By Becky Hardin
Published Oct 31, 2023
Green Bean Casserole is one of those Thanksgiving recipes that I didn’t feel like I needed to reinvent. It’s absolutely perfect just the way it is, with green beans, cream of mushroom, crunchy fried onions, and some other awesome ingredients. This classic green bean casserole is exactly what you need for your next holiday meal!
What’s in This Green Bean Casserole Recipe?
Fresh green beans, cream of mushroom soup, and cheese make up the base of this classic green bean casserole recipe. But my secret ingredient for a super flavorful dish is soy sauce. It gives the whole thing a pop of savory flavor, and it really makes such a difference in the final result.
- Green Beans: I used fresh green beans in this recipe, and they made all the difference.
- Cream of Mushroom Soup : Makes the filling super rich, moist, and creamy.
- Dairy: Milk, half-and-half, or heavy cream can all be used interchangeably in this recipe to add moisture and richness.
- Soy Sauce: Low-sodium soy sauce adds a hit of umami flavor to the filling.
- Cheese: Cheddar cheese is the classic choice for this creamy casserole.
- Crispy Fried Onions: Add a great crunchy contrast. I used French’s .
Variations To Try
I love this vegetarian casserole. If you’re not strictly vegetarian, though, you can swap one or both cans of cream of mushroom for cream of chicken soup instead. Or try cream of celery! And if you like your food a little spicy, try using crispy fried jalapeños instead of onions!
How to Store and Reheat
I store leftover casserole tightly wrapped in plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven (covered with foil) for 20-25 minutes, or until warmed through.
How to Freeze
Freeze this classic green bean casserole tightly wrapped with 2 layers of plastic wrap and 1 layer of aluminum foil for up to 6 months. Reheat directly from frozen for 30-45 minutes, or until warmed through and crisp on top.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this classic green bean casserole as part of your Thanksgiving feast with turkey , gravy , mashed potatoes , stuffing , sweet potatoes , and a good roll .
Notes from the Test Kitchen
In a pinch, canned or frozen green beans will work, but I found the casserole to turn out much mushier when I tried it with either of those options. The crispy onions help create a contrast, but my whole family really preferred the overall texture with fresh beans.
Ingredients1x2x3x
- ▢ 2 tablespoons table salt
- ▢ 2 pounds fresh green beans ends trimmed; cut into 2-inch pieces
- ▢ 21 ounces cream of mushroom soup store-bought or homemade (2 cans)
- ▢ ¾ cup milk or half and half or heavy cream
- ▢ 1 teaspoon low-sodium soy sauce
- ▢ 2 cups freshly shredded cheddar cheese
- ▢ 6 ounces crispy fried onions divided (1 container) — French’s recommended
- ▢ Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Video
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F and adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Spray a 9×13-inch casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large Dutch oven, bring 4 quarts of water to boil.
- Add 2 tablespoons table salt and the prepared beans, stir, and cook the beans until barely crisp or soft (depending on personal preference), 7-10 minutes. 2 pounds fresh green beans, 2 tablespoons table salt
- While the beans cook, fill a large bowl with ice water and set aside.
- When the beans are ready, drain them in a colander and immediately plunge them into ice water to stop cooking.
- Once the beans have cooled, spread them over paper towels and pat them to dry.
- In a large bowl, combine the mushroom soup, milk, soy sauce, cheddar cheese, and 1 cup of crushed fried onions. 21 ounces cream of mushroom soup, ¾ cup milk, 1 teaspoon low-sodium soy sauce, 2 cups freshly shredded cheddar cheese, 6 ounces crispy fried onions
- Add the beans and stir to coat evenly. Season the bean/soup mixture with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Pour the green beans into the prepared dish.
- Bake 20 minutes at 425°F.
- Remove the beans from the oven, and reduce oven temperature to 350°F.
- Sprinkle the top of the beans, with the remaining 2 cups of fried onions and bake an additional 20-25 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the casserole is bubbly.
Equipment
- 9×13 Baking Pan
- Dutch Oven
Becky’s Tips
- You can use canned green beans in a pinch, but fresh really make this casserole pop.
- Take care not to overcook the green beans when blanching. They should still be firm!
