Slow Cooker Green Bean Casserole
Free up oven space and make this Slow Cooker Green Bean Casserole instead! It uses premium frozen green beans and an easy homemade sauce with bacon and shallots for a delicious holiday side dish! You’ll be surprised just how easy it is to make!
Anyone else share Thanksgiving as their favorite holiday? As a food blogger I nerd out a little over all of the delicious recipes and I look forward to sharing food with family and friends!
As much as I love it, I’ll also admit it can be stressful trying to get all the food cooked and the timing right. That’s why I now make a plan and I make good use of my casserole slow cooker!
This green bean casserole is perfect for making in a casserole or regular slow cooker and will free up oven space for you this holiday season.
About my green bean casserole:
For this version of a green bean casserole you will start out with browning up some delicious thick cut bacon!
Then you saute up some shallot and garlic until crispy and then using a little flour and broth you will a nice easy and delicious homemade sauce. Now, this is a holiday after all so let’s just add a nice cup of heavy cream as well!
Add the sauce to a bag of premium frozen thin cut green beans and top it all off with some fresh shredded Parmesan cheese. Amazing!!
The best part? This cooks PERFECTLY in the casserole slow cooker! Thanksgiving hacks for the win.
How to make homemade sauce:
- As I mentioned it starts with browning up some chopped up bacon
- Then add garlic and shallots
- Once those are tender, stir in some flour and make sure it coats the veggies well (this will thicken the sauce)
- Slowly stir in chicken broth and let simmer until smooth and thickened
- Add cream and seasonings and heat through
How to cook this recipe in the slow cooker:
I prefer using my casserole slow cooker, but any 6 quart or larger slow cooker will do.
Add the frozen green beans, cover with sauce and cheese and cook for a few hours.
In the last 15-30 minutes
you’ll add your fried onions as a topper and let them toast up a bit with the lid back on.
I was very pleased with how well this “baked” in my slow cooker. Everything cooked evenly and the cheese melted perfectly over the top. I use my casserole slow cooker for so many things so make sure to check out this post for more ideas!
I’m curious, how many slow cookers will you be using to your holiday meal on the table? Leave me comment below the recipe and let me know!
Slow Cooker Green Bean Casserole
Equipment
Ingredients
- 24 oz frozen extra fine green beans
- 2 slices thick cut bacon chopped finely
- 1 medium shallot minced (about 1/4 cup)
- 2 cloves minced garlic I used jarred
- 1/4 cup flour
- 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon herb and garlic seasoning
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese
- 6 oz french fried onions
Instructions
- Spray slow cooker with nonstick spray
- Add frozen green beans
- In skillet over medium high heat saute bacon until lightly browned, around 3-5 minutes
- Add shallots and saute for another 1-2 minutes until they just start to brown
- Add garlic and cook for 1 more minute
- Add flour evenly to pan and stir to coat bacon, shallots and garlic
- Slowly add chicken broth while stirring until smooth
- Let simmer for about 4-6 minutes until sauce thickens enough to stick to spoon
- Add cream and seasonings and let continue to simmer for another 3-4 minutes until thick and heated through
- Pour sauce over green beans in crock and toss lightly to evenly coat
- Sprinkle with cheese and cover and cook on high for 2.5 to 3 hours or low for 5-6
- About 15 minutes before serving sprinkle with onions and let heat on high until lightly crispy
Notes
- sauce should be thick enough to coat spoon. If to thin, simply whisk and additional 1-2 tablespoons flour with water and stir into sauce and let simmer
- omit bacon and use veggie broth to make this vegetarian
- if using a regular slow cooker use a 6 quart or larger oval (the more surface space the better this will cook
- cheese can be omitted if desired
- turn off slow cooker and let set for about 15 minutes before serving if you'd like the sauce to thicken a bit more
Nutrition
Hello. I just had a couple of questions….. first, can I make this with fresh green beans? Would you suggest blanching them quickly first? Also, can I used a regular crockpot for this recipe? The recipe looks great. I love that I can free up some oven space! Thank you!
Yes, fresh green beans would be great but I would do a quick blanch or steam on them first. And any slow cooker should work just fine!
Will this recipe turn out okay in a regular crockpot instead of the “casserole” crockpot?
It should work fine in a regular size slow cooker, Janine.
Possible silly question but I can be a bit pedantic when it comes to details 🙂 When you add then fried onions do you put the lid back on or leave it off while they crisp? Thanks!! I look forward to trying this on Thanksgiving.
Hi Ami! You can put the lid back on to keep the heat in, but if you find there is too much moisture, you can prop it open a bit with the handle of a wooden spoon. Hope that helps!! Let me know if you have more questions!
Thanks!! Happy Thanksgiving ?
Is it okay to double the recipe in the crockpot?
I think as long as your slow cooker is large enough it should work!!
I will be traveling Thanksgiving Day, approx 2hours. I plan on cooking this before we go, and then put it on warm when we arrive. The fried onions will be added then. Do you think this will be ok.
Yes, I think so. Do you have an insulated bag to transport it so it stays hot? You might put it back on low for just a bit after you add the onions to get it kind of bubbling hot again.
I cant wait to try this recipe.
Thanks! Let me know when you do and how it turns out!!
I made this for Thanksgiving. I made a couple of changes – used fresh green beans and added some sliced mushrooms (sauted them with the onion). My husband said “keep this recipe” it is the best I have tasted! And it was nice using the slow cooker.
Thanks for the great recipe!
That’s great!! I’m so glad you were able to enjoy this for Thanksgiving!
This casserole was fantastic!! I am so happy it does not use canned soup. I have already made it twice. The only thing I did a little different was to put the casserole in my oven uncovered that last 15 minutes as it was already on for other foods. It was perfect. Nice crispy fried onions and super tasty sauce. I love this sauce so much I was wondering how it would be with say frozen broccoli and cauliflower for example. I will be trying that version this morning for our Church dinner.
I’m so glad you liked it! Make sure and let me know how it turns out with the other veggies!
I like that it doesn’t use canned soup, the casserole is attractive and it saves precious oven space!
Win, win, win.
Yes, it just tastes so much fresher!! 🙂
I think I might have to buy my Mother in Law that crock pot! And I love green bean casserole too!
That would be a great gift, Amy! I love it and I have a long list of recipes I want to try out in it 🙂
This green bean casserole looks like it could be a family favorite, hands down! And what’s Thanksgiving without green bean casserole? It’s a must! 🙂