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Lighter Brown Sugar Bacon Green Bean Casserole: Easy from Scratch

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A lighter, from-scratch green bean casserole with brown sugar bacon and a creamy Greek yogurt sauce. Perfect for holidays or weeknights, this crowd-pleaser is quick, easy, and made with simple ingredients.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1.5 pounds fresh green beans, trimmed and halved
  • 6 slices thick-cut bacon
  • 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar (light or dark)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
  • ½ cup half-and-half
  • ⅓ cup plain Greek yogurt
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped (or ½ teaspoon dried)
  • ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
  • ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil spray or melted butter

Instructions

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the trimmed green beans and cook for 3 minutes. Drain and transfer to a bowl of ice water for 2 minutes, then drain well and set aside.
  2. Place the bacon slices in a cold large skillet. Turn heat to medium and cook until crispy, about 6-8 minutes, flipping once. During the last minute, sprinkle brown sugar evenly over the bacon. Let it caramelize, then transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Once cool, crumble or chop into small pieces. Reserve about 1 tablespoon of bacon drippings in the pan.
  3. Add olive oil to the skillet with the reserved bacon drippings. Heat over medium-high, then add sliced mushrooms. Cook without stirring for 3 minutes, then stir and cook for another 2 minutes. Add diced onion and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  4. Sprinkle flour over the mushroom mixture and stir constantly for 1 minute. Slowly pour in the broth while stirring, scraping up browned bits. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and stir in half-and-half and Greek yogurt (let yogurt come to room temperature first). Add salt, pepper, and fresh thyme. Simmer gently for 2-3 minutes until smooth and creamy.
  5. Preheat oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, combine blanched green beans with the creamy mushroom sauce. Stir gently until coated. Transfer to a greased 9×13 baking dish and spread evenly. Sprinkle crumbled brown sugar bacon over the top.
  6. In a small bowl, mix panko breadcrumbs with grated Parmesan cheese. Drizzle with olive oil or melted butter and toss to coat. Sprinkle evenly over the casserole.
  7. Bake for 18-22 minutes, until sauce is bubbly around edges and topping is golden brown. For extra color, broil for the last 1-2 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

Don’t skip the ice bath for the green beans to keep them bright and crisp. Watch the brown sugar bacon closely to prevent burning. Let Greek yogurt come to room temperature to avoid curdling. Make the sauce slightly thinner than desired as it will thicken during baking. For a vegetarian version, skip bacon and use 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter, adding ½ teaspoon smoked paprika to the sauce. For dairy-free, use full-fat coconut milk and dairy-free yogurt, and nutritional yeast instead of Parmesan. For gluten-free, use gluten-free flour blend and gluten-free panko.

Nutrition

Keywords: green bean casserole, brown sugar bacon, lighter casserole, from scratch, Thanksgiving side dish, easy side dish

Find it online: https://dinadishes.com/lighter-brown-sugar-bacon-green-bean-casserole-easy-from-scratch/