Green Bean Casserole (2024)

Published: November 27, 2019 · Modified: Aug 20, 2023 by John Kanell

No holiday table is complete without a classic green bean casserole. Crisp-tender green beans, creamy mushroom sauce, and an addictively crunchy onion topping — what’s not to love? Plus, this stress-free, simple Thanksgiving side dish is ready in well under an hour.

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This homemade green bean casserole recipe deserves its place among other classic Thanksgiving dishes like roast turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and pumpkin pie. And for good reason! It feels like a holiday meal just isn’t complete without those tender green beans coated in a creamy sauce and topped with crispy, salty fried onions.

This green bean casserole with fresh green beans is one of my favorite recipes. It’s a delicious crowd-pleaser, it is an absolute cinch to whip up (seriously, it’s ready in about 40 minutes), and it is versatile enough to serve with a variety of different dishes.

If you’ve ever struggled through soggy, runny green bean casserole, you need to try this recipe. I use fresh green beans instead of canned for superior texture, and the thick cream of mushroom soup guarantees a creamy, never runny, casserole.

What You Need to Make This Recipe

Green beans — you can use fresh green beans or thawed-out frozen green beans. Avoid canned green beans as they are mushy.

Cream of mushroom soup — store-bought canned soup works just fine, but if you have some time, whip up a batch of my homemade cream of mushroom soup.

Soy sauce — adds umami and some depth to this casserole recipe.

French fried onions — do not skip this salty, crunchy topping. It makes the casserole extra special!

How to Make Green Bean Casserole

1. Add green beans to a pot of salted boiling water and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until tender and bright green.

2. Remove the beans with a slotted spoon and immediately drop them into a bowl of ice and water. This stops the cooking process. Leave them in the ice water for a couple of minutes before draining in a colander.

3. Make the creamy mushroom sauce by mixing together cream of mushroom soup, milk, soy sauce, salt, and black pepper.

4. Stir the green beans into the sauce and mix until the beans are well coated.

5. Spoon the mixture into a casserole dish. Bake in a 350°F heated oven for about 30 minutes, until the green bean mixture is just starting to bubble around the edges. Remove the baking dish from the oven and stir.

6. Sprinkle the crispy fried onions evenly over the top. Return the casserole dish to the oven and bake for another 5 minutes, until the onions are golden brown.

Pro Tips for Making This Recipe

Blanch the green beans. For vibrant, crisp-tender green beans, blanch them by boiling them for just a few minutes (2 or 3 minutes will do) and immediately dropping them into a bowl of ice water. The beans will be cooked but will have a nice bite to them instead of being too soft.
Switch out the soup for a twist. While this easy recipe is for a classic green bean casserole, you can easily add your own spin by changing up the sauce. You can use cream of chicken soup or cream of celery instead. Or, make a simple white sauce with milk and chicken broth and add some cheddar cheese. There are so many ways to make this recipe your own!
Don’t skip the crunchy fried onion topping! Crispy onions add texture, saltiness, and delightful crunch to the dish. It is arguably the signature ingredient of this classic casserole, and definitely a favorite.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are canned or fresh green beans better for casserole?

Without a doubt, fresh green beans are what you need for the best green bean casserole. Canned green beans, while a convenient time-saver, become mushy and tasteless, which can lead to a soggy casserole. Blanched fresh green beans are tender but crisp, the perfect texture! If you are short on time and don’t want to trim and cut fresh green beans, simply buy a bag of frozen green beans. Thaw them out and blanch them as instructed in the recipe.

Can you make it ahead of time?

Make-ahead dishes are a must during the holidays! Luckily, this recipe for green bean casserole is easy to make a day or two in advance. Make the green bean and creamy mushroom sauce mixture and add it to the casserole dish. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate. When you’re ready to bake it, allow the mixture to come to room temperature and then bake. Remember, don’t add the fried onions until the very end as they will become soggy in the fridge.

How do I store leftovers?

Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can easily reheat it in the microwave.

Can you freeze it?

You can freeze green bean casserole. Prepare the casserole (minus the crispy onion topping) and either freeze it in a freezer-safe container or in the baking dish, wrapped well with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking. You may need to add 5 to 10 minutes to the baking time to account for the fact that the mixture will be cold going into the oven, versus room temperature.

If you love this recipe try these out!

Turkey Casserole
Sweet Potato Casserole
Baked Mac and Cheese
Corn Casserole
Chicken Casserole

If you’ve tried this recipe then don’t forget to leave a rating and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!

5 from 10 votes

Green Bean Casserole

Must-try green bean casserole that is so easy to make! This quick side dish is the perfect way to round out your holiday table. Serve it with other traditional recipes like roasted turkey, stuffing, and fluffy dinner rolls.

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Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Calories 106kcal

Author John Kanell

Video

Ingredients

▢ 1 pound cut green beans (fresh and trimmed, or frozen and defrosted) (454g)
▢ 1 (10.5-ounce/298g) can cream of mushroom soup
▢ ¼ cup whole milk (60mL)
▢ 2 teaspoons soy sauce
▢ ¾ teaspoon ground black pepper
▢ ¼ teaspoon salt
▢ ¾ cup crispy French fried onions (45g)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Fill a large bowl with ice water, and set aside.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium-high. Add the green beans, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and bright green, 2 to 3 minutes.
Using a slotted spoon, remove the green beans from the boiling water, and place them in the ice bath. Let stand until completely cooled, about 2 minutes. Drain well.
In a large bowl, stir together the mushroom soup, milk, soy sauce, pepper, and salt until well combined. Stir in the cooled green beans until evenly coated. Place the mixture in a 1½-quart casserole dish.
Bake until heated through and just starting to bubble on the edges, about 30 minutes. Stir the mixture then sprinkle the top with the fried onions in an even layer. Continue baking until the onions are browned, about 5 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes before serving.

Notes

Blanch the green beans. For vibrant, crisp-tender green beans, blanch them by boiling them for just a few minutes (2 or 3 minutes will do) and immediately dropping them into a bowl of ice water. The beans will be cooked but will have a nice bite to them instead of being too soft.
Switch out the soup for a twist. While this easy recipe is for a classic green bean casserole, you can easily add your own spin by changing up the sauce. You can use cream of chicken soup or cream of celery instead. Or, make a simple white sauce with milk and chicken broth and add some cheddar cheese. There are so many ways to make this recipe your own!
Don’t skip the crunchy fried onion topping! Crispy onions add texture, saltiness, and delightful crunch to the dish. It is arguably the signature ingredient of this classic casserole, and definitely a favorite.

Nutrition

*Nutrition Disclaimer

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