Want to know my secret for making the absolute best green bean casserole? Trade the canned green beans for fresh! I tested this recipe with fresh, frozen, and canned, and found that this one simple swap adds a lovely crispness and natural sweetness this side dish often lacks. Don’t worry—a creamy mushroom sauce and crunchy French fried onion topping are still on proud display as well. Plus, this easy green bean casserole recipe is super fast to prep and it can be assembled in advance! Then, simply pop it in the oven when you’re ready to serve it.
A reader, Jordan, says: “So delicious! We used fresh green beans which made such a difference compared to so many mushy green bean casseroles I’ve had before…I added breadcrumbs on top for more texture and white cheddar to the sauce and topping— it really took it to the next level.” ★★★★★
Table of Contents
- Easy Green Bean Casserole Ingredients
- Use Fresh Green Beans For The Best Texture
- Can I Use Homemade Soup?
- Dietary Adaptations and Flavor Variations
- How To Make Ahead
- Pro Tips For Making The Best Green Bean Casserole
- How To Make Green Bean Casserole
- Can I Make This In A Slow Cooker?
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More Thanksgiving Recipes To Try
Easy Green Bean Casserole Ingredients
These are the main ingredients you need to make the best green bean casserole recipe. You can find the full list of ingredients and measurements in the recipe card below.
Cut green beans — feel free to use either fresh or frozen. If you want to use fresh but don’t want to fuss with trimming your green beans, thin French green beans (or haricots verts) are the way to go—they can be cut without removing the ends. Short on time? Frozen green beans are already trimmed and cut, and they have a fresh flavor and crispness, making them superior to canned green beans even when you need to speed up prep.
Condensed cream of mushroom soup — canned soup is the easiest way to achieve a perfectly thick and creamy sauce. If you have a bit of extra time, try using my homemade cream of mushroom soup to fully make this green bean casserole from scratch. Instructions on how to make the switch are below!
Whole milk — using whole milk ensures the creamiest results. Only have 2%? Add a splash of cream to your measuring cup before adding the milk for an extra dose of fat.
Crispy fried onions — these buttery, salty, crispy toppers are arguably the most important piece of the recipe! I typically use store-bought French-fried onions, though you can make your own if you prefer.
Use Fresh Green Beans For The Best Texture
I tested this recipe with three types of green beans— fresh, frozen, and canned— and found using fresh green beans gave the green bean casserole the best texture. Starting with fresh, then blanching them, baked tender green beans that stayed slightly crisp instead of turning mushy like the canned beans. Plus, they will have the best flavor and a vibrant green color.
Frozen worked very well, too, because they are essentially flash-frozen fresh green beans. Note that if you use frozen, you don’t need to defrost them first, but they will take a little bit longer to cook in the boiling water.
Can I use canned green beans? You can use canned green beans if you prefer, but the texture will be much softer. Just be sure to drain and rinse them well to remove excess salt, and skip the blanching step since they are already cooked.
Can I Use Homemade Soup?
To make a fully from-scratch green bean casserole, trade the canned condensed soup for homemade. Here’s how:
Use 2 cups of homemade cream of mushroom soup in place of the canned soup, milk, and seasonings. Before adding the blanched green beans, we need to warm and thicken the homemade soup. Add it to a medium saucepan. Whisk in 2 tablespoons of flour and heat it on the stove over medium heat until bubbling and thickened. Combine with the green beans and season to taste, then proceed with the casserole recipe as written!
Dietary Adaptations and Flavor Variations
My recipe for a classic green bean casserole is easily adaptable to certain dietary restrictions or if you want to jazz up the flavor profile. Here are some easy ways to vary it:
- Gluten-free: Check the canned soup labels to ensure you use a gluten-free version. Some use flour as a thickener.
- Dairy-free: Use a vegan canned cream of mushroom soup. There are several brands available, and may be labeled slightly different, like calling it “mushroom bisque” instead.
- Use other soup flavors: If you don’t like mushrooms, swap in cream of chicken or cream of celery soup.
- Add herbs. I recommend stirring in about a tablespoon of chopped fresh thyme or chopped fresh rosemary or a teaspoon of dried rubbed sage to the creamy casserole sauce before adding the green beans. You can also garnish with more herbs before serving.
- Add cheese. Stir in 1 cup of freshly shredded white cheddar, fontina, smoked gouda, or gruyere with the green bean mixture for an indulgent twist. Right before you add the crunchy onions, sprinkle on about ½ cup of extra shredded cheese for a bubbly topping.
- Add umami: You can reduce the salt to ¼ teaspoon and add 2 teaspoons of soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, or miso paste for added umami punch.
How To Make Ahead
Get a jump-start on your holiday menu by prepping this green bean casserole up to 2 days in advance. This is especially helpful if you’re serving an array of side dishes, like mashed potatoes and stuffing, that need to be prepped right before baking. Here’s how to do it:
Make the filling and place it in the casserole dish without the topping (Steps 1-5). Cover well and chill for up to 2 days. Remove the casserole from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking to take the chill off; preheat your oven during this time. Uncover, then bake as directed, adding the onions after stirring. I like to pop it in the oven after my roasted turkey is done and resting before carving.
Pro Tips For Making The Best Green Bean Casserole
Don’t skip the ice bath. After quickly boiling the green beans, you want to quickly stop them from cooking so they maintain a crisp bite while being cooked a second time in the oven. Make sure to add plenty of ice to the water, as the latent heat will quickly increase the temperature of your ice bath.
