Green Bean Casserole with Bacon

This green bean casserole with bacon is a homemade version of a classic recipe, but instead of using cream of mushroom soup, it features an amazing bacon roux.

Delicious Twist on a Classic Casserole

The holidays are upon us and you’ve asked time and time again for more variations on traditional Thanksgiving recipes! Which is why we’re pumped to be sharing this delicious green bean casserole with bacon made with fresh green beans and the most scrumptious homemade bacon roux (yes, we said BACON ROUX)!

Our green bean casserole with bacon makes some easy ingredient swaps that are typically in a traditional green bean casserole. These swaps = better flavor, amazing texture, and don’t worry, they truly are EASY:

Ingredients – What You Need

For the Casserole

• Fresh green beans: The fresher the better! All of our green bean casseroles on Fit Foodie Finds call for fresh green beans instead of canned or frozen ?
• Finely sliced white onion: Onion is a flavor powerhouse! We love slicing our onion with a mandolin to get super thin, even slices.
• Bacon: Can’t have a green bean casserole with bacon without BACON. You’ll cut this bacon into 1-inch chunks.
• All-purpose flour: This is used to make the roux AKA the thickening agent for the sauce.
• 2 % milk: This is also used in the bacon roux to add extra amazing creaminess.
• Beef broth: Using beef broth for this green bean casserole with bacon gives it such a rich and savory flavor. But any broth will work!
• Fresh thyme: We love the flavor that fresh herbs brings to this casserole!
• Worcestershire sauce: A little goes a long way. This adds a flavor blast of salty and savory.
• Salt & black pepper: Simple yet effective!

For the topping

• Bacon: You’ll save some of the bacon for the topping!
• Plain bread crumbs and dried spices: Plain breadcrumbs combined with dried thyme, sage, garlic powder and salt give this green bean casserole with bacon topping its iconic Thanksgiving dish taste.

How to Make Green Bean Casserole with Bacon

For the full recipe, scroll down to the recipe card for a list of ingredients and instructions.

Preheat the oven to 350ºF and spray a 9×13-inch casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray. Then, add the green beans and onions to the baking dish, and set aside for later.

Next, heat a large saucepan over medium heat, and add the sliced bacon to the saucepan, being sure all the pieces are separated and not sticking together.

Cook the bacon until golden brown, being sure to stir the bacon occasionally so it doesn’t burn. Then, use a slotted spoon to remove the pieces of bacon from the saucepan and place the bacon pieces in a small bowl and set aside.

Leave the bacon drippings in the bottom of the saucepan (don’t drain or soak up with paper towels!) and turn the heat to low. Then, add the flour to the saucepan with the bacon drippings and whisk the bacon drippings and flour together until a crumble forms.

Turn the heat to medium and slowly add the milk to the saucepan, whisking constantly until the mixture begins to thicken. Finally, slowly add the broth to the saucepan, whisking until the roux is thick.

Technically, this recipe calls for beef broth, but any broth will do, such as vegetable broth or chicken broth. We love using beef broth because the flavor is so rich and delicious.

Remove the roux from the heat and add the fresh thyme, Worcestershire, salt, and pepper to the saucepan and stir all the ingredients together until combined.

Pour the bacon roux over the green bean mixture and toss until everything is covered in the bacon roux. YUM.

Remove ¼ cup of the cooked bacon pieces from the small bowl and set aside. Add the rest of the bacon pieces to the casserole dish with the beans and toss one more time.

Wipe the sides of the casserole dish clean and then cover the casserole dish with tin foil and place it in the oven for 40 minutes, tossing the beans after 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, add the breadcrumbs, sage, thyme, salt, and garlic powder to a small skillet pan and cook over medium heat until all the ingredients are golden brown. Then, remove from the heat and add the remaining bacon to the bread crumbs and toss.

When the green bean casserole is done cooking, uncover the casserole dish and sprinkle the beans with the bread crumb mixture.

Turn your oven to broil and broil the casserole until the bread crumb topping is crispy.

Remove from the oven and let the casserole sit for 5 minutes before serving.

More of our Favorite…

Healthy Thanksgiving Recipes

Looking for more healthy Thanksgiving recipes to fill your holiday table with? Check out all of our best turkey day recipes in one spot!

