Green Bean Casserole Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (2024)

Green Bean Casserole Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (1)

By: Becky Hardin

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Green Bean Casserole is one of those Thanksgiving recipes that you don’t need 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. It’s exactly what you need for your next holiday meal!

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Table of Contents

Why We Love This Green Bean Casserole Recipe

This delicious and classic side dish graces our holiday table every year. Here are a few reasons we love to make it:

  • Creamy. Cream of mushroom soup, milk, and freshly shredded cheddar cheese makes this casserole incredibly rich and creamy.
  • Crunchy. Crispy fried onions add a wonderful contrast to the creamy beans.
  • Fresh. We’re using fresh green beans in this recipe, and they make all the difference.

Variations on Green Bean Casserole with Fresh Green Beans

I love this classic 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!

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Green Bean Casserole Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (4)

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How to Store and Reheat

Store leftover casserole tightly wrapped in plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven for 20-25 minutes, or until warmed through.

How to Freeze

Freeze this 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 casserole as part of your Thanksgiving feast with turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes, stuffing, sweet potatoes, and a good roll.

Can you make green bean casserole ahead of time?

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.

How do you keep green bean casserole from getting mushy?

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.

Why is my green bean casserole so watery?

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.

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More Green Bean Casserole Recipes We Love

  • Loaded Green Bean Casserole
  • Green Bean and Corn Casserole
  • Crockpot Green Bean Casserole
  • Instant Pot Green Bean Casserole

Recipe

Green Bean Casserole Recipe

4.57 from 140 votes

Author: Becky Hardin

Prep: 10 minutes minutes

Cook: 45 minutes minutes

Total: 55 minutes minutes

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Serves8

Print Rate

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This classic Green Bean Casserole recipe should always be on your holiday table. If there's one Thanksgiving recipe not to skip, it's this one!

Step-by-step photos can be seen below the recipe card.

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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

Recommended Equipment

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

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  • 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.

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  • Once the beans have cooled, spread them over paper towels and pat them to dry.

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  • 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

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  • 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

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  • Pour the green beans into the prepared dish.

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  • 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.

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Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!

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!

Storage:Store green bean casserole tightly wrapped in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 343kcal (17%) Carbohydrates: 22g (7%) Protein: 13g (26%) Fat: 23g (35%) Saturated Fat: 11g (69%) Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g Monounsaturated Fat: 3g Cholesterol: 35mg (12%) Sodium: 927mg (40%) Potassium: 391mg (11%) Fiber: 3g (13%) Sugar: 5g (6%) Vitamin A: 1103IU (22%) Vitamin C: 14mg (17%) Calcium: 273mg (27%) Iron: 2mg (11%)

Did You Make This?I want to see! Be sure to upload an image below & tag @thecookierookie on social media!

Green Bean Casserole Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (15)

Green Bean Casserole Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (16)

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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.

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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.

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Dry The Beans: Once the beans have cooled, spread them over paper towels and pat them to dry.

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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.

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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.

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Bake the Beans: Pour the green bean mixture into the prepared baking dish and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.

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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.

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Green Bean Casserole Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (24)

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Green Bean Casserole Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (2024)

FAQs

How do you keep green bean casserole from being soupy? ›

The Casserole Is Too Soupy

Don't worry, there's a relatively easy and quick fix that will help soak up the excess liquid: Make a slurry of flour or cornstarch in liquid (broth or water) to help thicken it up and then cook it for a bit longer.

Why is my green bean casserole always runny? ›

Green bean casserole should have a nice thick sauce that coats the green beans—it should not resemble soup. One common cause of a watery casserole is not adding enough thickener, such as flour or cornstarch, to your sauce.

Are frozen or canned green beans better for casserole? ›

When I make green bean casserole, I skip canned beans all together. Frozen green beans are the best green beans to use for green bean casserole.

Why isn t my green bean casserole thickening? ›

Add a thickener

While your green bean casserole is on the stove, incorporate a thickener into the vegetables, such as cornstarch or flour. According to The Kitchn, you can combine cornstarch and a small amount of water or broth in a cup and stir until the lumps are gone, and it becomes a thick yet drizzly consistency.

Should green bean casserole be soupy before cooking? ›

Green Bean Casserole from Scratch FAQs

Cover and freeze until you are ready to bake. You can bake start from frozen without adding the onions until the casserole has already baked for about 20 minutes. Should green bean casserole be soupy? No, your green bean casserole should not be soupy.

How do you make a casserole less liquidy? ›

10 Tips To Fix Or Prevent Watery Casseroles
  1. Prep Vegetables Ahead Of Time. Vegetables boiling on a stove - Solstock/Getty Images. ...
  2. Add A Starch. ...
  3. Experiment With Pasta Or Grains. ...
  4. Take The Lid Off. ...
  5. Drain Fat From Meat. ...
  6. Choose A Dry Or Low-Fat Cheese. ...
  7. Sprinkle Seeds Into Your Bake. ...
  8. Remove Excess Liquid.
Oct 29, 2023

How do you thicken baked bean sauce? ›

How to make baked beans from scratch. It is literally a “mix it all in the pot and simmer” job. The only thing to do at the end is to add cornflour/cornstarch to thicken the sauce.

How many cans of green beans equals 4 cups? ›

Notes: ✿ 4 cups of green beans is about 1½ pounds fresh or 16 ounces frozen or 2 cans (15 ounces each) drained.

Can you overcook green bean casserole? ›

Overcooking the beans won't just drain them of their appealing color, but it will also make them too soft and mushy, resulting in a less appetizing casserole.

Can dogs eat green beans? ›

Are Green Beans Safe for Dogs? Chopped, steamed, raw, or canned—all types of green beans are safe for dogs to eat, as long as they are plain. Green beans themselves are not only safe for dogs, but veterinarians also recommend them as a healthy treat. Best of all, dogs seem to love them.

How do you reduce liquid in beans? ›

Carefully dump the open can of beans into a colander over your sink and let the excess liquid drain completely. Rinse with cool water until the liquid runs clear.

How do you fix soupy beans? ›

How To Thicken Bean Soup
  1. Add More Beans. One of the simplest ways to thicken bean soup is to add more beans. ...
  2. Use a Potato. A potato is a versatile ingredient that can work wonders when it comes to thickening soups. ...
  3. Make a Roux. ...
  4. Blend a Portion of the Soup. ...
  5. Use Cornstarch or Arrowroot Powder.
Feb 18, 2024

How do you thicken green beans? ›

Flour or Cornstarch Thickening:Mix 1-2 tablespoons of flour or cornstarch with equal parts water to create a smooth paste. Stir the paste into the simmering green beans. Allow the mixture to cook for a few more minutes until it thickens.

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