Scale the recipe to feed a crowd. This homemade green bean casserole can easily be scaled up as needed. When doubling the recipe, you have two choices—either divide the mixture into two pans and bake as instructed, or bake it all together in a 9×13 baking dish, large skillet, or 3-quart casserole dish and increase the bake time by about 15 minutes.
How To Make Green Bean Casserole
Below, I’ve highlighted portions of the recipe in step-by-step process images along with instructions for making homemade green bean casserole. You can find the full set of instructions in the recipe card below.
1. 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.
2. Remove the green beans from the boiling water with a slotted spoon and place them in the ice bath. Let stand until completely cooled, about 2 minutes, then drain well.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the mushroom soup, milk, black pepper, and salt until well combined.
4. Stir the cooled green beans into the creamy sauce mixture, mixing until the beans are evenly coated.
5. Place the mixture in a 1½-quart casserole dish. Bake until heated through and just starting to bubble on the edges, about 30 minutes.
6. Stir the green beans, then sprinkle the top with the french-fried onions in an even layer. Continue baking until the onions are golden brown, about 5 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes before serving.
Green Bean Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound cut green beans (fresh and trimmed, or frozen) (454g)
- 1 (10.5-ounce/298g) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
- ¼ cup whole milk (60mL)
- ¾ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1½ teaspoons 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, 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
- Want to add extra flavor? Chop 1 small yellow onion and 2 to 3 cloves of garlic. Cook in a little bit of butter for about 5 to 6 minutes over medium heat to soften, then add to the green bean mixture. Or, add ½ to 1 teaspoon each of garlic powder or onion powder.
- You can double the recipe to feed a larger crowd. Bake it in a 9×13-inch casserole dish and note that the bake time may increase by 10 to 15 minutes with the added volume.
Nutrition
Can I Make This In A Slow Cooker?
Absolutely! Prepare the fresh green bean casserole filling as directed in Steps 1-4, then place it in your slow cooker. Cook on low for about 4 hours, stirring occasionally. When ready to serve, just sprinkle the onions on top! You could also transfer the filling to a baking dish before adding the crispy onions, then bake at 350ºF for 5 minutes if you want a little extra color.
Frequently Asked Questions
Allow any leftovers to cool completely to room temperature, then cover well with plastic wrap or transfer to an airtight container. If possible, use oven-safe containers and try to keep the crunchy onions on top—while they’ll soften in storage, you can get them to crisp back up a bit in the oven. Leftovers will keep well in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Reheat leftovers in a 300ºF oven for about 15 minutes or until heated through. You can also microwave individual portions, though you may want to add some extra onions before serving for a crunchy topping.
Yes! Baked green bean casserole can be frozen for up to 3 months. Palace in a freezer-safe baking dish, tightly wrap it in plastic wrap and foil before freezing. Allow it to defrost overnight in the fridge. When ready to bake, remove the wrapping, cover it loosely with foil, then bake at 350ºF for about 30 minutes, or until heated through. Remove the foil, add the topping, and bake for another 5 minutes.
More Thanksgiving Recipes To Try
Complete your meal with one of these delicious recipes:
My super easy pumpkin pie is a must-have for Thanksgiving! You can even bake the pie up to two days in advance for helpful meal planning.
Fill your bread basket with slices of classic cornbread. You can bake this recipe in a skillet, cake pan, or make a variation and bake cornbread muffins!
Sweet potato casserole is the perfect side dish pairing with green bean casserole. Choose a pecan and streusel topping or go classic with toasted marshmallows!
My recipe for baked mac and cheese can be done two ways— baked in a casserole dish as written, or served after it’s cooked on the stove-top! This way, you can decide which side dish you prefer, all from one recipe.
This corn casserole is a super easy side dish to stir together, using cornbread mix, creamed corn, and whole corn kernels.
If you’ve tried this green bean casserole recipe, then don’t forget to rate it and let me know how you got on in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
Teri says
This is the definitive green bean casserole recipe! I love using a portion of the deep fried green beans in the casserole instead of dumping all of them over the top.
Holly Czapski says
I’m confused about the total amount of the fried onions. The onions that you put on top at the end, do they come out of the two cups the recipe calls for, or are they on top of the two cups? And if they are not part of the two cups, how much more onions do I put on top? Thank you, I just want to be sure to do it right since it looks like a great recipe.
jodie says
I hate cream of mushroom soup! For this recipe, I substitute mushrooms sautéed in fresh garlic mixed into sour cream and whipping cream. It is wonderful!
Brandie Johnsen says
Every Thanksgiving I try a new Classic Green Bean Casserole and I’ve yet to find one that’s a keeper until this one. Hands down the best we’ve had and my entire family agreed! 🙂 Thank you!!!
John K. says
Hey Brandie,
That is so nice to hear, thank you!! I LOVE this green bean casserole. I will thank my mother forever for this recipe!
Best,
John
Kenneth N.H. Augustson says
Question about the onions: do they have to be fried? Will it affect the taste much if I just brown them?
We are a norwegian couple and our daughter is American (born in the US), so we try to make a tradition of celebrating thanksgiving to honor her lineage. This must be the best blog I’ve found so far to pick up American cooking! Great work!
jkanell says
Thank you so much!! SO I love the adea of adding caramelized onions. The fried onions are crispy so if you don’t use them maybe top with fried breadcrumbs for some texture?
Karen Gaudette says
Are the green beans fresh or canned? If fresh, do you cut them up?
John K. says
Karen,
You can do either in this recipe! I used canned green beans that were chopped.
John
Ava says
Love the simplicity in this dish!
Wilkins says
Simple and easy to follow recipe. I know this casserole would be a hit at our house!