Name: Slow Cooker Green Bean Casserole
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 3 h
Total time: 3 h 10 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 (10.5-oz.) can cream of mushroom soup (do not add water); ⅓ cup milk; 1/2 - 1 teaspoon coarse Kosher salt; 1/8 teaspoon black pepper; 1 (12 oz) bag frozen green beans; 1 (6-oz.) container French fried onions, divided; 2 cups cheddar cheese, divided

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure.

Free up some oven space during the holidays with this delicious Slow Cooker Green Bean Casserole with cheese.

Slow Cooker Green Bean Casserole

I don’t really want to admit this, but green bean casserole doesn’t make a regular appearance on our holiday table. I never had time or room in my oven for it and it was the first on the chopping block, but last year I pulled out my new slow cooker and experimented to see how it would turn out.

Y’all, it was fantastic! One of my slow cookers in a casserole shaped cooker and it’s perfect for this; however, any slow cooker will work.

It’s so easy to throw everything in the slow cooker, mix it up, and turn it on high for a couple hours. No need to even dirty a mixing bowl…just mix it in the crock. When I’m busy making 6 or 7 other dishes for the holidays, I will take every short cut I can…less time, less dishes, more oven space…it’s a WIN-WIN-WIN for a big family supper.

Green Bean Casserole Varieties

Over the last 25+ years of making green bean casseroles 2-3 times a year, I’ve gotten bored and started adding random things to change it up. Here are a few of my family’s favorites:

Green Bean Casserole with Cheese

Of course, green bean casserole with cheese is our absolute favorite which is why I’m sharing it with y’all today. It’s so easy to add a couple handfuls of sharp cheddar to the recipe and then sprinkle another handful on the top of the casserole.

Green Bean Casserole without Fried Onions

When the kids were little they thought they didn’t like anything called “onion” so they refused to eat the casserole unless it was made without fried onions. It really wasn’t the same, but it worked and I added crackers.

Leaving the fried onions off the top is also necessary if you need the casserole to be gluten free. Just make sure the canned soup is also gluten free.

Green Bean Casserole with Ritz Crackers

If you haven’t swapped out the fried onions for Ritz crackers then you are missing out. Crush up a couple sleeves of Ritz crackers and sprinkle on top while cooking. The buttery crackers give the green bean casserole a delicious flavor.

Green Bean Casserole with Bacon

Is there anything that isn’t better when bacon is added? Green Bean Casserole gets even better with 6-8 slices of cooked and crumbled bacon mixed in. Save a slice or two to sprinkle on top. HEAVEN!

Green Bean Casserole with Cream of Chicken Soup

Traditional Green Bean Casserole is made with condensed cream of mushroom soup. However, swapping out to cream of chicken soup is delicious as well. So if you forgot the mushroom soup or really don’t like mushrooms, give cream of chicken soup a try.

Green Bean Casserole with Water Chestnuts

Water chestnuts never get the time they deserve. They are so good and always an addition to my stir fry’s and when I saw a can sitting in my pantry a couple years ago, I drained it, gave them a quick rough chop and mixed them in with the green beans. Try adding 2 teaspoons of soy sauce with the water chestnuts for a truly unique green bean casserole.

How to Make a Green Bean Casserole in a Crock Pot

Making a green bean casserole in a crock pot or slow cooker is super easy. Spray the crock with non stick spray, dump in all the ingredients (reserving half of the cheese and half of the fried onions). Mix everything well, then top with remaining cheese and fried onions. Cook on high for 2-3 hours. Boom! Couldn’t be easier!

Making a few recipes in the slow cooker, like this green bean casserole or my holiday dressing, really helps with the holiday supper madness. It frees up time and oven space too.

Slow Cooker Green Bean Casserole

Yield: 8

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 3 hours

Total Time: 3 hours 10 minutes

Free up some oven space during the holidays with this delicious Slow Cooker Green Bean Casserole with cheese.

Ingredients

1 (10.5-oz.) can cream of mushroom soup (do not add water)
⅓ cup milk
1/2 - 1 teaspoon coarse Kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 (12 oz) bag frozen green beans
1 (6-oz.) container French fried onions, divided
2 cups cheddar cheese, divided

Instructions

Spray a 3.5 - 4-quart or larger slow cooker with non stick cooking spray, then add the cream of mushroom soup, milk and pepper to the slow cooker. Stir until smooth.
Add the green beans, half of the fried onions and half of the cheese. Stir to combine all ingredients.
Sprinkle over remaining cheese.
Cover and cook on HIGH for 2 - 3 hours.
Just before serving, sprinkle remaining fried onions to the top of the casserole.
Keep slow cooker on warm setting to serve.

Notes

Green Bean Casserole Variations

GF: Replace fried onions with gf crackers, pick a GF soup.

Ritz Crackers: Crush up a couple sleeves of Ritz crackers and sprinkle on top while cooking.

Bacon: Add 6-8 slices of cooked and crumbled bacon mixed in. Save a slice or two to sprinkle on top.

Cream of Chicken Soup: Swap chicken or mushroom soup

Water Chestnuts: Drain a small can of water chestnuts, give them a quick rough chop and mixed in with the green beans. Try adding 2 teaspoons of soy sauce with the water chestnuts.