Not your typical 3-ingredient recipe! This fancy green bean casserole is creamy, cheesy, and loaded with delicious ingredients like crumbled bacon, melted cheese, and more!
Wow your loved ones this holiday season with this fancy green bean casserole! This dish has a Southern twist that blends savory flavors with a delectable, creamy texture. It’s easy to make, and it can be prepared in your slow cooker as well.
Fresh Versus Frozen Green Beans
Fresh green beans will cook evenly, resulting in the best overall texture and flavor. However, you can use frozen green beans for this recipe. Be mindful that the texture might lean toward softer, and the cook time varies.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds fresh green beans
- 10.5 of cream of mushroom soup (sub with cream of celery, or cashew cream for a vegan alternative)
- Shredded Monterey Jack Cheese (sub with mild cheddar or Colby Jack)
- Whole milk
- 3 strips of cooked bacon (sub with turkey or beef bacon)
- 6 medium white mushrooms
- Butter
- Garlic powder
- Black pepper
- Red pepper flakes
- Crispy fried onions
How to Make Fancy Green Bean Casserole
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Bacon: Fry the bacon in a skillet until golden brown and crispy. Remove and set to drain on a wire wrap or a paper towel-lined plate. Reserve 1 tablespoon of bacon fat in the pan. Discard the rest.
- Mushrooms: Clean mushrooms and chop them into small pieces. Fry the mushrooms in the reserved bacon fat until just tender. Chop the bacon strips and set them and the mushrooms aside.
- Prepare the baking dish: Grease a 9-inch or 9 x 13-inch baking dish with a small amount of butter or oil.
- Prepare the green beans: Next, wash the fresh green beans and dry them with paper towels. Trim the ends off with a sharp knife, and cut the green beans in half to create two smaller, bite-sized pieces. Place the pieces in the baking dish.
- Assemble the casserole: In a medium bowl, combine the cream of mushroom soup with milk, shredded cheese, melted butter, garlic powder, black pepper, red pepper flakes, cooked mushrooms, and chopped bacon.
- Pour the mixture evenly over the green beans and top with crispy onions.
- Cook it: Bake the casserole uncovered for 30 minutes until bubbly and lightly browned around the edges.
- Serving: Remove from the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes before serving.
- Storing: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. I don’t recommend freezing as this can alter the texture and flavor of the green beans.
Slow-Cooker Green Bean Casserole
Follow the preparation step, but assemble the green bean casserole in a 5-6-quart slow-cooker. Cook on high for 1.5 hours, then reduce to low for 2 more.
Skillet Green Bean Casserole
Grease a large cast-iron skillet with butter or oil, then follow the steps listed in the recipe card below. Assemble the casserole in the skillet, and bake in the oven for 30 minutes at 350 degrees F.
This dish pairs well with most holiday side dishes such as mashed potatoes, turkey gravy, sweet potato casserole, cornbread, etc. It’s perfect for serving with roasted chicken, turkey, or ham.
More Recipes to Enjoy!
- Flavorful Dry Brined Turkey
- Turkey Gravy (Quick and Easy)
- Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes
- Creamy Hashbrown Casserole
- Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Sage Butter
Fancy Green Bean Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds fresh green beans
- 10.5 can cream of mushroom soup (sub with cream of celery, or cashew cream for a vegan alternative)
- 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack Cheese, packed
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 3-4 strips bacon
- 6 medium white mushrooms
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes
- 1 1/2 cups crispy fried onions
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Fry the bacon in a skillet until golden brown and crispy. Remove and set to drain on a wire wrap or a paper towel-lined plate. Reserve 1 tablespoon of bacon fat in the pan. Discard the rest.
- Clean and chop the mushrooms into small pieces.
- Fry the chopped mushrooms in the reserved bacon fat until just tender. Chop the bacon strips and set them AND the mushrooms aside.
- Grease a 9-inch or 9 x 13-inch baking dish with a little butter or oil.
- Next, wash the fresh green beans and dry them with paper towels. Trim the ends off with a sharp knife, and cut them in half to create two smaller, bite-sized pieces per green bean. Arrange the pieces in the baking dish.
- In a medium bowl, combine the cream of mushroom soup with milk, shredded cheese, melted butter, garlic powder, black pepper, red pepper flakes, cooked mushrooms, and chopped bacon.
- Pour the mixture evenly over the green beans and top with crispy onions.
- Bake the casserole uncovered for 30 minutes until bubbly and lightly browned around the edges.
- Remove from the oven and let it cool for 8-10 minutes before serving.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. I don’t recommend freezing as this can alter the texture and flavor of the green beans.
Notes
- Follow the preparation step, but assemble the green bean casserole in a 5-6-quart slow-cooker. Cook on high for 1.5 hours, then reduce to low for 2 more.
- Grease a large cast-iron skillet with butter or oil, then follow the steps listed in the recipe card below. Assemble the casserole in the skillet, and bake in the oven for 30 minutes at 350 degrees F.
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