Serve this amazing bacon cheddar green bean casserole for a tasty upgrade to the easy classic recipe that everyone is sure to love! The traditionally used cream of mushroom is enhanced with grated cheddar then topped with crisped bacon along with the fried onions - and it's so tasty!!
Bacon & cheese take this classic green bean casserole to the next level!
I grew up with green bean casserole on the menu for every Thanksgiving dinner, and sometimes Christmas. The rich and creamy mushroom soup turns plain green beans into an indulgent treat covered in crispy fried onions.
Fast forward to making all of my own holiday meals and this new tradition featuring bacon and cheddar cheese! I love the salty crunch combined with gooey cheddar. It’s definitely a crowd-pleaser with kids and adults alike.
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Whether it’s a holiday or just another day of the week, this dish will make it feel special.
❤️ Why I Love This Recipe
Super Quick! It only takes 5 minutes of prep time while you fry up the bacon!
The Perfect Contrast! This side dish has the perfect balance between creamy filling and crunchy topping.
It's a classic (with a twist)! This is a traditional side dish and part of many Americans’ holidays.
🥘 Ingredients
Some of these are long-lasting pantry staples, but you may need to go out for a few things. The fried onions are a real standout!
*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*
- 10.5 ounces Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup (10.5 ounce can) - Any brand, regular or low-sodium, will be great.
- 28 ounces Green Beans (2 14-ounce cans) - Canned vegetables are long-lasting, convenient, and delicious baked into this casserole
- 1 cup Milk - Any kind of milk will do, but 2% or whole milk will add extra creaminess.
- 3 slices Bacon- You can cook this for breakfast and set some aside for your casserole!
- ½ cup Cheddar Cheese (+¼ cup for the top, optional) - Sharp or extra sharp cheddar is my favorite, but there is some flexibility if you want to be creative!
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper - I love this pantry staple spice that cuts through the creaminess of the other ingredients.
- ½ tablespoon Soy Sauce - While this may be unexpected, it adds a delightful twist.
- 1 ⅓ cups Fried Onions - Divide these into two ⅔ cup portions.
🔪 Instructions
For this recipe, you’ll need a skillet, a large mixing bowl, and a 9x13” baking dish. If you fry your bacon beforehand, this is a super quick side dish to throw together for a last-minute gathering!
Mix Casserole Ingredients
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- Preheat the oven. Set the oven to 350℉ (175℃).
- Crisp the bacon. Using a skillet, fry 3 slices of bacon until nicely crisped and put them aside.
- Mix the filling. Add 10.5 ounces condensed cream of mushroom soup, 28 ounces green beans, 1 cup milk, ½ cup cheddar cheese, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ½ tablespoon soy sauce, and half of the 1 ⅓ cups fried onions (⅔ cup) to a large bowl and mix thoroughly.
- Pour into a baking dish. Transfer the mixture to a 9x13” baking dish.
Add Toppings & Bake
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- Add toppings. Layer with optional ¼ cup extra cheese, the other half (⅔ cup) of the fried onions, and 3 slices of cooked and crumbled bacon.
- Bake and serve. Bake the casserole for 30 minutes. Let your casserole cool a few minutes before serving so as not to burn your mouth.
Cheddar bacon green bean casserole is excellent served alongside an Air Fryer Turkey Breast and Jiffy Corn Casserole. No need for any garnish! Enjoy!
💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Notes
- Use a 9x13 even if you double the recipe. There is plenty of room to add twice the ingredients and still serve this dish in the same pan. So if you have a houseful, consider boosting the size of the casserole. It won’t take up any extra oven space.
- Use your fried onions only as a topping. I like to leave them out of the green bean mixture and use the entire amount as a topping. It creates a creamier casserole–the onions usually soak up some of the liquid–and a crunchier, more indulgent topping.
- If you don’t like mushrooms try swapping the condensed cream of mushroom soup for something like cream of celery. If you’re a mushroom fan who loves garlic, try cream of mushroom with roasted garlic. As long as it’s cream-based, it will do the trick.
🥡 Storing & Reheating
Your cheddar bacon green bean casserole will be delicious for 4 to 5 days if wrapped in plastic or foil or transferred to an airtight container in the fridge.
Leftovers can also be frozen in an airtight container or oven-safe pan covered in foil for up to 6 months! Before freezing, try to take off as much of the fried onion-bacon topping as possible.
While the flavor will be fine regardless, the topping won’t remain crispy when the dish is thawed. It’s best to add it fresh when you’re ready to eat leftovers.
Reheating Bacon Cheddar Green Bean Casserole
To reheat, cover with foil and cook at 350℉ (175℃) for 20 to 30 minutes, adding fresh toppings at the 20-minute mark, if desired. Extra time may be needed if reheating from frozen.
❓ Recipe FAQs
Yes. But you’ll have to cook them first. Trim and rinse them before boiling them in salted water or chicken broth. Then, cook them until crisp-tender, draining and dousing them in cold water when they’re done to stop the cooking. After that, you can use them in the recipe exactly as you would the canned beans.
Sometimes, canned green beans can be overcooked, so cooking them even longer will result in soft mush. One way to ensure a heftier-textured green bean is to use the frozen French-cut kind or a simple fresh variety.
Yes. If you’re putting it together the day before, put everything in the pan except the fried onions and bacon. Cover it with foil or plastic and refrigerate. Add the toppings when you’re ready to bake. You can also freeze it before baking in a similar fashion (See above.).
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📖 Recipe Card
Bacon Cheddar Green Bean Casserole
Ingredients
- 10.5 oz condensed cream of mushroom soup (10 ½ ounce can)
- 29 oz green beans (2 14 ½ ounce cans, drained)
- 1 cup milk
- 3 slices bacon (cooked and sliced)
- ½ cup cheddar cheese (+¼ cup additional for the top, optional)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 ⅓ cups fried onions (divided - two ⅔ cup portions)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Fry your bacon and when cool slice. Set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl combine condensed soup, drained green beans, milk, soy sauce, the first ⅔ cup portion of fried onions, black pepper, and ½ cup of cheese. Mix well.
- Pour mixture into a 9x13 baking dish.
- Add the optional ¼ cup additional cheese, the second ⅔ cup portion of fried onions, then sprinkle sliced cooked bacon over.
- Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 30 minutes.
- Remove from oven and enjoy!
Notes
- The amount can easily be adjusted to double the recipe and still serve this dish in a 9x13 baking pan.
- I prefer to use all of my fried onions as a topping, but when you do this you will have a creamier casserole (the onions typically soak up some of the liquid).
- You can mix the ingredients directly in your baking dish if desired.
Beth says
Tested this recipe before the holidays to see if is good. Well, its super yummy, I will make this over the Christmas and Thanksgiving holidays for my family!