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This classic green bean casserole is a holiday hit! It is packed with green beans, mushroom soup, spices, and crispy fried onions.
We all know that my true love of Thanksgiving is potato bread stuffing. I can’t help it. I love the stuff.
However, if you ask me what other dishes I look forward to at the holidays, I will always say green bean casserole. It’s unbelievably easy to make and packed with flavor, even though it uses just a handful of ingredients.
When I was a kid, I used to get yelled at for stealing the crunchy fried onions off the top of the casserole. I can’t get enough of them. For the record, I also used to get yelled at for eating the bacon off the top of baked beans.
I’m a menace to the kitchen when it comes to picking off crispy toppings.
I kept this classic casserole standard, but you can bulk it up by adding sauteed onions, fresh mushrooms, garlic, etc. You get it. It’s easy to customize but also delicious, just as is.
I also like to think of this dish as a Midwest staple, but I’m pretty sure it might be a classic almost everywhere in the United States.
Ingredients needed
- Frozen green beans – I like to use frozen cut green beans that I let thaw and drain before mixing them all. They give you a nice, fresh-tasting casserole without the need to prep fresh beans.
- Condensed mushroom soup – I know there are ways to make this casserole without canned soup, but why make your life harder than it needs to be? Condensed soup is good and works super well in this recipe.
- Milk – this helps thin out the mixture and brings in a bit of creaminess.
- Spices – I’m using a mix of garlic powder, black pepper, onion powder, and kosher salt.
- Crispy fried onions – I’m keeping it easy by using store-bought fried onions. You can find these usually year round near the bread crumbs but they are super popular during the holiday season.
How to make green bean casserole
- Mix together thawed green beans, mushroom soup, milk, spices, and some of the crispy fried onions.
- Add to a casserole dish.
- Bake for 30 minutes, stir, top with remaining crispy fried onions, and bake for another 10 minutes.
- Devour! How simple and easy is this holiday side dish?
My Pro Tips
Variations and Substitutions
Make it cheesy by adding some shredded cheddar or Parmesan cheese.
You can use drained canned beans or parboiled fresh green beans. However, frozen, cut green beans are one of the easiest options.
If you’re allergic to or dislike mushrooms, you can substitute them with cream of chicken or celery.
Bulk it up by adding sauteed onions, mushrooms, and garlic.
Let your frozen green beans thoroughly thaw and drain before using. If you forget to remove them in advance, quickly steam them until they are no longer frozen.
The traditional recipe typically includes one teaspoon of soy sauce, but I prefer to leave it out and flavor it with kosher salt and added spices.
Making green bean casserole ahead of time
When it comes to party and holiday meal planning, it all comes down to working ahead and managing your oven time. One of the easiest ways to save time the day of is by making some of your dishes ahead of time so they can be popped into the oven without all the day of prep work.
The best thing about green bean casserole is that it’s one of the BEST make-ahead casserole holiday recipes!
- Make the casserole according to the directions, but leave off the final crispy fried onion topping.
- Cover the casserole and store it in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
- Before baking, remove the casserole from the fridge for 30 minutes to help remove some of the chill.
- Bake for 30 minutes, stir, add your crispy onion topping, bake, and enjoy!
More holiday casserole recipes
Classic Green Bean Casserole
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 (12 ounce) bags frozen cut green beans, thawed and drained, about 6 cups
- 1-3/4 cup crispy fried onions, divided
- 1 (10.5 ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
- ½ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and set out a 9×9 baking dish.
- In a medium sized mixing bowl add green beans, 3/4 cup crispy fried onions, cream of mushroom soup, milk, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and kosher salt. Gently stir to combine.
- Add the mixture to the 9×9 baking dish and smooth out the top.
- Bake for 30 minutes, remove from the oven, stir the mixture, smooth out the top, and top the casserole with the remaining 1 cup crispy fried onions.
- Add back to the oven and bake for another 10 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and serve hot.
- Store any leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Notes
- The casserole can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Remember not to put on the final crispy onion topping until the final bake!
- You can use canned cut beans, or parboiled cut fresh green beans to replace the frozen cut green beans.
- Replace the cream of mushroom soup with cream of chicken or celery.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