Making this Casserole Ahead of Time

If you are planning to prepare this green bean casserole with bacon ahead of time, we suggest waiting to do the breadcrumb topping until the day of! Follow these simple instructions:

1. Make the casserole as is following steps 1-15 in the recipe card for the cooking process. Do NOT prepare or top with the breadcrumbs.
2. Let the casserole cool completely and then cover it.
3. Place casserole in the refrigerator for up to 1-2 days.
4. When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350ºF and bake the casserole, covered, for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, stir, and see how warm it is.
5. Bake the casserole for an additional 10-15 minutes as need.
6. While the casserole is reheating, prepare the breadcrumb topping.
7. Sprinkle breadcrumb topping and serve!

Got leftovers? Transfer your green bean casserole with bacon into an airtight container and seal. Refrigerate for up to 3-5 days.

To reheat, you can either microwave on high for 90 seconds to 2 minutes OR add the entire casserole of leftovers into a medium frying pan and reheat on low/medium for 5-10 minutes.

More of our Favorite…

Green Bean Side Dishes

• Vegan Green Bean Casserole
• Healthy Green Bean Casserole
• Green Beans Almondine
• Bacon Wrapped Green Beans

Print Rate

• 1.5 lbs. fresh green beans, rinsed and trimmed
• ½ large white onion, finely sliced
• 10 slices medium-cut bacon, chopped into 1 inch pieces
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups 2 % milk
• 2 cups beef broth (or any kind)
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, de stemmed and chopped
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground pepper

Topping

• ½ cup plain bread crumbs
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried sage
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ cup chopped bacon (from above)

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF and spray a 9×13-inch casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Add the green beans and onions to the casserole dish, toss, and set aside for later.
3. Next, heat a large saucepan over medium heat.
4. When the saucepan is hot add the sliced bacon to the saucepan, being sure all the pieces are separated and not sticking together.
5. Cook the bacon until golden brown (5-7 minutes), being sure to stir the bacon occasionally so it doesn’t burn.
6. When the bacon is golden brown, use a slotted spoon to remove the pieces of bacon from the saucepan and place the bacon pieces in a small bowl and set aside.
7. Leave the bacon drippings (it should be about 2-3 tablespoons) in the bottom of the saucepan (there should be 1-2 tablespoons of bacon grease in the saucepan) and turn the heat to low.*
8. Create a roux with the bacon drippings. Add the flour to the saucepan with the bacon drippings and whisk the bacon drippings and flour together until a crumble forms.
9. Turn the heat to medium and slowly add the milk to the saucepan, whisking constantly until the mixture begins to thicken.
10. Next, slowly add the broth to the saucepan, whisking until thick. If after 3 or 4 minutes it’s having a hard time thickening, sprinkle 1 tablespoon of flour into the sauce and whisk until thick.
11. Remove from the heat and add the fresh thyme, Worcestershire, salt, and pepper to the saucepan and stir all the ingredients together until combined.
12. Pour the bacon roux over the green beans and onions and toss until everything is covered in the bacon roux.
13. Remove ¼ cup of the cooked bacon pieces from the small bowl and set aside.
14. Add the rest of the bacon pieces to the casserole dish with the beans and toss one more time.
15. Wipe the sides of the casserole dish clean and then cover the casserole dish with tin foil and place it in the oven for 40 minutes, tossing the beans after 20 minutes.
16. Meanwhile, add the breadcrumbs, sage, thyme, salt, and garlic powder to a small skillet pan and cook over medium heat until all the ingredients are golden brown (4-6 minutes).
17. Remove from the heat and add the remaining ¼ cup of bacon to the bread crumbs and toss.
18. When the green bean casserole is done cooking, uncover the casserole dish and sprinkle the beans with the bread crumb mixture.
19. Turn the oven to broil and broil the casserole for 2-3 minutes or until the bread crumb topping is crispy.
20. Remove from the oven and let the casserole sit for 5 minutes before serving.

*If your bacon doesn’t leave drippings, substitute the bacon drippings with 2 tablespoons of salted butter.

Serving Size: 1/8 Calories: 205 Sugar: 7 Sodium: 855 Fat: 7 Carbohydrates: 22 Fiber: 3 Protein: 13 Cholesterol: 6 Author: Emily RichterCategory: SidesMethod: OvenCuisine: American

Keywords: green bean casserole with bacon

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