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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.
Angelica
My favorite dish on the holiday table is bacon wrapped brussel sprouts. We have to make at least two dishes of them because they’re gone in like two seconds. No fun memories of sprouts but I do think fondly of the turkey noodle soup my grandma always made the day after Thanksgiving. Making and eating it is my favorite memory of her.
Surinder gurm
Potatoes- mashed, roasted or scalloped
Alyce Poalillo
My favorite holiday dish is the dressing or stuffing. It is the only time we have it and of course all the butter in it doesn’t hurt either!
Nycole
My favorite dish is mashed potatoes w/gravy.
Ron Jones
Fave holiday dish is traditional dressing (stuffing.) My grandmother fretted every holiday dinner that she had either put too much sage into it, or conversely, not enough. It became an annual source of goodnatured humor and I miss that grandmother very much.
Rebecca Weiss
I love to make homemade cranberry sauce instead of using canned. The taste is so much better, and it pairs beautifully with the turkey!
Laurie Nykaza
I love the green bean casserole my mom always makes it everyone loves eating it every year.
Laurie Nykaza
I love the green bean casserole my mom always makes it everyone loves eating it every year.
Denise B.
My favorite dish would probably be the sausage stuffing.
Melissa Storms
I make 2 stuffings for Thanksgiving one is my mothers corn bread stuffing and the other is my late mother in laws sausage and caper stuffing. Both are wonderful and bring back a lot of family memories for both my husband and myself.
Janna
My absolute favorite dish on thanksgiving has always been dressing. Green bean casserole is a close second, and if not done right is inedible. Gonna try this though, because I can no longer eat the soup you make it with!
K. Lyons
I have to have homemade stuffing on my table.
Michelle Tucker
My favorite dish is actually green bean casserole. It has been ever since I was young. It’s not thanksgiving without it.
theresa norris
I love the cornbread dressing.
Alicia
I prefer cream of celery instead of cream of mushroom for this dish. 🙂
ae minx
I just love homemade potato rolls
Jessica Staley
I love green bean casserole and this recipe looks amazing. Definitely going to make and will let you know how my family likes it
Sadie Echols
I make tiramisu for Thanksgiving!
Tiffany Banks
green bean casserole and stuffing have always been my favorite
Kim Cowgar
my mom’s sweet potato casserole was my favorite. Always loved helping her with that yummy marshmallow/brown sugar topping