Easy Green Bean Casserole Recipe | A Classic Holiday Side Dish Recipe! (2024)

Easy Green Bean Casserole Recipe | A Classic Holiday Side Dish Recipe! (1) Jessica

5 from 9 votes

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

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This easy green bean casseroleis the retro, holiday side dish you likely remember from childhood! This classic green bean casserole recipe features a creamy mushroom sauce made easy with canned soup, tender green beans and crispy fried onions on top.

Easy Green Bean Casserole Recipe | A Classic Holiday Side Dish Recipe! (2)

Table of Contents

  • Why You’ll Love This Easy Green Bean Casserole Recipe
  • Ingredients Needed for Campbell’s Green Bean Casserole
  • How to Make Green Bean Casserole With Canned Green Beans
  • How to Store and Reheat Leftover Easy Green Bean Casserole
  • More Classic Holiday Side Dish Recipes
  • Get the Recipe

Why You’ll Love This Easy Green Bean Casserole Recipe

Are you a fan of this classic green bean casserole? Even if you never eat condensed soup or canned green beans, many people simply can’t resist during the holidays and here’s why:

  • Quick and Easy:This classic green bean casserole has just 5 ingredients and can grace your dinner table in just 25 minutes from start to finish.
  • Simple and Savory:Made with wholesome green beans, creamy sauce, and crunchy onions, this dish deserves to be served all year long. Make any weeknight dinner festive!
  • Crowd Favorite:Though a single recipe of green bean casserole feeds 6 people generously, you could easily double or triple this recipe for your holiday gathering and watch it disappear.
  • Prep Friendly:Make and refrigerate up to 3 days in advance without the fried onions on top. To prepare, leave on the counter for about 45 minutes, top with fried onions and then bake as directed.

If you prefer from scratch, try my best green bean casserole recipe made with fresh green beans and a homemade cream of mushroom soup. I also have great recipes for crockpot green bean casserole or cheesy green bean casserole!

Easy Green Bean Casserole Recipe | A Classic Holiday Side Dish Recipe! (3)

Ingredients Needed for Campbell’s Green Bean Casserole

This easy green bean casserole recipe comes together with just five simple ingredients! Check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact amounts.

  • Green Beans:Canned, well-drained green beans are the base of the dish.
  • Soup:Canned cream of mushroom soup is the classic choice, but I included non-mushroom options below in the tips section.
  • Milk:Use your favorite milk to thin the sauce slightly.
  • Pepper:Freshly ground black pepper adds depth to the sauce.
  • French Fried Onions:These usually come in a plastic canister and are often stocked near the canned veggies or with the salad toppings.
Easy Green Bean Casserole Recipe | A Classic Holiday Side Dish Recipe! (4)

How to Make Green Bean Casserole With Canned Green Beans

At a time when lots of us are wrangling a whole Thanksgiving turkey, easy sides ready in under 30 minutes are a gift!

Easy Green Bean Casserole Recipe | A Classic Holiday Side Dish Recipe! (5)
Easy Green Bean Casserole Recipe | A Classic Holiday Side Dish Recipe! (6)
Easy Green Bean Casserole Recipe | A Classic Holiday Side Dish Recipe! (7)
Easy Green Bean Casserole Recipe | A Classic Holiday Side Dish Recipe! (8)
  • Prep: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray a 3-quart casserole with nonstick spray, and set it aside.
  • Mix: Whisk to combine the cream of mushroom soup, milk, and pepper. Stir in well-drained green beans, plus half a cup of the crispy fried onions.
  • Top:Pour the green bean mixture into your casserole dish, spread it out evenly and top with the remaining crispy fried onions.
  • Bake: Place the casserole in the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes. The sauce should be good and bubbly and the onions golden brown.
  • Rest and Serve:Let the green bean casserole rest for 5 minutes, to cool and set up, before serving.
Easy Green Bean Casserole Recipe | A Classic Holiday Side Dish Recipe! (9)
Easy Green Bean Casserole Recipe | A Classic Holiday Side Dish Recipe! (10)

Tips & Variations For Classic Green Bean Casserole

In case you want to put a spin on this classic holiday casserole, here are a few suggestions:

