Master the art of creating an irresistible Instant Pot green bean casserole with bacon! This delectable recipe, brimming with savory bacon and crunchy crispy fried onions, is so good you’ll want to prepare a double batch. It’s perfectly adaptable for your Crockpot Express or Ninja Foodi, making it a versatile addition to your culinary repertoire.
For those who appreciate the convenience and efficiency of modern kitchen appliances, this bacon-infused green bean casserole recipe is a must-try. It’s a standout among our collection of Instant Pot recipes, offering a flavorful side dish with minimal fuss.
Effortless Ninja Foodi Green Bean Casserole: A Holiday Essential
Green bean casserole has long been a cherished staple during Thanksgiving and Christmas gatherings. Traditionally baked in the oven, it often competes for valuable oven space alongside other holiday dishes. Last year, facing this very challenge, I experimented with making it in my Ninja Foodi pressure cooker, and the results were nothing short of spectacular.
The secret to this casserole’s exceptional flavor lies in two key elements: the savory richness of bacon and the superior texture provided by frozen green beans, as opposed to canned. If you own a multi-functional device like the Ninja Foodi, you’ll find an added advantage: the ability to air fry the crispy onion topping directly in the same pot after pressure cooking, delivering a beautifully browned finish with ultimate convenience.
Unlocking Pressure Cooking Potential: Tips for Beginners
If you’re new to the world of pressure cooking, you’re in for a treat! This method simplifies meal preparation, making it easy to create delicious one-pot dishes. Here are a few fundamental tips to help you get started:
- Make sure to bookmark our comprehensive Instant Pot recipes page. We regularly add new and exciting dishes each week to inspire your cooking adventures.
- For a quick reference, print out this handy Instant Pot cooking times cheat sheet. It will help you understand the ideal cooking durations for various ingredients like meats, vegetables, and beans in your pressure cooker.
- We highly recommend investing in a quality non-stick inner pot for your pressure cooker. This significantly reduces issues with food sticking, especially after sautéing.
- It’s also beneficial to learn how to properly deglaze your pressure cooker after sautéing. While a non-stick pot minimizes this, knowing the technique ensures a clean pot and prevents burn warnings.
For your reference, the recipes developed here are typically created using a 6-quart Instant Pot model, a reliable size for most family meals.
The Secret to Texture: Instant Pot Green Bean Casserole with Frozen Green Beans
While this casserole can certainly be adapted for a vegetarian diet, the inclusion of bacon adds an unparalleled depth of flavor. You can opt for crisp bacon strips, pre-packaged real bacon bits, or even transform this into a delightful leftover ham recipe. My husband enjoys this dish so much that it graces our table multiple times a year, not just during the holiday season.
This Instant Pot adaptation is based on my classic green bean casserole with bacon recipe, originally designed for oven baking. A key difference with the pressure cooker method is that the top layer won’t develop the same intensely crispy, oven-baked texture. If that signature crispiness is a non-negotiable for you, I recommend using the oven-baked recipe linked above. However, with the right techniques, you can still achieve a wonderfully crunchy topping in your pressure cooker.
A personal game-changer for this recipe has been making our own fried onions from scratch. The flavor and texture are vastly superior to store-bought versions, and you can even serve extra on the side, as everyone will undoubtedly rave about them!
Key Ingredients for a Perfect Green Bean Casserole
Crafting a truly exceptional green bean casserole begins with selecting the right ingredients. Here’s a breakdown of what you’ll need and why each component is crucial:
- Frozen Green Beans: These are the optimal choice for this recipe as they maintain a firm texture without becoming overly soft during pressure cooking, unlike canned varieties.
- Mushrooms: Sliced mushrooms, particularly Portobello, add a wonderful earthy depth and umami flavor to the creamy sauce.
- Onions (diced): Diced onions form the aromatic base of the casserole, sautéed to release their sweet and pungent notes.
- Butter: Essential for sautéing the aromatics and forming the roux that thickens the sauce. A quality vegan dairy-free alternative works perfectly for those with dietary restrictions.
- All-Purpose Flour: Used in combination with butter to create a roux, which is vital for achieving a rich, thick, and velvety sauce consistency.
- Chicken Broth or Stock: Provides the liquid base for the sauce, infusing the casserole with savory flavor. Vegetable broth can be substituted for a vegetarian version.
- Salt and Pepper: Fundamental seasonings that elevate and balance all the other flavors in the dish.
- Garlic (optional): Minced garlic adds an extra layer of aromatic complexity, highly recommended for a richer flavor profile.
- Half and Half (or Heavy Cream): This dairy component is key to achieving a luxuriously creamy and indulgent sauce. It offers a much richer texture than standard milk.
- Fried Onions (store-bought or homemade): The iconic topping that adds a delightful crunch and savory finish to the casserole.
Adapting for Dairy-Free Needs
Creating a delicious dairy-free green bean casserole is surprisingly simple. Instead of half and half, you can use a combination of almond milk or a rich coconut milk (the canned, full-fat variety) whisked with a touch of cornstarch to achieve a similar creamy texture. Many excellent plant-based vegan butter products are now available that taste remarkably similar to traditional butter, ensuring your casserole loses none of its classic flavor.
And for those who aren’t huge fans of bacon… well, we might need to have a serious chat! Just kidding (mostly!). Of course, you can omit the bacon if you prefer a simpler flavor profile, but its smoky, savory notes truly elevate this dish.
For optimal texture, where the vegetables retain their shape and don’t become overly soft, fresh or frozen green beans are highly recommended. Fresh green beans will generally stay the firmest, followed closely by frozen. Canned green beans tend to be the softest due to their pre-cooked nature. If you, like me, prioritize texture, then frozen green beans are the preferred choice for this Instant Pot recipe.
