Fresh green beans are cooked with bacon and a THREE CHEESE sauce in the slow cooker to free up valuable oven space! NO CANNED SOUP nor processed sauces here. An EASY comfort food side dish that's perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, parties, and events!
Prep Time25 minutesmins
Cook Time2 hourshrs
Total Time2 hourshrs25 minutesmins
Course: Sides, Salads & Vegetables
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Crockpot green bean casserole, fresh green bean casserole, green bean casserole in crockpot recipe, slow cooker green bean casserole
Servings: 10
Calories: 504kcal
Author: Averie Sunshine
Ingredients
2 ½poundsfresh green beansends trimmed* (See Notes)
Ice water bath
¼cupunsalted butter
1large yellow oniondiced small
2 to 4clovesgarlicfinely minced
¼cupall-purpose flouror arrowroot powder/starch, See Notes**
1 ½cupschicken brothI use reduced sodium
½cup2% or whole milk
1cupshredded Colby Jack cheese
½cupshredded cheddar cheese
½cupfinely grated Parmesan cheese
⅓cupheavy cream
1teaspoonsmoked paprika or regular paprika
½dried thymeor 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
½teaspoonsaltor to taste
1teaspoonfreshly ground black pepperor to taste
1poundbaconcooked and diced into 1/2-inch pieces; divided
2cupscrispy fried onions
Instructions
Blanch the green beans by adding them to a large stockpot of water that has already been brought to a boil over high heat. Cook for 4 minutes.
Have a large bowl of water with ice cubes waiting.
After 4 minutes, using a slotted spoon remove the green beans and immediately submerge them in the ice water bath to stop the cooking process; set aside.
To a large skillet, add the butter and heat over medium-high heat to melt it.
Add the onion and sauté until softened and translucent, about 4 minutes; stir frequently.
Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, or until fragrant; stir constantly.
Evenly sprinkle the flour, and cook for 1 minute; stir constantly.
While whisking constantly, add the broth, milk, and keep whisking until it begins to thicken, a couple minutes.
Add the three cheeses, heavy cream, smoked paprika, thyme, salt, pepper, and stir continuously until the cheese melts and you have a nice smooth cheese sauce.
Stir in half the bacon (reserve the remainder); set mixture aside.
To your 7-quart slow cooker or similarly sized, add the green beans from the ice water bath, then pour the cheese sauce over the top, and stir to combine.
Cover with the lid and cook on low for 2 hours or high for 1 hour.
About 5 to 10 minutes before the green beans are done cooking, to a large skillet, add the crispy fried onions and toast them for about 3-4 minutes over medium-high heat until lightly browned; toss and stir frequently.
Evenly sprinkle them over the top of the cooked green beans along with the remaining bacon. Tip - Do not place the lid back on the slow cooker or the crispy fried onions will get soggy.
Serve immediately*** (See Notes). Extra will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days noting the onions will not stay crispy; reheat gently in the microwave or oven if you have time.
Notes
*Fresh green beans are usually readily available in American supermarkets before Thanksgiving, and generally year-round very accessible. I suggest using fresh green beans. They have a flavor, texture, and color that you just can’t get otherwise. However, the second best option are frozen green beans. Thaw and drain them before using them. I don’t like canned green beans so for me personally, this is a no since they will only continue to get mushier as they slow cook for another hour or two. Not to mention, the color is just not appetizing.**For those who are gluten-free, you can easily make slow cooker green bean casserole gluten-free! Simply substitute 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder or starch in place of the 4 tablespoons, or 1/4 cup, of all-purpose flour. It’s naturally gluten-free and lower carb. The arrowroot will thicken faster than all-purpose flour does.1 ½ cup When the butter and onions are sautéed add your milk and broth in small amounts as you whisk and stir, and sprinkle in the arrowroot to thicken as needed. For the crispy fried onions, you can make them yourself, or buy gluten-free fried onions.***If you'd like to make this in advance and bring it to an event, make it as written. Then, you can literally just unplug your Crock-Pot, put it in your car, and plug it in at your friend or family member’s home or just serve it right away directly from the slow cooker. Obviously use caution when transporting the Crock-Pot since it will be hot!