Cheesy Green Bean Casserole with bacon made with just 8 basic ingredients. This remarkably simple recipe is easy to make but results in the richest, most delicious creamy green bean casserole for your holiday table. Make it during the holiday season for entertaining guests.
During the holidays, I make it a point to ask everyone I come into contact with about their family’s green bean casserole. Spare no details!
What can I say? I have a very odd, very deep-seated obsession with green beans. Guilty as charged.
My family went with the classic green bean casserole when I was a kid: condensed cream of mushroom soup and French-fried onions.
A few years ago I took it upon myself to make a Healthy Green Bean Casserole recipe, using all fresh, unprocessed ingredients.
I then enhanced the OG recipe and made version 2.0 last year with my Mediterranean Green Bean Casserole, which includes goodies like sun-dried tomatoes and kalamata olives.
Well.
I recently learned that my partner and one of our close friends both grew up on cheesy green bean casserole.
CHEESE?!
This was the first I had heard of a creamy cheesy green bean casserole, and I was instantly drawn to the concept like a fly to a bug zapper.
So here we are chit chatting all about the glory of this dish.
This cheesy green bean casserole recipe requires just 8 basic wholesome ingredients, none of which are canned cream of mushroom soup.
Of course, we’ve casted crispy bacon as a supporting role in the show, because we know how to party.
Let’s discuss those eight fresh ingredients to make this easy green bean casserole!
Ingredients for Cheesy Green Bean Casserole:
Fresh Green Beans: Fresh French green beans are the star of this cheese fest. You can find them prepackaged and pre-trimmed in the produce section of your grocery store. If you prefer canned green beans, you can use 4 (14-oz) cans of green beans instead of fresh. If you do so, you won’t need to pre-cook the green beans to make this casserole, as they will already be cooked.
Avocado Oil: We use avocado oil to coat the green beans so that they have a nice layer of flavor.
Bacon: Thick cut bacon gets cooked to crispy perfection and is added to the casserole. We use the bacon drippings to sauté the onion to maximize the bacon flavor.
Yellow Onion & Garlic: Onion is sauteed until it is nearly caramelized to enhance its flavor. The combination of onion and garlic adds a great depth of flavor to the casserole.
Full-Fat Canned Coconut Milk (or Cream): To keep the casserole lighter in dairy, I use full-fat canned coconut milk. This is ideal for folks who are lactose intolerant but can tolerate cheese. If you and your guests tolerate dairy just fine, swap out the canned coconut milk for 1 ⅔ cups of half & half or heavy cream.
Colby Jack Cheese: A great deal of cheese gets grated up and added to the creamy sauce to make it ultra cheesy. We also top the casserole with grated cheese because we’re very committed to this cheese concept. Use sharp cheddar cheese if you prefer it.
Sea Salt & Black Pepper: Kosher salt and black pepper are added to your personal taste. I sprinkle the green beans with salt and add salt to the sauce to ensure the casserole is well-seasoned.
Recipe Adaptations:
If you love mushrooms in your green bean casserole recipes, add 6 ounces of chopped mushrooms to the sauce mixture. I add them in with the onions to be sure they soften up completely.
Incorporate fresh herbs or dried herbs into the sauce, such as parsley, oregano, thyme, etc.
Swap the fresh garlic for 2 teaspoons of garlic powder if you’d like.
Add grated parmesan cheese if you have it on hand.
Now that we’re familiar with the simple ingredients needed to make the best green bean casserole for your Thanksgiving dinner, let’s fashion it up!
How to Make Cheesy Green Bean Casserole:
Lightly coat a large casserole dish with cooking spray and set aside until ready to use.
Heat a large pot of water on the stove top and bring it to a full boil. Add the trimmed and chopped green beans. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until the green beans have softened but are still slightly al dente. This cooking process ensures the green beans are nice and soft rather than overly crunchy.
Drain the green beans into a colander then pat them dry with a paper towel. Transfer drained green beans to the prepared baking dish then drizzle with 1 tablespoon of avocado oil and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon of sea salt. Mix everything together until the green beans are lightly coated with oil and salt.
