The Best Green Bean Casserole Recipe (No Canned Soup and Low-Carb Friendly)

If you are looking for the best green bean casserole recipe from scratch this is the recipe you need. It’s packed with rich flavor and is still simple to make.

One of my favorite parts of the holiday season is all of the wonderful food! Food has the ability to bring back memories and bring people together. There are two issues with holiday food for me though, I have food allergies and I like to eat more natural food. Many traditional dishes use not-so-great ingredients and some contain things I can no longer eat due to allergies.

One of the dishes that have both of these issues for me is green bean casserole. I’m allergic to mushrooms, plus over the years I’ve tried to start eating a more whole-food diet. The canned soup normally found in the casserole is, of course, cream of mushroom soup. Plus have you read the ingredients lately? They aren’t so great.

My mom also has a mushroom allergy and several years ago she started making her own version of the traditional green bean casserole. She uses an alfredo-type sauce, cheese, and caramelized onions. It’s delicious and has been a part of our holiday meals for many years now.

Since I’ve been married, I have been cooking holiday meals for my husband, myself, and my in-laws. Now I make my own version of green bean casserole, very similar to my mom’s. My whole family loves this dish and other than dessert it’s my husband’s favorite part of the meal. My father-in-law is a big fan as well, even though I think he was skeptical at first.

One thing that I add to my version of green bean casserole is bacon. It only takes a little bit to add a lot of flavor. Of course, you can leave the bacon out if you don’t eat meat or just don’t like bacon.

I’ve yet to find someone that doesn’t like this version more than the original. It’s also very simple to make. Once you make it plan on making it every year! I know my house would be highly disappointed if it wasn’t on the table for every holiday meal.

How to Make the Best Green Bean Casserole

Making this green bean casserole is really simple even without the use of canned soup. You can also easily adjust it to fit your family’s tastes.  When I make it for just my husband and myself I add creole seasoning to give it some spice but when I make it for my in-laws I leave that out as they don’t like spicy food. You can also leave out the bacon or add crunchy onions on top. Play around with it and make it your own.

Scroll down to find the full recipe card. There is a printable version as well!

Ingredients: 

• Green Beans (I prefer canned french cut green beans)
• Alfredo Sauce (homemade is best but you can use a jar)
• Cream Cheese
• Cheddar Cheese
• Bacon

Make or heat up your alfredo sauce. When I make my own for this recipe I make a simple roux with butter and flour, add cream, and boil until thickened. I then add parmesan cheese and garlic. It’s a very simple version since it’s being mixed with a lot of other things. You can use any recipe you like though. Once your alfredo sauce is heated up add in cream cheese to help thicken it and give it a really nice flavor. 

Once that is done, put your green beans in a baking dish, if you are using fresh or frozen you will want to cook them first but canned can go straight into the dish. 

Pour the alfredo sauce over the green beans and mix. Mix in half of your cheddar cheese and then top with the rest of the cheese and your bacon. Bake until hot and bubbly. 

How to Make Green Bean Casserole Ahead of Time

This is a great dish to make ahead of your holiday meal. You simply follow all of the directions but don’t bake it. Once you are ready for the green bean casserole you simply bake like normal but you will likely need to add a bit more time.

This green bean casserole also reheats well and makes for delicious leftovers so make sure you make plenty! 

Looking for a vegan green bean casserole recipe? Karissa’s Vegan Kitchen has a great recipe for you to try.