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This Easy Green Bean Casserole is the best of both worlds: fresh, crisp-tender green beans and sautéed mushrooms for great texture and flavor, with creamy condensed mushroom soup keeping things simple. Top it all with crispy fried onions and you have the classic holiday side everyone expects, just fresher, creamier and so easy to make.
Table of Contents
- Kellie’s Note Fresh Is Best
- Why You’ll Love This Easy Green Bean Casserole
- Ingredients For Green Bean Casserole
- Fresh, Frozen or Canned Green Beans
- How To Make Green Bean Casserole
- Tips for the Best Green Bean Casserole
- Make Ahead, Storage and Reheating
- What is Green Bean Casserole?
- How To Make Green Bean Casserole in Advance
- Variations
- Crock Pot Green Bean Casserole
- More Easy Thanksgiving Recipes
- What to Serve with Green Bean Casserole
- Green Bean Casserole Recipe
Kellie’s Note
Fresh Is Best
I grew up with the classic green bean casserole, but I was never a fan of beans that were so soft they practically disappeared into the sauce. After making it more times than I can count, fresh green beans became my go-to. They stay bright and tender with just enough bite, while the condensed soup gives me that nostalgic creamy sauce without making Thanksgiving dinner another full-time job.
This Green Bean Casserole is a staple on our holiday table and I hope it becomes part of your holiday menu, too.
Why You’ll Love This Easy Green Bean Casserole
- Fresh but still easy. Fresh green beans give the casserole better texture while condensed mushroom soup keeps prep simple.
- Extra mushroom flavor. Fresh mushrooms, onion and garlic are sautéed before baking instead of simply being stirred into the casserole.
- Make-ahead friendly. Assemble it up to 48 hours in advance and add the crispy onions just before baking.
- Holiday classic. It’s right at home next to turkey, ham, mashed potatoes and stuffing.
- That crispy topping. The fried onions go on near the end so they stay golden and crunchy.
Ingredients For Green Bean Casserole
The ingredient list is simple, but a few fresh additions make this classic casserole taste so much better.
- Fresh Green Beans – Fresh is my favorite because they stay crisp-tender after baking. Frozen or canned beans can work in a pinch, but the finished texture will be softer.
- Olive Oil – For sautéing the vegetables. Avocado oil or butter also works.
- Sweet Onion – Adds a little sweetness to the creamy mushroom sauce. Yellow onion is a good substitute.
- Fresh Mushrooms – White button mushrooms work perfectly, but cremini mushrooms are great, too. You can leave them out if mushrooms aren’t your thing.
- Garlic – Fresh garlic adds another layer of savory flavor.
- Cream of Mushroom Soup – This is my favorite shortcut for that classic creamy sauce. Homemade cream of mushroom soup works, or use cream of chicken if you don’t like mushrooms.
- Milk and Sour Cream – Make the sauce extra creamy. Plain Greek yogurt can be swapped for the sour cream.
- Nutmeg and Cayenne – A little of each gives the sauce more depth and a subtle kick without making it spicy.
- Kosher Salt – Seasons the casserole throughout.
- French Fried Onions – The crunchy, salty topping that makes this classic so good. Don’t add them until near the end of baking so they stay crispy.
Fresh, Frozen or Canned Green Beans
I prefer fresh green beans because they stay bright and crisp-tender even after the casserole goes into the oven.
- Fresh: Blanch briefly, transfer to ice water and drain well before assembling the casserole.
- Frozen: They work well when fresh beans aren’t available. Cook only until just tender and drain thoroughly so excess moisture doesn’t water down the sauce.
- Canned: Drain very well and skip the blanching step. They’ll give you a softer, more traditional green bean casserole texture.
How To Make Green Bean Casserole
- Blanch the beans. Cook the green beans in boiling salted water for 1–2 minutes, just until bright green. Transfer immediately to ice water, drain well and set aside.
- Cook the onion. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5–6 minutes.
- Add the mushrooms. Cook until golden brown, about 3–4 minutes.
