Green Bean Casserole with Bacon

Bring comfort food to all of your special family gatherings this season with a healthy and fresh Green Bean Casserole with Bacon -- a simple side dish that's made from scratch!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword fresh green bean casserole, green bean casserole from scratch, green bean casserole with bacon

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 45

Total Time 1 5

Servings people

Calories 111kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

Ingredients

24 oz. fresh green beans, washed, drained, and trimmed OR frozen green beans (thawed)
3 slices bacon, diced
1 large onion, diced
1 (8 ounce) container sliced white mushrooms
1 ¼ cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
½ cup sliced almonds

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Spray a large casserole dish with cooking spray and place fresh green beans in the bottom of the dish.
In a large skillet, fry bacon over medium-high heat until just crisp (about 4-5 minutes). Add onions and mushrooms; cook until just soft (about 5-7 more minutes).
Add chicken broth, cornstarch, salt and pepper to the skillet and whisk to combine (scraping the brown bits from the bottom of the skillet for maximum flavor!). Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and allow sauce to simmer and thicken (about 5-10 minutes).
Pour sauce over green beans and toss to coat.
Cover casserole with lid or foil and bake for approximately 35 minutes (or until green beans are tender). Remove cover, sprinkle top of casserole with almonds, and return to the oven for 5-10 more minutes (or until almonds are toasted and golden). Season with additional salt and pepper, to taste.

Notes

Cooking for a Smaller Family? Cut the ingredients in half and bake the casserole in an 8-inch square dish. The rest of the instructions remain the same.

How to Cook Green Beans for a Casserole:

I think that this dish is best when the green beans are just baked in the oven (and not pre-cooked). However, if you prefer very soft green beans in your casserole, you can pre-cook them before placing them in your baking dish. To do so, simply boil the green beans in a pot of water for about 5 minutes. Then immediately transfer the green beans to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process (for now). Place the blanched green beans in the baking dish and proceed with the recipe as instructed.

Can Green Bean Casserole be Made Ahead?

Yes! You can assemble this green bean casserole the night before! Prepare the dish through Step #5 (pouring the sauce over the beans), cover the dish, and keep it in your refrigerator until ready to bake. Allow the dish to sit on the counter and come to room temperature before proceeding with the baking instructions.

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