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.
Green Bean 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.
Lauren bakka
My favorite dish on the holiday table is my grandmother’s cranberry jello salad. She taught me how to make it before she died and now I make it every year for my family in her honor.
heather s
I like cornbread stuffing
Susan Taylor
My moms Caramel cake. She always makes for Thanksgiving and Christmas. A family favorite
dona lewispearce
my stuffing never turns out good, I use prepackagedd
Stephanie Liske
I love Mashed Potatoes.
AMBER CARROLL
my grandma turkey was the best at thanksgiving! may she RIP
Aaron
My favorite dish on the holiday dinner table is yams. I have no fun memories.
Sharon Yarrell
Sweet potato casserole is my favorite.
Tim
My favorite is cornbread stuffing. Bread stuffing is okay if that is all you have, but cornbread stuffing has a unique flavor that makes it superior!!
Tina
My favorite use to be green bean casserole. But my daughter developed a mushroom allergy. I have tried to make versions substituting the mushrooms but it just doesn’t taste the same. Now my favorite is an orange cranberry bread.
Annmarie Weeks
For as many years as I can remember, green bean casserole was always the holiday dish that I made for wherever we had dinner. And now that holidays are at our house, I still always make green bean casserole! (But my favorite is actually stuffing. I am ALL about the stuffing!)
kelly woods
I love the desserts and leftover turkey to make turkey sandwiches. Yum, yum
Linda Everson
Sweet potato pie.
Helen
My grandma’s homemade dressing and macaroni and cheese are my all time favorites on Thanksgiving. They both taste so good it is too hard to choose between them.
Helga
My favorite dish is stuffing. My hubby makes a great stuffing every Thanksgiving.
Suzanne Denys
Mom used to make the best mashed potatoes and mashed turnips. Yum!
Cassandra Aubut
Pumpkin rolls!
Jenny Scheldberg
I love mashed potatoes with Alton Brown’s red wine gravy.
Corey Olomon
My favorite is Pumpkin Pie. My mother made it every year.
Allyson Tice
My favorite holiday dish is pierogies! WE all get together a week before Christmas and make them..its our family tradition1