- Add the garlic. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Remove the skillet from the heat.
- Make the sauce. Whisk together the cream of mushroom soup, milk, sour cream, nutmeg, cayenne and salt.
- Assemble. Combine the green beans, mushroom mixture and creamy sauce. Transfer to the prepared baking dish.
- Bake. Bake at 425°F for 20 minutes, or until the sauce is thickened and bubbling.
- Add the crispy onions. Sprinkle evenly over the casserole and return it to the oven for another 5–7 minutes, until golden brown.
- Serve. Let it sit for a few minutes, then serve warm.
Tips for the Best Green Bean Casserole
- Don’t overcook the beans. You’re only blanching them at first—they’ll continue cooking in the oven.
- Dry the beans well. Excess water is one of the easiest ways to end up with a thin, watery casserole.
- Brown the mushrooms. Let them sit in the skillet long enough to develop some color instead of constantly stirring them.
- Keep the onions for last. Adding them near the end of baking keeps them crispy instead of soggy.
- Watch the topping. Fried onions can go from golden to too-dark quickly, so keep an eye on them during the final few minutes.
- Look for bubbles. The casserole is done when the sauce is hot and bubbling around the edges and the topping is golden brown.
Make Ahead, Storage and Reheating
- Make Ahead: Assemble the casserole up to 48 hours in advance, but leave off the crispy fried onions. Cover tightly and refrigerate. Remove it from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before baking, add the topping when directed and bake according to the recipe.
- Storage: Store leftover green bean casserole in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2–3 days.
- Reheating: Reheat individual portions in the microwave or warm the casserole in a 350°F oven until heated through. A small handful of fresh crispy onions added before reheating can bring back some of the crunch.
- Freezing: I don’t recommend freezing green bean casserole. The creamy sauce can separate after thawing and the fried onion topping loses its crisp texture.
What is Green Bean Casserole?
This recipe is very similar to the Campbell’s Green Bean Casserole recipe except I don’t use soy sauce or a few other additions that they include. Baked until bubbling then topped with crispy onions, this recipe will be a staple at your holiday table to. You can make this easy casserole without breaking the bank, too.
This easy Green Bean Casserole recipe is now a staple for every holiday….not just Thanksgiving. You can find this on our table for Easter, Christmas, New Year’s Eve and more.
How To Make Green Bean Casserole in Advance
To make green bean casserole ahead of time, you can assemble the whole casserole with the exception of the crispy onions and store in the refrigerator covered tightly with plastic wrap.
Remove the casserole from the refrigerator approximately 30 minutes before baking, remove the plastic wrap and bake according to the recipe instructions.
Variations
Sometimes we like to mix things up and make the Best Green Bean Casserole even better.
- Bacon – Crispy bacon is fantastic mixed into your green bean casserole before baking or sprinkling on top with the crispy onions!
- Gluten-Free – Use a certified gluten-free condensed cream of mushroom soup and gluten-free crispy fried onions. Check the labels on all packaged ingredients before serving.
- Cheese – Make your green bean casserole with cheese by mixing in shredded cheddar cheese before baking. You could also add gruyere, mozzarella, goat cheese, parmesan cheese or jalapeno cheese for a little kick to mix things up, too.
Crock Pot Green Bean Casserole
Sometimes we run out of space in the oven and need to pull out all the small kitchen appliances. Thankfully, this Green Bean Casserole can be made in the slow cooker, too!
Simply follow the instructions up to the transfer to a baking dish and, instead, add to the Crock Pot. Cook your casserole on high for 3-4 hours and top with the french fried onions 30 minutes before the cooking time is done. SO EASY!
More Easy Thanksgiving Recipes
- Green Beans Almondine
- Easy Homemade Cranberry Sauce
- The Best Mashed Potatoes
- Turkey Gravy
- Sweet Potato Casserole
- Roasted Acorn Squash with Gingersnap and Sage
- Cheesy Creamed Spinach Gratin
What to Serve with Green Bean Casserole
- The Best Roast Turkey
- Crock Pot Ham with Pineapple Brown Sugar Glaze
- Honey Butter Roasted Turkey Breast
- Crockpot Turkey Breast
- The Best Beef Tenderloin Roast
- Cornbread Stuffed Turkey Roulade
For more easy side dish ideas, follow us on Instagram and Facebook!
