to side dishes. I added bacon to this classic casserole, and let me tell you, it’s so delectable you won’t be able to keep your spoon away.
How To Make Green Bean Bacon Casserole
- Steam the green beans.
- Fry the bacon. Remove from pan and set aside.
- Add the mushrooms to the bacon fat in the pan.
- Add garlic and cook another minute.
- Stir in the cream and heavy cream.
- Stir in the green beans, fold in the bacon.
- Top with the panko breadcrumbs and parmesan.
- Bake for around 25 minutes.
- Serve and enjoy!
Green Bean Buying Guide
- When shopping for green beans look for brightly coloured, crisp beans.
- To check for freshness hold a bean and bend it in half. A fresh bean will snap cleanly. Avoid blemished, old looking beans as they won’t cook as well.
Ingredient Notes
- Green Beans: I use fresh green beans for this recipe, but you can use frozen or canned.
- Bacon: I use regular sliced bacon, but cubed pancetta works well too.
- Mushrooms: I use frozen sliced mushrooms for this dish for convenience, but you can use any sliced mushroom of your choice.
- Cream: I use a combination of sour cream and heavy cream (double cream) but Greek yogurt and half and half make good substitutes. Just make sure you use full fat versions as low fat sour cream and yogurt liquify when heated and it could make your sauce runny.
- Breadcrumbs: Panko breadcrumbs are perfect for the topping as they give a fine crumb, but feel free to use any breadcrumb of your choice.
- Parmesan: I like Parmesan cheese to top this, but you can use other Italian hard cheeses such as Gran Padano or Pecorino Romano.
Step By Step Instructions
Wash your green beans, steam, drain and pat dry. Season with salt.
Cook bacon over a medium heat. Remove from pan with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towel. Leave some grease in the pan.
Add the onion, cook until transluscent. stir in the mushroom.
Add the garlic and cook another minute.
Stir in the sour cream and heavy cream. Cook until it thickens.
Add the green beans into the mixture.
Season with salt and pepper.
Fold in the bacon.
Season the panko breadcrumbs.
Mix grated parmesan into the breadcrumbs and combine.
Cover the green bean mixture with the breadcrumbs and bake in the oven for around 25 minutes.
Serve and enjoy!
Tips & Variations
- Steaming the green beans before adding them to the casserole ensures they don’t turn out too tough. It’s an important step, don’t be tempted to skip this and rely on them cooking through in the oven.
- Be sure to season your seamed green beans to avoid a bland dish.
- To use frozen green beans, just thaw and drain them before adding them to the sauce,
- To use canned green beans there’s no need to cook them first, just drain them well before using.
- Don’t use anything less with less fat than half-and-half as it may thin out the sauce.
- Some bacon can be salty, so go light on the salt in the sauce until the end, then taste and season as needed before adding the mixture to the baking dish.
- If you have vegetarians for dinner simply omit the bacon and saute the mushrooms and garlic in olive oil or butter.
Make ahead and Freezing Instructions ❄
- Make Ahead: This dish can be made ahead, wrap and place in the fridge overnight and cook in the oven as per the recipe instructions.
- In The Fridge: The cooked casserole can be kept in the fridge in an airtight container for up to three days.
- In The Freezer: Wrap the casserole dish in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost thoroughly before reheating in the oven until piping hot.
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Let’s Make Green Bean Casserole with Bacon
Ingredients
- 1 lb green beans washed and trimmed
- 8 strips bacon chopped
- 1 onion medium sized, sliced
- 8 oz frozen sliced mushrooms defrosted and drained
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup sour cream (full fat)
- ½ cup cream heavy cream double cream or whipping cream
- salt and pepper to taste
For the Topping
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- fresh ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F
- Steam or blanch your string beans until just under your desired softness (they will finish cooking in the oven). Drain and season with salt
- In a large skillet, cook the bacon over medium low heat until crisp. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon to drain on paper towels. Drain all but about 2 tablespoons of the bacon grease from the pan, then return the pan to medium heat.
- Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes or until translucent. stir in the mushrooms. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Stir in sour cream and cook until it thickens slightly.
- Add the green beans to the mixture and salt and pepper to taste. Fold in the bacon until well combined.
- Pour the mixture into a 9 inch baking pan (square or oblong)
For The Topping:
- Add the breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, olive oil, and pepper to a small bowl and mix to combine.
- Sprinkle the mixture over the green bean mixture in the pan and bake, uncovered, for 25 minutes or until the topping is golden brown.
- Serve hot.
Tips + Notes
- Steaming the green beans before adding them to the casserole ensures they don’t turn out too tough. It’s an important step, don’t be tempted to skip this and rely on them cooking through in the oven.
- Be sure to season your seamed green beans to avoid a bland dish.
- To use frozen green beans, just thaw and drain them before adding them to the sauce,
- To use canned green beans there’s no need to cook them first, just drain them well before using.
- Don’t use anything less with less fat than half-and-half as it may thin out the sauce.
- Some bacon can be salty, so go light on the salt in the sauce until the end, then taste and season as needed before adding the mixture to the baking dish.
- If you have vegetarians for dinner simply omit the bacon and saute the mushrooms and garlic in olive oil or butter.
Jenny says
My sister made these for Thanksgiving last year and everyone loved them so much they’re a new family tradition!
Erren Hart says
Thank you so much for your kind words! We’re so happy you love it, and we hope you’ll continue to enjoy it for years to come. 🙂
Thank you for being a part of the Erren’s Kitchen community!
Britney says
SO FREAKEN GOOD!
Erren Hart says
Yay! I’m so happy you enjoyed it so much! 🙂
Dede says
This was a total hit for the whole family at thanksgiving dinner! I made one with bacon and one without
Erren's Kitchen says
I love to hear this, thank you for taking the time to comment 🙂
GRETCHEN says
Making ahead for Thanksgiving. I tasted the filling and it’s out of this world!
Erren Hart says
I know right? It’s so good! I’m making it too!
Manda says
I made this as a trial run for thanksgiving and it is superb! This is our new family favorite
Erren Hart says
So happy to hear it! Thanks for stopping by and sharing!
Kim Weaver says
Absolutely delicious! I made it to test for Thanksgiving. Will definitely make it on the day! The bacon was so great with the sour cream!
Erren Hart says
So great to hear and thank you for taking the time to comment! 🙂
Adele says
Tried this over the weekend and making it again for Thanksgiving. It was absolutely scrumptious! Love that there’s no butter or flour. Really delicious without being too rich!
Erren Hart says
Yay! So glad to hear you enjoyed it so much! Thanks for coming back to let me know! 🙂