While green bean casserole is a fantastic Thanksgiving side that can certainly be made in a traditional Crockpot, I’ve always found that the “slow cook” function on many pressure cookers doesn’t perform as effectively as a dedicated slow cooker. I still stand by this observation. For a true slow-cooked casserole, it’s best to use your conventional slow cooker and follow a specific slow cooker green bean casserole recipe for optimal results.
Crafting the Perfect Sauce: Alternatives to Canned Cream of Mushroom Soup
Many traditional green bean casserole recipes call for canned condensed cream of mushroom soup. However, this recipe offers a superior, from-scratch approach by guiding you to create a homemade cream of mushroom sauce. Using fresh mushrooms, heavy cream (or a dairy-free alternative), and carefully selected seasonings results in a sauce that is significantly more flavorful and luxurious than any canned variety.
Pressure cookers can sometimes be particular with very thick soups, so following the precise instructions in this recipe for building your sauce is crucial. Once you experience the depth of flavor from homemade cream of mushroom sauce, you might never reach for a can again!
Serving Your Delectable Pressure Cooker Green Bean Casserole
Once your Instant Pot green bean casserole is perfectly cooked, it’s ready to impress! If you desire a beautifully browned and extra-crispy top (and you don’t have a Ninja Foodi with air crisp function), simply transfer the casserole to a baking dish and place it under your oven broiler for a few minutes. Keep a close eye on it to prevent burning.
Serve this comforting dish in a lovely serving bowl, or if serving directly from the Instant Pot liner, remember to place it on a trivet to protect your table from the heat. For the ultimate holiday feast, consider combining this side with other favorites to create unique dishes like a green bean mashed potato casserole.
Achieving a Crispy Top with the Ninja Foodi Air Fryer Lid
One of the fantastic advantages of the Ninja Foodi is its dual functionality, allowing you to achieve that coveted crispy topping without needing a separate oven. Here’s how to do it:
- Follow the main casserole recipe instructions below, ensuring a quick release of pressure at the end.
- Once the pressure is released and the lid is removed, generously sprinkle your fried onions (and optionally, some Parmesan cheese) over the top of the hot casserole.
- Close the Ninja Foodi with its air crisp lid. Set the air crisp function to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and cook for approximately 3 minutes. This initial burst of heat will lightly brown and crisp the topping.
- Check for desired crispiness. If you prefer a darker, crunchier topping, add additional minutes, checking frequently to prevent burning.
Delightful Holiday Side Dishes You’ll Adore
Round out your holiday meal with these other fantastic pressure cooker side dishes that are just as easy and flavorful:
- Indulge in a rich and creamy Jiffy cream corn casserole, a family favorite.
- Simplify your holiday prep with perfectly fluffy pressure cooker mashed potatoes.
- Sweet and tender, this pressure cooker sweet potatoes recipe is a wholesome and delicious option.
Instant Pot Green Bean Casserole Recipe
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Equipment
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1 pressure cooker
Ingredients
Instructions
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If adding fresh bacon: Lightly spray the inside of your Instant Pot with non-stick spray. Dice the bacon into small pieces. Select the “Sauté” function and cook the bacon until it is lightly browned and crispy. Carefully drain most of the rendered grease, leaving a small amount for flavor if desired. Alternatively, use 1/2 cup of pre-cooked bacon bits and skip this step. Turn off the Instant Pot and deglaze the pot by adding a splash of broth and scraping any browned bits from the bottom.
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If not adding bacon: Set the pressure cooker to “Sauté” mode. Add the butter and allow it to melt. Once melted, add the diced onion and minced garlic. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper, and cook for approximately 2 minutes until softened and fragrant.
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Add the sliced mushrooms to the pot and continue to sauté until they have released their juices and the liquid has mostly evaporated. Stir in the flour and mix thoroughly, ensuring all ingredients are well combined and the flour is fully incorporated.
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Pour in the chicken broth and half & half (or heavy cream). Stir continuously until the mixture is well combined and smooth. Allow the sauce to gently simmer, stirring occasionally, until it begins to thicken to a gravy-like consistency.
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Finally, add the frozen green beans to the pot and give everything a good stir to coat the beans with the creamy sauce. Secure the pressure cooker lid and ensure the vent is sealed.
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Cook on the “Pressure Cook” function (or “Manual” on older models) at high pressure for 5 minutes. Once cooking is complete, perform a quick release of the pressure.
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To further thicken the casserole if desired, set the pot to “Sauté” once again. Allow the mixture to gently bubble, letting some of the liquid evaporate and the sauce thicken. For an even thicker consistency, whisk 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with a small amount of hot liquid from the pot until smooth, then stir this slurry back into the casserole. Continue to stir until the desired thickness is achieved.
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Remember that the casserole will naturally thicken more as it cools and sits, so avoid overdoing the cornstarch or flour in this final step.
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Serve your delicious Instant Pot green bean casserole immediately, generously topped with crispy fried onions!
Video
A video tutorial demonstrating the steps to make this Instant Pot Green Bean Casserole would be embedded here.
Nutrition
Calories: 151kcal,
Carbohydrates: 13g,
Protein: 3g,
Fat: 10g,
Saturated Fat: 5g,
Cholesterol: 14mg,
Sodium: 553mg,
Potassium: 273mg,
Fiber: 2g,
Sugar: 3g,
Vitamin A: 535IU,
Vitamin C: 11.3mg,
Calcium: 43mg,
Iron: 0.9mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should only be used as an approximation.
Additional Information
