by Holly
This Green Bean Casserole recipe is a classic holiday side dish you can’t miss out on. Tender green beans are tossed in a delicious creamy sauce, cheese, crispy onions, and baked with even more crispy onions until hot and bubbly.
This is the perfect side dish to serve along with your turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy!
The Best Green Bean Casserole
I love green bean casserole, and I make it for every holiday; Easter, Christmas, Thanksgiving, Wednesday dinner. During potlucks or holiday feasts, a classic green bean casserole recipe is as important to have on the table as Deviled Eggs or mashed potatoes. It is a staple around here!
The great thing about French’s green bean casserole is that it can be made ahead of time and reheated or prepared ahead of time and cooked before serving! This recipe takes almost no prep making it the easiest side dish ever!
Ingredients in Green Bean Casserole
- Green Beans: Green Bean Casserole starts with green beans (of course) and for this recipe, you can use fresh, frozen or canned. Canned will provide a softer casserole while fresh or frozen add have a bit more texture (and need more salt added to the recipe). If using fresh or frozen, cook your beans until tender-crisp, about 5 minutes for frozen and 8 minutes for fresh. You can skip the boiling for frozen green beans but I prefer the texture if they’ve cooked a bit first.
- Mushroom Soup: Campbell’s Green Bean Casserole has been a staple on every holiday table for as long as I can remember. The addition of the mushroom soup is what makes this recipe so easy (and is the base of the delicious sauce). If you can’t have mushrooms, any “cream of” soup will work just fine in this recipe!
- Crispy Onions: Crispy Fried Onions are essential to this dish (so much that it’s even sometimes known as French’s Green Bean Casserole)! If you’ve never had them, these onions are delish and great on all kinds of casseroles, burgers and more! They’re added both in and on this casserole!
- Cheddar Cheese: This is optional but adds so much to this dish and we love adding cheese in! Sharp cheddar has the most flavor!
How To Make Green Bean Casserole
There’s a reason this dish has been around for years, it’s simple. It’s delicious. Perfect in every way.
- Combine mushroom soup, milk, soy sauce and pepper (see recipe below).
- Mix with defrosted green beans, some crispy onions, and cheese.
- Top with more crispy onions and bake until golden and bubbly!
To Make Ahead of Time
This dish can be made up to 48 hours ahead of time. Prepare as directed except leave the crispy onion topping in a separate container so they don’t get soggy. I usually place them in a sealed sandwich bag right in the dish and sprinkle before baking.
Remove the dish from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before baking. If it’s really chilled, you may need to add up to 10 minutes extra cook time.
If you’re heading to someone else’s house for dinner, do everything except the last 10 minutes of baking and bring it along with you covered in tin foil! Top with crispy onions and bake until hot and bubbly!
How Long To Cook Green Bean Casserole
Green bean casserole only takes about 40 minutes and only 5 of that is prep! You can make green bean casserole up to a day in advance and keep it in the fridge until you bake it, saving you precious time during the rest of dinner prep. Keep in mind if your green bean casserole has been in the fridge, you will likely need to add some extra time!
While I do sometimes take the time to make a Fresh Green Bean Casserole from scratch, I have to admit, this recipe takes me back to childhood. I love the flavors and the simplicity!
More Turkey Dinner Side Dishes You’ll Love
- Sweet Potato Casserole – Classic casserole recipe!
- Easy Stuffing Recipe
- Corn Casserole – Easy favorite!
- Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Bacon
- Glazed Carrots
- The Best Mashed Potatoes – Turkey Day Staple!
Green Bean Casserole
Ingredients
- 10.5 oz Cream of Mushroom Soup
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 4 cups frozen cut green bean defrosted
- 1/4 teaspoon seasoning salt or to taste
- 1 1/2 cups Crispy Fried Onions
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese optional
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Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
If using fresh or frozen green beans, boil just until tender crisp.
- Combine soup, milk, soy sauce, pepper, green beans, 1 cup onions and cheese (if using) in a casserole dish.
- Bake uncovered for 30-35 minutes or bubbly.
- Remove from oven and stir. Top with remaining onions and return to oven for an additional 10 minutes or until golden.
Recipe Notes
- drain 2 (14.5 oz) cans green beans
- 1.5 lbs pounds fresh green beans, trimmed and cooked
(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.)
Original Recipe by Crispy Fried Onions
REPIN this Delicious Casserole
For an extra bump, look for the canned green beans with garlic, and if you can find it, the cream of mushroom soup with roasted garlic. It doesn’t end up like a garlic bomb, but it adds another layer of flavor – and only costs a few cents more!