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How to Make Green Bean Casserole Step by Step
Prep and Cook the Beans: Preheat your oven to 425°F and adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Spray a 9×13-inch casserole dish with nonstick spray and set aside. Trim 2 pounds of fresh green beans and cut them into 2-inch pieces. In a large Dutch oven, bring 4 quarts of water to boil. Add 2 tablespoons of table salt and the prepared beans, stir, and cook the beans until barely crisp or soft (depending on personal preference), 7-10 minutes.
Chill the Beans: While the beans cook, fill a large bowl with ice water and set aside. When the beans have finished cooking, drain them in a colander and immediately plunge them into ice water to stop cooking.
Dry The Beans: Once the beans have cooled, spread them over paper towels and pat them to dry.
Make the Sauce: In a large bowl, combine 21 ounces of cream of mushroom soup, ¾ cup of milk, 1 teaspoon of low-sodium soy sauce, 2 cups of freshly shredded cheddar cheese, and 1 cup of crushed fried onions.
Add the Beans: Add the beans to the sauce mixture and stir to coat evenly. Season the mixture with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
Bake the Beans: Pour the green bean mixture into the prepared baking dish and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.
Reduce the Temperature: Remove the casserole from the oven, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F, and sprinkle the top of the beans with the remaining 2 cups of fried onions. Continue to bake for an additional 20-25 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the casserole is bubbly.
Sure! Assemble the casserole, leaving the onions off the top, then cover with foil and refrigerate. When ready to bake, set the baking dish out at room temperature while the oven preheats.
To keep this casserole from getting mushy, make sure not to overcook your green beans. You want to blanch them for just a few minutes. If you like them more crisp, feel free to undercook them a little bit before adding them to the casserole.
If your casserole is runny, it’s likely that your beans were not properly dried. Be sure to pat them well with towels to dry as much as possible after blanching.
More Vegetable Recipes To Try
- Twice Baked Potatoes
- Baked Tomatoes with Cheese
- Smashed Potatoes
- Crockpot Sweet Potato Casserole
- Honey Glazed Carrots
- Loaded Scalloped Potatoes
- Crockpot Potatoes
- Creamed Green Beans
- … Browse all our Vegetable Recipes !
Green Bean Casserole Recipe
Equipment
- 9x13 Baking Pan
- Dutch Oven
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons table salt
- 2 pounds fresh green beans ends trimmed; cut into 2-inch pieces
- 21 ounces cream of mushroom soup store-bought or homemade (2 cans)
- ¾ cup milk or half and half or heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 cups freshly shredded cheddar cheese
- 6 ounces crispy fried onions divided (1 container) – French’s recommended
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F and adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Spray a 9x13-inch casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large Dutch oven, bring 4 quarts of water to boil.
- Add 2 tablespoons table salt and the prepared beans, stir, and cook the beans until barely crisp or soft (depending on personal preference), 7-10 minutes. 2 pounds fresh green beans, 2 tablespoons table salt
- While the beans cook, fill a large bowl with ice water and set aside.
- When the beans are ready, drain them in a colander and immediately plunge them into ice water to stop cooking.
- Once the beans have cooled, spread them over paper towels and pat them to dry.
- In a large bowl, combine the mushroom soup, milk, soy sauce, cheddar cheese, and 1 cup of crushed fried onions. 21 ounces cream of mushroom soup, ¾ cup milk, 1 teaspoon low-sodium soy sauce, 2 cups freshly shredded cheddar cheese, 6 ounces crispy fried onions
- Add the beans and stir to coat evenly. Season the bean/soup mixture with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Pour the green beans into the prepared dish.
- Bake 20 minutes at 425°F.
- Remove the beans from the oven, and reduce oven temperature to 350°F.
- Sprinkle the top of the beans, with the remaining 2 cups of fried onions and bake an additional 20-25 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the casserole is bubbly.
Video
Notes
- You can use canned green beans in a pinch, but fresh really make this casserole pop.
- Take care not to overcook the green beans when blanching. They should still be firm!
Nutrition
By Becky Hardin
Published Jul 12, 2017
This Essential Grocery List is an absolute life saver for my family on the busy weeks. When I started this journey to learn how to cook, I quickly realized that the first step in cooking is having staple ingredients on hand. I want to avoid having to run out to the grocery store every single time I prepare a new recipe. Having a well-stocked pantry has made my life in the kitchen so much simpler, because when it’s time to cook, I have what I need.
