Everyone loves a classic green bean casserole recipe with tender green beans and crispy fried onions in a shortcut creamy mushroom sauce. This is a perfect Thanksgiving side topped with crispy french-fried onions and baked until golden brown and bubbly.
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Holly’s Recipe Highlights
I love green bean casserole, it reminds me of holidays from my childhood. This version is great because…
- Fast prep: It needs just 5 minutes of prep—it’s the easiest side dish ever.
- Versatile: It can be made with fresh, frozen, or canned green beans.
- Make ahead: Make this casserole a few days in advance and bake before serving (see notes).
- Serve anytime: Perfect for a holiday meal or alongside a Sunday supper like meatloaf.
Ingredient Notes
- Use fresh, frozen, or canned green beans:
- Canned green beans have a softer texture and require no prep—drain and stir (my personal favorite).
- Frozen green beans require no cutting and have a tender-crisp texture. They should be boiled for about 3-5 minutes, and you’ll need to add extra salt.
- Fresh green beans have a tender-crisp texture and a fresh flavor. Simmer for 8 minutes.
- Sauce: Condensed cream of mushroom soup is the base of this casserole and makes it easy to prep. Use any flavor of “cream of” soup, such as cream of celery.
- Crispy Fried Onions: French’s Crispy Fried Onions adds both flavor and crunch.
Variations
- Cheese: I love to add cheddar cheese to the green bean casserole sauce. Try other favorite cheeses.
- From Scratch: Swap out the soup for mushroom cream sauce and replace the onions with fried shallots.
- Garlic: Add minced garlic cloves cooked in butter or ½ teaspoon of garlic powder.
- Topping: Swap the crispy onions with ¼ cup of Panko breadcrumbs mixed with 1 tablespoon each of melted butter and Parmesan cheese.
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.
- Cook Beans: Simmer fresh or frozen green beans. (drain them if they’re canned)
- Mix Sauce: Combine mushroom soup, milk, soy sauce, and salt & pepper (full recipe below).
- Toss Together: Add the sauce, green beans, some crispy onions, and cheese to a bowl.
- Top & Bake Top the green bean mixture with more crispy onions and bake until golden and bubbly!
Prep Ahead Tips For Green Bean Casserole
- Prepare as directed, except store the crispy onion topping in a separate container or sandwich bag. Refrigerate for up to 48 hours.
- Remove the casserole from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before baking.
- Sprinkle the onions on top, bake as directed, adding up to 10 minutes of extra cooking time if needed.
Green bean casserole needs to cook for about 40 minutes at 350°F. If your green bean casserole has been in the fridge, you will likely need to add some extra time!
Yes, it can be prepared up to 48 hours ahead of time. Add about 10 minutes to the cook time when reading to bake.
Yes, this casserole can be frozen. Prepare as directed and freeze before baking. Thaw in the fridge overnight and bake as directed adding 10 minutes to the baking time.
More Thanksgiving Side Dishes
Did you enjoy this Green Bean Casserole? Be sure to leave a rating and comment below!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 cups frozen cut green beans see notes for canned or fresh beans
- 1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
- ½ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon seasoned salt more to taste
- 1½ cups crispy fried onions divided
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add the frozen green beans and boil until tender crisp, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- In a large bowl, combine green beans with soup, milk, soy sauce, pepper, salt, 1 cup of crispy onions, and cheese if using (see notes). Transfer to a 2-quart baking dish.
- Bake uncovered for 30 to 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.
Video
Notes
- drain 2 (14.5 ounce each) cans of cut green beans
- 1 ½ pounds fresh green beans, trimmed and simmered for about 7-8 minutes
- 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese mixed into the sauce (favorite!)
- fried mushrooms, onions, garlic, and/or shallots
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Casserole, Side Dish
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
If I double the recipe, what size casserole dish should I use and how much cooking time should be added?
To double this recipe I would suggest a 9×13 pan and increasing the baking time by about 15 minutes. The mixture should be hot in the middle when you stir it before adding the onions for the last 10 minutes.
Can I make this in a crockpot for a potluck? What changes would I need to make? Thank you!
Yes, you can also find this information in the post:
Green bean casserole can be prepared as above and cooked in a crock pot or slow cooker on low for about 2-3 hours. Once cooked through, turn the slow cooker to warm. If your slow cooker is larger than 4qt, I would recommend doubling the recipe.
Hi! I just prepped this dish and it smells sooooo amazing, i am completely stoked to try it tomorrow for our family’s (late) dinner! I just realized my oven will be tied up at 275°F… is there any possible way to cook this casserole at that low of temp? Even if it takes a bit longer? Any help you can provide is so appreciated!!
