Green Bean Casserole with Cream Cheese, creamy and delicious green bean casserole that everyone will love! The perfect side dish for dinner and the holidays!
Ready for your new favorite side dish? It’s easy to make, simple, and with the added cream cheese, extra delicious.
This Thanksgiving I am all about easy and fast dishes. I’ve shared my favorite sour cream mashed potatoes with the turkey gravy without drippings (sooo good), and I just shared my easy pumpkin pie with a graham cracker crust.
Now I bring you my favorite way to make and east green bean casserole. Here’s the secret- it’s a very similar recipe to the classic French’s Green Bean Casserole but you just add cream cheese and a little bacon.
I mean cream cheese and bacon will make most things way better and this is no exception.
Green Bean Casserole Ingredients
With only a handful of ingredients you can make this delicious dish!
- Bacon
- Cream of Mushroom Soup
- Milk
- Cream Cheese
- Pepper
- Green Beans- I use canned but you can use fresh or frozen
- Fried Onions- I use French's, but any brand will do
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How to make green bean casserole with cream cheese?
- Cook up your bacon and then chop into pieces.
- In a large bowl mix together your cream of mushroom soup, milk, pepper, and cream cheese.
- Drain your green beans.
- Add green beans, some of the fried onion, and some of the bacon to the cream cheese mixture.
- Place mixture in a casserole dish and then bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove from oven, top with more onion and bacon, then bake for 5 more minutes.
Tips not to miss!
Why add cream cheese to green bean casserole?
It just makes it better and even more flavorful. True the classic green bean casserole is tasty but cream cheese just gives it that little extra yum factor.
Can green bean casserole be made ahead of time?
Yes. Make the casserole but instead of baking it, freeze it. Thaw in the fridge the night before and then follow the baking instructions.
Can you use fresh or frozen green beans?
Yep! Just cook them until just tender before using them in the recipe.
How to soften cream cheese in the microwave?
If you forget to let your cream cheese soften you can microwave for 20 second intervals at 50% power until soft.
Cream cheese not mixing in?
It’s okay to have some cream cheese chunk but if there are a lot I like to use and immersion blender to smooth out the mixture before adding the green beans.
Can you double this recipe?
Absolutely! You will just need to increase the baking time to 40 minutes instead of 30- or until hot all the way through. Oh, and you will need a bigger baking dish.
This recipe is so simple and yields an amazing dish that I can’t wait for you to try!
Don’t miss my other easy Thanksgiving dishes, especially my delicious smoked spatchcock turkey and pecan pie brownies!!
Video
Green Bean Casserole with Cream Cheese
Ingredients
- 6 oz bacon cooked and chopped, divided
- 1 can cream of mushroom soup 10.5 oz
- ½ cup milk
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 3 cans green beans 3-11 oz cans green beans
- 6 oz fried onions
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Cook bacon in a small fry pan, allow cool, then chop.6 oz bacon
- In a medium sized bowl combine cream of mushroom soup, milk,, cream cheese, and pepper. Stir until it’s fully combined. If your cream cheese isn’t very soft you can use an immersion blender or powered hand mixer to combine. Some small chunks are okay.1 can cream of mushroom soup, ½ cup milk, 8 oz cream cheese, ¼ teaspoon pepper
- Drain the green beans, then stir into cream cheese mixture. Stir in ⅔ cup of fried onions, and ⅓ of the bacon.3 cans green beans
- Place green beans mixture in a 1 ½ quart baking dish and bake for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes remove from oven, top with remaining bacon pieces and fried onions, and bake for 5 more minutes. Onions should be golden.6 oz fried onions
- Remove from oven and enjoy!
DS says
I added some soy sauce, a clove of garlic, and a 1/8t nutmeg. Loved it.
Ashley says
Hi there! I am so looking forward to making this recipe!! What are your thoughts on doing this in a crockpot? We travel to our deer lease for both Christmas and Thanksgiving and our oven tends to “over cook” so the crockpot is my go to? Thoughts?
Lisa says
Oh good question! I've never tried it but I don't see why it shouldn't work. Wait until 5-10 minutes before serving to add the bacon and onions (just it warms them up a bit). The onions probably won't get golden but they are still really tasty 😛 I've snacked on my fair share when using them! You could even toast them in a pan or in the oven before heading up to your property and then add them on top. As far as high or low temp on the crockpot I am not sure but since everything is cooked and you are just heating it through either temp should work. Let me know how it goes! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving and Christmas!
Connie says
This is literally the BEST bean casserole! I only added onion salt and some of the bacon fat from frying and instead of saving some bacon for the top, I just mixed it all in! So so much flavor!! Mmmm!
Lisa says
I am so glad you enjoyed it! Onion salt and bacon fat sound like delicious additions!
Coonellie says
I’ve made this dish at least 10 times now. I love it! I do use fresh green beans, but I’ve made it with frozen and canned and it’s still fab.
Depending on whether it’s a side or main dish, I put pieces of cooked chicken at the same time I add the bacon. Then it’s a main dish and is also great.
Thanks so much for the recipe!
Lisa says
Oooh adding chicken sounds so good! I am so glad you love it!
Tara says
Hi - I am planning on making this for Easter dinner and wondering if I can prep it ahead of time then refrigerate overnight then put it in the oven. Will it need more time to get warm? Thanks!
Lisa says
Yep you can make it ahead of time just like you are planning on. I don't think you will need any extra baking time. It should get plenty warm in the hour it's in the oven 🙂 Also, just remember to not add the crispy onion topping and bacon to the top until halfway through the bake!
Lisa M says
Hi there, So I made this recipe but changed a few things....I used fresh green beans and cooked them until soft as suggested. I made fresh bacon, extra crispy and added another 3 to 4 ounces. Love bacon!
I also pan seared a package of slices mushrooms, yummmm and thinly sliced 2 large onions and cooked them until they were caramelized. I really don't care for crunchy onion topping, but love the onion! After I combined all that and baked, I topped with crushed crackers and put back in oven till golden! It was AWESOME!!!!
Lisa says
That all sounds so delicious! Great alterations! Glad you enjoyed the recipe!