Essential Grocery List
It’s so helpful to have a basic grocery list to help me remember which foods to buy at the store. This food shopping list is my go-to!
It’s better to stock up on things like grains, seasonings and spices, baking essentials, oils, condiments, canned and frozen foods, etc. so I can just grab them when I need them. These things have a long shelf life , so I keep them in my kitchen for convenience.
However, I do have to go to the supermarket sometimes, and there’s a way to make that trip easy and hassle-free: I keep a grocery list! If I go in blindly, I’ll leave with things I don’t need, and nothing that actually helps me prepare a good meal.
In the list below, I’ve compiled everything I always have on my stock-up grocery list.
I’ve got you covered! I created an easy grocery list filled with all of the essentials. Plus there’s a free printable version that you can take with you to the grocery store. It has everything you need to stock your pantry, your freezer, and your refrigerator.
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List
What to Buy at the Grocery Store
This is the perfect grocery list filled with all the basics and essentials. It should help get you going if you’re new to cooking, or if you’re just left staring helplessly at an empty pantry and don’t know how to fill it.
When I first started cooking, things could seem overwhelming. I quickly realized that they more prepared I could be, the more confident I felt. If you already have the basics in your kitchen, then you can shop stress-free.
So print out our easy grocery list, stock up your pantry and fridge, and you’ll be cooking in no time!
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Fresh Produce
- Apples
- Bananas
- Strawberries
- Avocados
- Bell Peppers
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Garlic
- Lemons/Limes
- Onion
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Basil
- Potatoes
- Spinach
- Tomatoes
GRAINS
- Breadcrumbs
- Pasta
- Quinoa
- Rice
- Sandwich Bread
- Tortillas
MEAT/PROTEIN
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Ground Beef
- Sliced Turkey
- Lunch Meat
DAIRY
- Butter
- Sliced Cheese
- Shredded Cheese
- Milk
- Sour Cream
- Greek Yogurt
BAKING GOODS
- Baking powder
- Baking Soda
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Flour
- Honey
- Vanilla Extract
- Dry Yeast
- Chocolate Chips
- Cocoa Powder
- Powdered Sugar
FREEZER
- Fruit and Berries
- Frozen Veggies (Corn, Peas, Broccoli, etc)
- Juice Concentrate
- Pizza or Other Convenience Meals
- Pie Crust
- Cookie Dough
CANNED/DRIED GOODS
- Chicken stock/broth
- Salsa
- Diced Tomatoes
- Jam/Jelly
- Peanut Butter
- Pasta Sauce
- Beans (Black Beans, Chickpeas, Baked Beans, etc)
- Soups
- Tuna
- Green Chiles
- Canned Veggies
- Coffee or Tea
Get more details on the best non-perishable and pantry foods
CONDIMENTS/SPICES
- Black Pepper
- Chili Powder
- Cinnamon
- Crushed Red Pepper
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Mayo
- Nutmeg
- Paprika
- Salt (Course Sea Salt and Kosher Salt)
- Soy Sauce
- Steak Sauce
- Hot Sauce/ Buffalo Sauce
- Salad Dressings
OILS/VINEGARS
- Apple cider vinegar
- Balsamic vinegar
- Coconut Oil
- Olive Oil
- Vegetable/Canola Oil
- Red Wine Vinegar
- White Vinegar
- Cooking Wine
- White Wine Vinegar
SNACKS
- Crackers
- Nuts
- Quick Oats
- Popcorn
- Tortilla Chips
- Cereal
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Click ☝🏻 for my FREE Grocery List Printable!
I hope this essential grocery list can help you buy what you need and make your home cooking so much easier!
Stock Your Kitchen
Find more ideas for your grocery list, stock up your kitchen, and print more cooking guides and charts to keep handy!
Non-Perishable Foods to Stock Up On
Frozen Vegetables to Stock Up On (and Recipes to Make)
Ultimate List of Cooking Herbs for Your Kitchen
Ultimate List of Cooking Spices for Your Kitchen
Cooking Oil 101: Types of Cooking Oils to Use
26 Types of Pasta and When to Use Them
What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season?
Meat Temperature Chart (Free Printable)
How to Meal Prep (Guide for Beginners)
Basic Cooking Measurements & Kitchen Conversion Chart