  • Soup Substitutions:If you aren’t a fan of mushrooms, you can use another condensed cream soup such as cream of celery or cream of onion.
  • Onion Topping:I like to mix some of the crispy fried onions into the casserole to help add flavor. This is optional, but definitely recommended. If you aren’t a fan of crispy fried onions, you can use lightly crushed ritz crackers instead.
  • Fresh Green Beans:You can use fresh, cooked green beans if you prefer. You will need about 5 heaping cups.
  • Add Cheese:Like a cheesy casserole? Add 1 to 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese to the green bean mixture, or layer it on top of the green beans before you add the fried onions.
  • Oven Temp:This classic recipe is flexible, and can also be baked at 350°F for a slightly longer time. When the sauce is thick and bubbly around the edges, the casserole is done.
Easy Green Bean Casserole Recipe | A Classic Holiday Side Dish Recipe! (11)

How to Store and Reheat Leftover Easy Green Bean Casserole

If you happen to have leftovers of this easy green bean casserole, they will store great for another time:

  • Fridge: Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container, or in the casserole dish wrapped tightly, for up to 4 days.
  • Reheat: Place the desired portion in a microwave-safe bowl and lightly cover with a paper towel. Reheat until it’s hot all the way through, stirring occasionally. You can also reheat in the oven, at 350°F, until heated through.
  • Freeze: Store it in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months, and thaw in the fridge before reheating. Keep in mind, if you freeze the leftover baked casserole with the topping, the fried onions will lose their crunch. For best results, freeze the unbaked, un-topped casserole instead. Then you can add the onions and bake it the day you want to serve it, for a fresh, crispy finish!
Easy Green Bean Casserole Recipe | A Classic Holiday Side Dish Recipe! (12)

More Classic Holiday Side Dish Recipes

Creamy Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes

Candied Carrots Recipe

Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows

Easy Jiffy Corn Casserole Recipe

  • Cranberry Relish
  • Crockpot Spiral Ham
  • Cracker Barrel Fried Apples
  • Baked Mac and Cheese

Easy Green Bean Casserole Recipe | A Classic Holiday Side Dish Recipe! (17)

5 from 9 votes

Print Pin Recipe

Yield: 6 Servings

Easy Green Bean Casserole

This easy green bean casserole is the retro recipe you likely remember from childhood. Classic green bean casserole features a creamy mushroom sauce, tender green beans and crispy fried onions on top.

Prep Time5 minutes minutes

Cook Time20 minutes minutes

Total Time25 minutes minutes

Ingredients

  • 4 (14.5 oz) cans green beans, drained
  • 2 (10.5 oz) cans cream of mushroom soup
  • ½ cup whole milk
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 cups French fried onions, divided

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray a 3-quart casserole dish with nonstick spray, and set aside.

  • In a large bowl, mix together the cream of mushroom soup, milk, and pepper. Then stir in the drained green beans and ½ cup of the crispy fried onions.

  • Pour the mixture into the prepared casserole dish, and spread it out to an even layer. Top the casserole with the remaining fried onions.

  • Bake the casserole for 20 minutes, or until bubbly and the onions are a dark golden color.

  • Let casserole rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Video

Notes

Storage:Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container, or in the casserole dish wrapped tightly, for up to 4 days.

Reheat:Place the desired portion in a microwave-safe bowl and lightly cover with a paper towel. Reheat until it’s hot all the way through, stirring occasionally. You can also reheat in the oven, at 350°F, until heated through.

Prep Ahead: Make and refrigerate up to 3 days in advance without the fried onions on top. To prepare, leave on the counter for about 45 minutes, top with fried onions and then bake as directed.

Soup Substitutions:If you aren’t a fan of mushrooms, you can use another condensed cream soup such as cream of celery or cream of onion.

Onion Topping:I like to mix some of the crispy fried onions into the casserole to help add flavor. This is optional, but definitely recommended. If you aren’t a fan of crispy fried onions, you can use lightly crushed ritz crackers instead.

Fresh Green Beans:You can use fresh, cooked green beans if you prefer. You will need about 5 heaping cups.

Add Cheese:Like a cheesy casserole? Add 1 to 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese to the green bean mixture, or layer it on top of the green beans before you add the fried onions.

Oven Temp:This classic recipe is flexible, and can also be baked at 350°F for a slightly longer time. When the sauce is thick and bubbly around the edges, the casserole is done.

Nutrition

Serving: 1, Calories: 268kcal, Carbohydrates: 29g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 14g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g, Cholesterol: 6mg, Sodium: 733mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 7g

© Jessica – The Novice Chef

Cuisine: American

Category: Vegetable Sides

Categories:

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  • Christmas
  • Diet
  • Fall
  • Holidays
  • Recipes
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Easy Green Bean Casserole Recipe | A Classic Holiday Side Dish Recipe! (2024)

FAQs

Which is better in green bean casserole canned or frozen? ›

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.