Green Bean Casserole Recipe
Equipment
- 1 13×9 inch baking dish
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh green beans, stems trimmed
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 large sweet onion, diced
- 4 ounces white mushrooms, sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 10.5 ounce can cream of mushroom soup
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
- 1 cup French Fried Onions
- cooking spray, for coating the baking dish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the green beans. Cook the beans for 1-2 minutes or until bright green in color.
- Transfer the beans to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking and drain. Set aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the onion to the pan and cook until softened, approximately 5-6 minutes.
- Add the mushrooms to the onions and cook until golden brown, approximately 3-4 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic and continue cooking for another minute. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the soup, milk, sour cream, nutmeg, cayenne and salt.
- Combine the green beans, mushrooms and soup mixture in a bowl, stirring to combine.
- Transfer the green bean mixture to a baking dish coated with cooking spray and transfer to the oven.
- Bake the casserole for 20 minutes or until the sauce is thickened and bubbling.
- Sprinkle the onions over the top of the casserole and bake for an additional 5-7 minutes or until golden brown.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Can I use canned green beans instead of fresh?
Yes. Drain the canned green beans very well and skip the blanching step. The finished casserole will have a softer, more traditional texture than one made with fresh green beans.
Can I use frozen green beans?
Yes. Cook them only until just tender, then drain and dry them well before assembling the casserole. Too much water can thin the creamy mushroom sauce.
Why is my green bean casserole watery?
The most common culprit is excess moisture. Drain and dry the green beans thoroughly after blanching, and cook the mushrooms until they’ve released most of their moisture before assembling the casserole.
Can I make green bean casserole the night before?
Absolutely. Assemble the casserole without the crispy onion topping, cover tightly and refrigerate for up to 48 hours. Remove it from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before baking and add the onions when directed.
Can you freeze green bean casserole?
I don’t recommend it. The creamy sauce can separate after thawing and the crispy onion topping tends to become soft instead of crunchy.
How do you reheat green bean casserole?
Reheat individual servings in the microwave or warm the casserole in a 350°F oven until hot throughout. Add a few fresh crispy onions before serving if the original topping has softened.
Can I double this Green Bean Casserole recipe?
Yes. For more even baking, divide a double batch between two casserole dishes rather than making one extra-deep casserole. If you’re baking both at once, allow a little additional time and use the bubbling sauce in the center as your doneness cue.
Can I make Green Bean Casserole in the slow cooker?
Yes. Prepare the casserole as directed through assembly, then transfer it to the slow cooker. Cook on HIGH for 3–4 hours and add the crispy fried onions during the last 30 minutes.
What can I substitute for sour cream?
Plain Greek yogurt is the easiest substitute. It keeps the sauce creamy and adds a similar light tang.
How do I know when Green Bean Casserole is done?
The sauce should be hot, thickened and bubbling around the edges, and the fried onions should be golden brown and crisp.
This recipe is easy to make and delicious. It has a little kick which my family loved.
Can some crisp crumbled bacon be added to the green bean casserole? And, can you leave out the sour cream ? I have never developed a taste for sour cream. If so, what can I use instead?
Yes, you can add bacon, and the sour cream would have to be replaced with something like greek yogurt. I don’t love sour cream either but you can’t really taste it in the dish.
This is probably over, but I’ll try anyway.
I like their gluten-free products like Kirkwood Ground Turkey and Fit & Active Lightly Salted Rice Cakes
It is Jennai but I’ll have another giveaway later this week! Be sure to keep an eye out! 🙂
I love that there’s an Aldi right down the street from me and I can make a quick stop on the way home. Aldi canned green beans are my all time favorite.
Thanks, Susan! I’m a green bean fan, myself!