Fresh Green Bean Casserole
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Fresh Green Bean Casserole combines fresh green beans with a creamy roux made with crispy bacon and a crunchy topping! This dish is perfect for Thanksgiving using the freshest ingredients and is one the whole family will love!
Green Bean Casserole with Bacon
Let’s take the mush out of our green bean casserole and add fresh, seasonal ingredients instead! We’ve all had the classic green bean casserole with canned green beans and cream of mushroom soup. This from-scratch version is the same idea but we’re ditching the canned goods.
Why This Recipe Works:
- FRESH INGREDIENTS – We’re using 2.5 pounds of tender green beans and making our own creamy roux instead of a canned soup. A couple of extra steps that are totally worth it, especially during the holiday season.
- CREAMY – Using fat from the bacon (or use butter instead) and flour, we can create a creamy roux by adding broth and dairy. Perfect side dish for any holiday meal or Sunday dinner.
- FULL OF FLAVOR – While it adds extra fat, the bacon provides a ton of flavor to this green bean casserole. We also add onion and garlic to pretty much everything.
- IMPRESSIVE – This classic holiday side dish is a great recipe to add to your Thanksgiving dinner.
Ingredients Used for the Best Green Bean Casserole Recipe:
- Fresh Green Beans – The key ingredient and not to be skipped. Say no to canned green beans!
- Bacon – I use thick-cut bacon. If you want to use less bacon, it will still be delicious.
- Yellow Onion
- Fresh Garlic
- All-Purpose Flour
- Lower-Sodium Chicken Broth
- Half and Half – or use whole milk or heavy cream
- French Fried Onions – These crispy onions are the perfect topper and here is where we use the canned item.
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper – to taste
How to make Fresh Green Bean Casserole:
Step 1
Blanch the green beans. Add green beans to a large pot filled with water. Bring beans to a boil and then add a good amount of salt. Boil for 5-7 minutes and then strain in a colander.
Immediately transfer beans to a large bowl filled with ice water. Let them soak in the ice bath for a few minutes and then strain. Add beans back to the bowl.
Step 2
Cook bacon. Use the same pot (or a large skillet) to saute the chopped bacon over medium-high heat. Cook until well-browned, about 5-6 minutes, stirring frequently.
Use a slotted spoon to transfer cooked bacon to a plate lined with paper towel. You can use the bacon grease to saute the onions or discard the grease and use butter instead.
Step 3
Saute the onions and garlic. In either the bacon grease or butter, add the diced onions over medium heat. Stir until slightly softened, about 4-5 minutes. Then add garlic and stir for 30 seconds or so.
Step 4
Add flour. Then sprinkle the flour over the diced onions and garlic, and let it thicken, stirring frequently.
Step 5
Add liquids and cook. Add the chicken broth and half & half, and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat to a simmer and let the mixture cook until thickened about 5 more minutes.
Step 6
Combine ingredients. Pour the creamy sauce into the large bowl with the green beans. Add crumbled bacon and stir well to coat.
Step 7
Add to dish. Add ingredients to a large casserole dish and stir well. Top with crispy fried onions.
Step 8
Bake. Bake casserole at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until hot, bubbly, and golden brown on top. If the crispy onions are getting too dark, cover the dish with foil for a portion of the baking time.
Store the leftover casserole in an airtight container in your refrigerator.
Prep-Ahead: Prep the casserole a day or two ahead of time (but wait to add the fried onions). Cover with foil and store in the refrigerator. When it’s time to cook, bake the casserole without the onions for 20 minutes to get it hot. Then add the crispy onions and continue baking for another 20-25 minutes or so.
What to serve with Homemade Green Bean Casserole:
This side goes great on your Thanksgiving table. Here are some mains to choose from:
Recipe FAQs:
While canned beans are simpler to use, fresh beans are better in my opinion. The texture doesn’t turn to mush and are much tastier. Give these a try.
There is no need to soak greens beans before cooking them. Just boil for 5-7 minutes in some salty water, drain, and place in an ice bath to prevent them from turning mushy.
You can east leftover casserole for up to four days. Keep refrigerated.
More Side Dishes:
The sides are the best part of the big meal, in my opinion. Try a couple of the following sides for your Thanksgiving menu.
- Balsamic Glazed Brussels Sprouts and Sweet Potatoes
- Spinach Salad with Honey Dijon Dressing
- Holiday Mashed Potatoes
- Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Streusel
- Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad
Kitchen Tools Used: (affiliate links)
xoxo ~Sue
Fresh Green Bean Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 ½ pounds fresh green beans – trimmed and rinsed
- 6 slices bacon – diced
- 1/2 medium yellow onion – diced
- 3 cloves garlic – minced
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper – to taste
- 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup lower-sodium chicken broth
- 1 ½ cup half and half
- 6 oz. french fried onions
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper – to taste
Instructions
- Blanch the green beans. Add green beans to a large pot filled with water. Bring beans to a boil and then add a good amount of salt. Boil for 5-7 minutes and then strain in a colander. Immediately transfer beans to a large bowl filled with ice water. Let them soak in the ice bath for a few minutes and then strain. Add beans back to the bowl.
- Cook bacon. Use the same pot (or a large skillet) to saute the chopped bacon over medium-high heat. Cook until well-browned, about 5-6 minutes, stirring frequently.Use a slotted spoon to transfer cooked bacon to a plate lined with paper towel. You can use the bacon grease to saute the onions or discard the grease and use butter instead.
- Saute the onions and garlic. In either the bacon grease or butter, add the diced onions over medium heat. Stir until slightly softened, about 4-5 minutes. Then add garlic and stir for 30 seconds or so.
- Add flour. Then sprinkle the flour over the diced onions and garlic, and let it thicken, stirring frequently.
- Add liquids and cook. Add the chicken broth and half & half, and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat to a simmer and let the mixture cook until thickened about 5 more minutes.
- Combine ingredients. Pour the creamy sauce into the large bowl with the green beans. Add crumbled bacon and stir well to coat.
- Add to dish. Add ingredients to a large casserole dish and stir well. Top with crispy fried onions.
- Bake. Bake casserole at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until hot, bubbly, and golden brown on top. If the crispy onions are getting too dark, cover the dish with foil for a portion of the baking time.
Awesome recipe! Perfect dish for the holiday season.