How do you make green bean casserole not soggy? ›

If you are finding that your green bean casserole is soupy, be sure to drain the green beans really well after blanching so you aren't getting extra water in the casserole that way. Then make sure to thicken the sauce properly by letting the chicken broth and half-and-half simmer long enough to thicken.

What goes well with green bean casserole? ›

If you love this green bean casserole recipe, try one of these Thanksgiving side dishes next:
  • Best Stuffing.
  • Mashed Potatoes.
  • Sweet Potato Casserole.
  • Cranberry Sauce.
  • Butternut Squash Soup.
  • Roasted Acorn Squash.
  • Roasted Brussels Sprouts.
  • Or any of these 50 Thanksgiving Side Dishes!

Should green bean casserole be soupy before cooking? ›

Mistake No.

Green bean casserole should have a nice thick sauce that coats the green beans—it should not resemble soup.

Why is my green bean casserole so soupy? ›

The Casserole Is Too Soupy

If you used frozen green beans, but didn't fully defrost and drain them prior to adding them to the casserole, that mistake will surely account for the excess water you're now experiencing.

How to thicken up green bean casserole? ›

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.

Are canned or fresh green beans better for casserole? ›

"Canned green beans are very soft and delicate," Malarkey says. "They tend to mush up while mixing, and I like a little crunch to my green bean casserole." The other two pros we spoke with agreed. When presented with the choice of fresh or frozen green beans for green bean casserole, frozen came out on top.

How many cans of green beans are 4 cups? ›

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

Why do my green beans taste rubbery? ›

They are rubbery because people never cook them enough. Try cooking your beans thro and they will not only taste better, they will not squeak or bounce when you try to eat them.

How to fancy up green beans? ›

15 Tips To Add Flavor To Green Beans
  1. Roast green beans. ...
  2. Blanch green beans and add butter. ...
  3. Grill green beans and serve with yogurt. ...
  4. Simmer green beans in chicken broth. ...
  5. Air fry green beans and add garlic powder. ...
  6. Roast in bacon fat and combine with bacon. ...
  7. Jazz them up with cream. ...
  8. Mix green beans into mac and cheese.
Feb 12, 2023

How many days can you eat green bean casserole? ›

Green Bean Casserole Leftovers

Your creamy green bean casserole will last about four days in the fridge. The crunchy topping will get softer as time goes by; pop it into the oven to reheat to crisp it up a bit. While casseroles have a reputation for being freezer-friendly, green bean casseroles don't freeze so well.

Why do Americans eat green bean casserole? ›

How It Became a Holiday Staple. Green bean casserole was considered a perfect dish for holiday entertaining because it was simple, inexpensive, and could easily be made ahead of time. It became known as a "jiffy casserole" because it went from one bowl to one pan.

Can you overcook green bean casserole? ›

Using canned green beans

As canned beans are pre-cooked, it can make it easier to overcook them in your casserole which may impact the flavor, and they're more likely to lose their fresh coloring and turn a less appealing shade of gray-green.

Do most people like green bean casserole? ›

Instacart conducted a survey with The Harris Poll and found that a majority of Americans, 69%, secretly dislike some classic Thanksgiving food but eat it anyway because of tradition. The top offenders were: Canned cranberry sauce (29%) Green bean casserole (24%)

Which is better frozen or canned green beans? ›

Green Beans: Depends

Sure, frozen green beans may be higher in nutrients than canned, but we feel the optimal choice depends on how you're going to utilize them. If you're serving them solo, frozen green beans are the way to go. If they're being added to a cooked dish or casserole, canned green beans are just as handy.

Do frozen green beans taste better than canned? ›

They don't have any added sodium, and they're also cooked a lot less. As a result, they come out of the oven with the perfect balance of flavor and texture. If you find your green bean casserole is turning out salty and mushy, those canned green beans might be to blame.

Are frozen green beans as good as canned? ›

Frozen green beans are not as good as fresh, but they're miles better than canned ones and thus a decent compromise.

Is canned or frozen better? ›

“While there's no reason to be worried about using frozen or canned food, there's a preference for frozen because of the amount of added salt [in canned], and some canned fruits have added sugar,” says Hachem. Still, canning also can improve the safety of foods, particularly those prone to harbouring pathogens.

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