Since everything in this casserole is already cooked it just needs to be heated through. I would suggest adding about 20 minutes or so to the initial cooking time. Let us know how it goes!
Hello! Making for the first time. I have a 9×13 anchor baking dish. I was going to double recipe and use 5 cans French cut green beans and 2 cans 10.5 oz of cream of mushroom soup. I will cook and leave off last ten minutes till I get to gathering to heat in oven. For milk, is fair life lactose free whole milk ok? Or I should I use regular? Thank you!
Lactose milk will work just fine. If doubling, you will need to add a little bit of extra cooking time.
Hi this recipe looks amazing and I saw your note about swapping it for fresh mushroom sauce. If I make the sauce from scratch should I still add the soy sauce and the half cup of milk to it?
There is no need to add soy sauce or milk to the fresh mushroom sauce as it will be the correct consistency already.
Hi there! Excited to try this recipe!! Would it be okay to assemble and freeze now to thaw in the fridge before baking? I would not add the onions on top until I baked it. I like to make my sides well in advance because once family arrives on Monday it gets difficult to spend much time in the kitchen!
Yes, that should work just fine! Great idea to prep ahead.
Delicious and so easy and so full of memory evoking bites. However, your replies to questions totally confuse me as on Nov 1st you replied to a question that cheese should be mixed in before baking and then later in the month you stated it should be added on top when baking. Guess it really doesn’t matter does it? For me…add it in and don’t want a cheese crust to interfere with the yumminess of the casserole and fried onions.
Sorry for the confusion Jeannine! It can be added on the top for a cheesy topping or stirred in for a cheesy sauce. Either will be delicious.
Hi! Do you mix in the cheese with all the other ingredients before cooking?
Yes, the cheese is stirred in before baking.
Looking to make this but I’d like to use something other than condensed mushroom soup, I know that’s a staple for green bean casserole but could I just use cream of chicken?
Any “cream of” will work in this recipe. Cream of chicken or celery are great options.
Hello! If I double this recipe to make 16 servings, but want to use the creamy mushroom sauce recipe instead of condensed mushroom soup, how many servings of the creamy mushroom sauce should I make? Thank you!
Doubling the recipe of this mushroom sauce should be just about right for this recipe, you may need a pinch of extra salt when mixing with the beans. Enjoy!
Thank you so much! Really appreciate the reply and advice!
The recipe called for seasoned salt but neither the instructions or the video mention it, but does mention black pepper (which is in your seasoned salt recipe). I did put your seasoned salt in and it seemed too salty. I will just use fresh black pepper next time and see. Definitely will use low sodium soy sauce also next time.
The seasoned salt is added in step 3 but you can certainly leave it out if you’d prefer. The soup and soy sauce both also add salt.
3. In a large bowl, combine green beans with soup, milk, soy sauce, pepper, salt, 1 cup of crispy onions, and cheese if using (see notes). Transfer to a 2qt or 8×8 baking dish.
Delicious
What do you think of adding artichoke to this?
I think it’d be great!
Can you use the frozen green beans that you steam in a microwave instead of boiling them?
Absolutely, they need to be cooked to tender crisp.
If I double the recipe and cook it in one of those big disposable foil casserole dishes will I need to add more cooking time?
To double this recipe I would suggest a 9×13 pan (or 9×13 disposable pan). Increase the baking time by about 15 to 20 minutes. The mixture should be hot in the middle when you stir it before adding the onions for the last 10 minutes.
This may be a stupid question, but could the French style green beans be used with this recipe?
Sure they can! They’re a bit thinner and if you’re using canned, the texture of the overall dish will be bit softer.
What do you think about adding a few homemade bacon bits to this recipe?
I think it’d be delicious.
I am planning cooking in a slow cooker and wondering when I would put the crispy onions on. Thanks
Hi Edith, I would add them at the very end!
Best green bean casserole I ever ate! I used canned green beans and added the shredded mild cheddar cheese; it was so good
That is so sweet of you, Debbie! I am glad you enjoyed it so much.
do you mix the cheese in the casserole or just add on top
Hi Daniell, it can be added on the top for a cheesy topping or stirred in for a cheesy sauce. Either will be delicious.
I’ve been looking for this recipe for an hour! So glad I found it. Will make it today!
Let us know how it works out for you, Marilyn!
This was delicious, I used fresh green beans from my garden. Thank you for reminding me of this casserole, God bless
Absolutely Delicious!!
loved this! I used chicken soup instead of mushroom, as I was cooking for someone who isn’t a mushroom fan, turned out great. might add cooked chicken to make it a main weeknight dish!