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The Classic Green Bean Casserole, but with no canned soup and fresh green beans, that everyone is expecting at the holidays, but I updated the classic casserole.
I decided to make it with fresh green beans and homemade cream of mushroom soup rather than the canned soup. And, oh my gosh, let me tell you, it’s the best Green Bean Casserole I’ve ever tasted!
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Please let me know if you have any questions about this recipe. I read all the comments myself and I try to help as soon as I can. I have readers from all levels of comfort and experience in the kitchen on my site, and I’ve tried to answer some of your questions already in the post. But if I’ve missed anything, please feel free to leave a comment and ask.
Recipe Notes
Green Bean Casserole is such a winner at the holidays, but it’s also great any time of year.
It’s at home on the Thanksgiving or Christmas table, and on the Sunday family night table.
And, it’s a side dish that everyone can agree on, even the kids.
The classic family casserole side dish is smooth and creamy with an unmatched flavor.
My version of the classic Green Bean Casserole recipe is made from scratch (well, except the canned friend onions, which are so tasty!).
I do admit that when I open a can of those fried onions I have to stop myself from eating too many straight out of the can.
Can I use canned green beans?
Yes, absolutely you can (no pun intended).
Canned green beans are so easy and so quick.
Just grab two cans (14.5 ounces each) of green beans and drain them.
Canned green beans have a bit of a different texture than fresh cooked ones.
I find fresh cooked ones to be a little firmer and crispier, with a bit of a fresher flavor.
Can I use frozen green beans?
This recipe will also work with frozen beans.
You’ll need about 16-20 ounces of frozen green beans, just thaw them before tossing them in the casserole.
Can I add cheese?
Many family recipes for the green bean casserole add cheese. And, if your family loves cheese in it, by all means, cheese it up.
Want to add cheese? Use about ½ cup for this recipe. I suggest Cheddar, Parmesan, Monterey jack, or Gruyere would all be lovely.
My family did not add cheese to the casserole, so that’s how I’ve left my recipe. Sans-cheese.
Can I make this ahead?
Absolutely! This is a great make-ahead casserole.
If you’d like to prep it ahead of time, just follow the recipe until you get to the part where you’ll bake it.
Instead of placing the casserole in the oven, cover the dish tightly with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Once you’re ready to bake the casserole, uncover, and bake according to the recipe.
I have leftovers, how do I keep them?
In case you have leftovers after the casserole has already been baked, just cover, and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
Then, to reheat the cooked casserole, just pop it back in the oven at 350° F until heated through, about 15-20 minutes.
Keep an eye on it as it reheats, and if the top starts to get too browned, just lay a piece of aluminum foil lightly over the top of the casserole.
You can also reheat it in the microwave for a minute, though it will lose some of the crispiness.
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Other great classic holiday side dishes you’ll love
Looking for more great vegetable side dished for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any day? Be sure to try my Mashed Potato Casserole, Creamed Spinach Gratin Casserole, and Corn Casserole.
Recipe
Green Bean Casserole
Ingredients
Cream of mushroom soup:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided use
- ½ large onion finely chopped
- 1 shallot finely chopped
- ½ cup finely chopped mushrooms
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ cup flour
- 1 cup milk
- ¾ cup vegetable broth
Casserole:
- 4 cups fresh green beans about 1.5 pounds
- ½ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 dash black pepper
- 6 ounces canned Fried Onions
Instructions
Make mushroom soup:
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and shallot and cook until onion has released its water and begins to brown, about 10 minutes.
- Add chopped mushrooms, and cook until mushrooms release their juices and the pan looks dry again, about 5-7 minutes. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil, garlic powder, and flour to pan. Cook for about 2 minutes. Slowly add milk, stirring as you add so that there are no lumps. Add broth.
- Reduce heat, and cook for 5 minutes to thicken the soup. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Make casserole:
- Preheat the oven to 350° F.
- Cut the green beans into 1 to 2-inch pieces. Bring a shallow pan of well-salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the beans, and cook for 5 – 7 minutes to blanch. Drain the cooked beans in a colander, and run cold tap water over the beans.
- Stir the homemade cream of mushroom soup, milk, soy sauce, black pepper, cooked green beans, and half of the can of fried onions in a casserole dish.
- Bake for 25 minutes or until the green bean mixture is hot and bubbling. Sprinkle the remaining onions over the top, and return the casserole to the oven for an additional 5 minutes, or until the onions are golden brown.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations, and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary based on brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes, and more.
Samantha Thomas
Oyster stuffing. We just try to avoid traditional holiday foods. We both like traditional but don’t love it. I found that out after 10+ years of making my husband traditional meals that he didn’t care for it either
jeremy mclaughlin
My favorite dish is the mashed potatoes.
Ed Jarosz
It wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without pumpkin pie. I love pumpkin pie throughout the holidays but I will always remember the leftover I had the day my daughter was born right after the new year.
Betty Curran
In the early years of my marriage I couldn’t cook very well. I found a recipe for candied yams on the side of a can and thought it looked easy enough for me. It turned out great and the glaze was truly so thick it was even crunchy in spots. It became a family favorite.
Amy Deeter
My favorite dish on the holiday dinner table is homemade stuffing.i remember making big batches with my grandparents and everyone would say it was the best stuffing they had
Lisa
I used to love making snowball cookies with my mom.
Candie L
I lI love dressing (or stuffing depending on how you call it). Thank you
Clayton
Christmas and thanksgiving are my favorite holidays. Thanks for all the giveaways and all the hard work you do on this blog!
Amanda Whitley
i love green bean casserole and every single thanksgiving my mom makes hers and it is so good. its the one thing no matter where we go my mom makes.
Beverly Metcalf
My favorite is the turkey and the stuffing. The first year my brother and his wife were married, she forgot to remove the giblets before she stuffed the turkey!
Donna Porter
My favorite dish is my moms dressing and gravy. It is so moist and delicious!
Philip Lawrence
My favorite dish on the holiday table is ambrosia salad. My best memory of that salad was my first time eating it when I realized that a salad is not always something green and healthy for me.
Molly
My favorite holiday dish is latkes.
Kristen Patton
I love butternut squash. I mash it like potatoes with a little butter and brown sugar.
Dawn Joz
I didn’t really grow up celebrating Thanksgiving and the first time I did was with my husbands family. I had never experienced people who held hands to pray and they asked me to say grace, and I had shoved a mouthful of mashed potatoes in my mouth. Deer in the headlights!
I love cheesy mashed potatoes!
Sand
My favorite is the biscochos. They used to be very seasonal but now, you can find them year round.
Trisha Musgrave
I love loe loe cheesy potatoes! My husband made them for me for the first time when we were dating. I have been hooked since!
Buddy Garrett
My favorite is Honey Glazed Ham. My father always made it.
Carolyn Daley
I like sweet potato casserole. It is like a dessert during dinner.
Rachel B
I love dressing it’s my favorite dish