How to cook fresh green beans for green bean casserole

This Green Bean Casserole recipe is a classic holiday side dish that needs just a few minutes of prep and can be made with fresh, frozen, or canned green beans.

Tender green beans and crispy fried onions are tossed in a shortcut creamy mushroom sauce. Top this casserole with more crispy onions and bake until golden and bubbly.

This is the perfect side dish to serve along with your roast turkey for the perfect meal!

A Classic Holiday Casserole

I love green bean casserole, it reminds me of holidays from my childhood. This is a version of Campbell’s green bean casserole developed by Dorcas Reilley in the test kitchen (although I do love my from-scratch version too)!

• This dish needs only 5 minutes of prep time making this the easiest side dish ever.
• Can be made ahead of time, placed in a baking dish, and baked just before serving.
• Top with crispy onions or even a Panko mixed with butter and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.
• It’s perfect as a Thanksgiving side dish, for Easter or Christmas dinner but it’s also great alongside Sunday supper too.

Ingredients in Green Bean Casserole

Green Beans – For this recipe, you can use fresh, frozen, or canned.

Canned green beans are softer but are easy to use because they require no prep. Simply drain and enjoy.

Frozen green beans require no cutting and have a tender-crisp texture. You can skip cooking frozen green beans but I prefer the texture if they’ve been cooked in boiling water for about 5 minutes (and you’ll need a bit more salt).

Like frozen, fresh green beans have a tender-crisp texture and a fresher flavor. Simmer for 8 minutes.

Sauce – Using a can of condensed mushroom soup is what makes this recipe so easy (and is the base of the creamy mushroom sauce). Any “cream of” soup will work just fine in this recipe or you can use homemade condensed mushroom soup or chicken soup!

Crispy Fried Onions – Crispy Fried Onions (or french fried onions) are essential to this recipe (so much that it’s even sometimes called 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!

Variations

• I love to add cheddar cheese to this recipe (optional of course!), it melts into the sauce making it extra yummy.
• Make your own homemade mushroom cream sauce instead of canned and/or swap out the onions for fried shallots.
• Add minced cloves of garlic cooked in butter, some roasted garlic, or a dash of garlic powder.
• Simmer the green beans in chicken broth. Reserve the drained chicken broth for making your stuffing!

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.

1. Cook Beans: Simmer fresh or frozen green beans. (drain them if they’re canned)
2. Mix Sauce: Combine mushroom soup, milk, soy sauce, and pepper (per recipe below).
3. Toss Together: Add the sauce, green beans, some crispy onions, and cheese to a bowl.
4. Top & Bake Top the green bean mixture with more crispy onions and bake until golden and bubbly!

Voila!

Set It & Forget It

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.

How To Prep Ahead of Time

You can make green bean casserole ahead of time.

1. Prepare as directed except keep the crispy onion topping in a separate container. I usually place them in a sealed sandwich bag right in the dish and sprinkle on top before baking.
2. Refrigerate for up to 48 hours.
3. 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 of extra cooking time.

Traveling to Dinner?

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 needs to cook for about 40 minutes at 350°F. Ff your green bean casserole has been in the fridge, you will likely need to add some extra time!

Can You Make Green Bean Casserole Ahead of Time?

Yes, it can be made up to 48 hours ahead of time. Add about 10 minutes to the baking time.

Can You Freeze Green Bean Casserole?

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.

Did you enjoy this Classic Green Bean Casserole? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!

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Tender green beans are tossed in a delicious creamy sauce, cheese, crispy onions, and baked with even more crispy onions until hot and bubbly. 

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

• ▢ 4 cups frozen cut green bean defrosted (see notes for canned or fresh beans)
• ▢ 10 ½ ounces cream of mushroom soup
• ▢ ½ cup milk
• ▢ 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• ▢ ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon seasoning salt or to taste
• ▢ 1 ½ cups crispy fried onions divided

• Preheat oven to 350°F.

• If using fresh or frozen green beans, boil just until tender crisp.

• Combine soup, green beans, milk, soy sauce, pepper, salt, 1 cup of crispy 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.

Green Beans: Canned, fresh, or frozen beans work in this recipe. In place of frozen beans, you can use either of the following:

• drain 2 (14 ½ ounces each) cans of green beans
• 1 ½ pounds fresh green beans, trimmed and simmered for about 7-8 minutes

Optional Additions:

• 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese (favorite!)
• fried mushrooms, onions, garlic, and/or shallots

Make Ahead: This casserole can be made up to 48 hours ahead of time. Remove the casserole from the fridge for at least 30 minutes before baking. You may need to add 10 minutes of extra cooking time.

5 from 307 votes↑ Click stars to rate now!
Or to leave a comment, click here!

Calories: 167 | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 17mg | Sodium: 422mg | Potassium: 386mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 550IU | Vitamin C: 6.7mg | Calcium: 171mg | Iron: 0.7mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Casserole, Side Dish

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