You can prepare the rest of the recipe while the green beans are cooking.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook the bacon, flipping every 2 minutes, until much of the fat has rendered and the bacon reaches your desired level of crisp.
Transfer the bacon to a cutting board and allow it to cool. Once cool, chop the bacon into small bits.
Use the bacon fat to sauté the onion and cook the sauce. Keeping the bacon drippings on medium-high heat, add the chopped onions to the skillet. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until onions have softened, about 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes.
Add in the canned coconut milk and bring the mixture to a full boil. Allow the mixture to cook at a full boil, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes.
Stir in the grated cheese, most of the chopped bacon, the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt and black pepper. Mix until the creamy sauce is thick and well-combined.
Note: If using cream instead of coconut milk, be sure to monitor the sauce closely so that it doesn’t come to an uncontrolled boil. You want to cook it to a gentle simmer and cook until thick, but don’t bring it to a boil.
Pour the creamy cheesy sauce mixture over the green beans and mix everything together until the beans are well-coated with sauce.
Sprinkle the rest of the cheese (and any added cheese) over the saucy green beans and bake at 400 degrees F for 20 to 30 minutes or until the cheese is golden-brown and the sauce is bubbly.
Remove the cheesy green bean casserole from the oven and sprinkle with the remaining cooked bacon bits.
Serve alongside your main entrée and enjoy!
Store any leftover green bean casserole in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
There you have it! A delicious cheesy, creamy green bean casserole that the whole family will love! This is the perfect side dish for cheese lovers and an easy way of getting kids to eat a vegetable at your holiday meal.
Enjoy these cheesy green beans at any upcoming holiday dinner!
If you’re looking for more easy recipes for healthy side dishes, check these out!
More Healthy Side Dish Recipes:
- Shaved Brussel Sprout Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash
- Creamy Dairy-Free Broccoli and Cauliflower Casserole
- Crock Pot Sweet Potato Casserole
- Balsamic Roasted Root Vegetables
- Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Lemon and Garlic
- Smashed Sweet Potatoes with Butter Garlic and Honey
What’s in your family’s green bean casserole?! 😉
Cheesy Green Bean Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 lbs green beans cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1 Tbsp avocado oil
- 6 strips thick cut bacon
- 1 large yellow onion chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 15-oz can full-fat canned coconut milk*
- 6 ounces colby jack cheese grated**
- 1 teaspoon sea salt divided
- ¼ tsp black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat a large pot of water on the stove top and bring it to a full boil. Add the trimmed and chopped green beans. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until the green beans have softened but are still slightly al dente. This cooking process ensures the green beans are nice and soft rather than overly crunchy.
- Drain the green beans into a colander then pat them dry with a paper towel. Transfer drained green beans to a large casserole dish then drizzle with 1 tablespoon of avocado oil and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon of sea salt. Mix everything together until the green beans are lightly coated with oil and salt.
- You can prepare the rest of the recipe while the green beans are cooking.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook the bacon, flipping every 2 minutes, until much of the fat has rendered and the bacon reaches your desired level of crisp. Transfer the bacon to a cutting board and allow it to cool. Once cool, chop the bacon into small bits.
- Use the bacon fat to sauté the onion and cook the sauce. Keeping the bacon drippings on medium-high heat, add the chopped onions to the skillet. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until onions have softened, about 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Add in the canned coconut milk and bring the mixture to a full boil. Allow the mixture to cook at a full boil, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the grated cheese, most of the chopped bacon, the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt and black pepper. Mix until the creamy sauce is thick and well-combined.
- Note: If using cream instead of coconut milk, be sure to monitor the sauce closely so that it doesn’t come to an uncontrolled boil. You want to cook it to a gentle simmer and cook until thick, but don’t bring it to a boil.
- Pour the creamy cheesy sauce mixture over the green beans and mix everything together until the beans are well-coated with sauce.
- Sprinkle the rest of the cheese (and any added cheese) over the saucy green beans and bake at 400 degrees F for 20 to 30 minutes or until the cheese is golden-brown and the sauce is bubbly.
- Remove the cheesy green bean casserole from the oven and sprinkle with the remaining cooked bacon bits. Serve alongside your main entrée and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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