Easy Green Bean Casserole with Cream Cheese

This creamy and easy green bean casserole with cream cheese is the most tasty side dish you’ll make this year! This yummy casserole is comfort food to the max, and it’s perfect for weekend dinner parties or Holiday gatherings like Thanksgiving!

Jump to:

• Why you’ll love this recipe
• Recipe Ingredients
• Step-by-Step Instructions
• Kitchen Equipment
• Storage and Leftovers
• Expert Tips
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Alternative Ingredients
• Serving Suggestions
• 📖 Recipe
• Related Recipes
• 💬 Comments

I love making this green bean casserole to share with my family at Thanksgiving every year. It goes great with all the other Thanksgiving food and everyone always loves how creamy it is! The baking dish is emptied in minutes and I always wonder why I don't just make two!

The reason it's the best green bean casserole recipe on the internet? It's because I make it so often and have taste tested it so many times and was able to perfect it. It quite honestly is my favourite dish at Thanksgiving because the creaminess of the beans with the buttery, golden, crunchy cracker topping is out of this world amazing.

I could honestly eat the whole tray. You'll understand what I mean once you try it!

I also love my other version of a green bean casserole with mushroom soup too.

Some other incredibly delicious thanksgiving side dishes you may want to check out are these roasted garlic parmesan baby carrots and brussel sprouts with bacon recipes!

Why you’ll love this recipe

• COMFORT FOOD: It's super comforting and hearty from its creamy and cheesy texture and rich flavor from the bacon. 
• DELICIOUS: It's a hit at every dinner and Thanksgiving holiday party. While it’s a side dish, you may find yourself eating it like a main dish; it’s just that good. 
• EASY: It's super easy with simple steps and won’t take long to make. 
• LEFTOVERS: This is a large casserole, and you may have some leftovers, which makes for an easy side dish that you can reheat for weeknight dinners!

This recipe tastes delicious and there's nothing fancy about it! Some basic ingredients are all you need (like all Cup of Flour recipes!) I teach people that cooking can be easy with just a handful of basic ingredients, and that's why all my recipes are strategically made to ensure all the ingredients will be accessible to you at any grocery store.

You can learn more about my mission to help you make easy and tasty recipes on the About page!

Recipe Ingredients

• BACON: Crispy bacon bits add flavor, texture, and richness to the casserole that will have you going back for seconds. 
• SOUR CREAM: The sour cream gives the casserole a tangy flavor and makes it super creamy. 
• CREAM CHEESE: Softened cream cheese makes this casserole rich, cheesy, and creamy.
• SEASONINGS: Garlic and onion powder are both used in the casserole to flavor it up. 
• SALT & PEPPER: To enhance the overall flavor of the dish, a pinch of salt and pepper is used. 
• GREEN BEANS: Frozen French-style green beans with cream cheese are used in this recipe as the style and texture of these types of beans go great in this dish, but any will do! 
• BUTTER: Melted butter is mixed with the cracker topping to make it buttery, crispy, and golden.
• CRACKERS: Crushed Ritz crackers are used in the topping of the green bean casserole, but any salted cracker will work!

See the recipe card below for the ingredient measurements.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Bake the bacon: Preheat the oven to 400°F, line a baking sheet with tin foil and lightly spray it with oil. Spread out the bacon, and bake for 10-15 minutes, until crispy. Once slightly cooled, chop into small bacon bit pieces and set them aside. Reduce the heat to 375°F. 
2. Green bean filling: In a large bowl, mix the sour cream and softened cream cheese. Add the garlic and onion powder, salt, and pepper. Using a large spoon or your hands, fold in the green beans and then transfer the mixture to a greased 9x13 pan. 
3. Cracker topping: In a small bowl, mix the crushed crackers and melted butter until fully incorporated, then add in the bacon bits. Sprinkle over the casserole.
4. Bake the casserole: Bake uncovered on the middle rack for 25-30 minutes.

Kitchen Equipment

• BAKING DISH: For baking and serving the casserole. 
• KNIFE: For chopping the bacon into small bacon bits.
• CUTTING BOARD: For safely and easily chopping the bacon into small pieces without damaging your counters. 
• MIXING BOWLS: You will need one large bowl for combining the green bean mixture and a smaller one for making the golden cracker topping.
• ELECTRIC HAND MIXER: For creaming the sour cream, cream cheese, seasonings and salt and pepper together.
• MEASURING SPOONS AND CUPS: For measuring the ingredients.

Storage and Leftovers

Leftovers should be stored in the fridge covered with tin foil or plastic wrap. Alternatively, you can transfer the casserole to an airtight container and refrigerate it that way. It will last up to 5 days in the fridge.

Expert Tips

• Crisp the bacon. This recipe tastes much better when the bacon is crispy because it gives the creamy bean filling a nice crunchy texture on top!
• Use a big bowl. When making the green bean filling, use a large bowl as mixing the frozen green beans with everything is tricky, and more room makes it easier and creates less mess!
• Keep an eye on the oven. While the casserole is baking, check in on it a couple of times to ensure the topping isn’t burning. If you bake it on the middle rack, it should be fine, but every oven is different, so it’s worth it to be safe!

Frequently Asked Questions

Alternative Ingredients

• Crispy Fried Onions: Keep it classic with crispy French fried onions for the topping. For this option, omit the crackers and top the casserole with crispy fried onions.
• Mushroom Soup: This green bean casserole is made without cream of mushroom soup, but it is a popular ingredient for this dish.
• Cheddar Cheese: Make this dish extra delicious with a layer of shredded cheddar cheese on top. Do this before you add the cracker topping.

Serving Suggestions

This dish goes great with turkey dinners on Thanksgiving next to some easy maple glazed roasted carrots, brussel sprouts with bacon, and some creamy red skin garlic mashed potatoes. 

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📖 Recipe

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