I love this – so easy to prep, and such a warm, comfortable dish. Thank you!
Thank you for sharing this recipe. It was a hit on Thanksgiving day. Very delicious.
How many people will this receipt serve?
This recipe serves 8
Common mistake that ruins this for me is that you have to COOK the green beans first even the canned ones!!
I have never found the need to precook the canned beans as I find them quite soft already.
It says for fresh or frozen use that method not mentioning canned green beans.
Canned will be the same however the beans do not need to be cooked as they’re already soft.
Hello- where do i get the crispy onions from?
Hi Rohini, you can find them at your local grocery store, usually near the other salad toppings, bacon bits, and such items.
Hi Holly,
I am going to triple this recipe for a church potluck tomorrow. Should I triple everything including the soy sauce and salt? How much longer do you think it should be cooked? Love your site and recipes!! Thank you!!
I would triple all ingredients. You will need to cook it until the center is hot, I can’t say for sure how long. You might like to cook it a bit and then stir it and cook it a bit longer if it’s tripled.
I have seen the recipes using soy sauce and cheese but never tried them buy happy I made yours. Did use canned cut green beans, golden cream of mushroom soup and sharp cheddar cheese. Didnt have low salt soy sauce on hand so I didnt use extra salt, added some lemon pepper, my favorite, along with the regular black pepper and cheesey fried onions. The hubby adores green bean casserole and loved the addition of the cheese. My new go to recipe for green bean casserole! Made and reviewed for the What’s On The Menu recipe game.
So happy you loved it Lori! Those additions sound absolutely delicious!
love your recipes what is a good dessert for thanksgiving
Oh boy Vivian, where do I begin! You can never go wrong with the classic pumpkin pie. I also love this no-bake pumpkin cheesecake. There are so many great options, you will have to check out these Thanksgiving Desserts and let us know which one you choose!
At the very top of this recipe is says total time is 35mins where it’s 10 mins prep time and 25mins cook time (totaling the 35mins) but in the actual instructions it says to cook for 30-35mins, take out and top with onions and cook for an additional 10mins…..so which is correct? If the last is accurate that’s a total time of 50-55mins (factoring in 10 mins of prep) and cook time will be 40-45mins.
Sorry about that L, the recipe has been updated to reflect the correct cook times.
When making the green bean Cassorle a day ahead, do you still add the crispy onion that goes into the mixure? And save the topping for when ready to bake?
Yes, I add them in and then set aside the onions that go on top so they don’t get soggy.
What a disappointment. 3/4 of a casserole into the garbage. Made it for my wife and myself with Jolly Green Giant frozen beans. BIG mistake. Should have used canned beans. Followed recipe, cooking beans for 5 minutes. The only thing good was the fried onions on the top. The only expensive part was the cup of wasted chedder cheese.
I am so sorry that you did’t enjoy the casserole Bryan. Canned beans definitely give a softer texture. But, I am glad you enjoyed the fried onions, those are quite irresistible!
You mentioned above that if using fresh or frozen beans add salt.
I’m using frozen green beans so how much salt should I add?
Thanks! So eager to try out this easy recipe! :)
To taste, maybe 1/8th of a teaspoon to a 1/4 of a teaspoon depending on your preferences.
What size dish does this recipe fit it? I have a 4qt casserole dish and wasn’t sure if I need to double or triple the recipe. Thanks!
I usually cook this in a 2qt dish so a double recipe would likely be good for a 4qt dish. If you triple the recipe it may fit but might have trouble heating through so you might like to give it a stir part way through. Enjoy!
What a coincidence, since I planned to make it this coming Sunday, as one of the sides with a birthday dinner. I double the recipe (since everyone loves it). I use Heart Healthy Cr. of Mushr. soup, and add some sliced mushrooms (since my family loves them). TI’s a great old recipe, and always a winner. :-)
I love mushrooms but haven’t added them to this dish before… I’ll definitely be trying it that way! Have a fun birthday dinner Angelina!
Am i supposed to drain the canned green beans before i put them in the casserole dish?
Yes, the beans should be drained.
Do you suggest condensed cream of mushroom soup?
Yes it should be condensed cream of mushroom soup.
What can i substitute for onions cuz my family hates onions ! :s
Hi Michelle, I have only tried the recipe as written. If you’re looking to keep the ‘crunch’, panko breadcrumbs or crushed ritz crackers might work. Let me know how it turns out!
I use cream of chicken instead as some family members cannot tolerate mushrooms
I was thinking of usIng cream of celery. Do you think cream of chicken would be better??