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

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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

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
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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? ›

Frozen French-cut green beans are a better option. They hold their texture better than canned, and you can cook them straight from their frozen state. And if you're using fresh green beans? You'll need to cook them first by roasting, steaming or boiling them.

How do you make green bean casserole not soggy? ›

If you sense it's a little watery, "add a thickener like roux or starch to absorb the additional liquid or cook a little longer," she says. That'll give it that rich, dense consistency you're looking for.

Why is green bean casserole traditional at Thanksgiving? ›

It was originally marketed as an everyday side dish but became popular for Thanksgiving dinners in the 1960s after Campbell's placed the recipe on the can's label. The recipe popularized the combination of the soup with green beans.

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.

Can you overcook green bean casserole? ›

It's important to note that frozen green beans—usually the best choice for green bean casseroles—are blanched before the freezing process begins, so they're already partially cooked, too. That means they'll also cook pretty fast, which could easily morph into overcooking if you aren't careful.

Are canned green beans less healthy than fresh? ›

Only have canned on hand? Don't worry — they're still nutritious. “Canned green beans have a similar nutrient content to fresh or frozen,” says Whitson. “But choose low-sodium varieties, or rinse them before cooking to remove any added salt.”

Why am I craving green bean casserole? ›

When our bodies are deficient in certain nutrients, they attempt to correct the imbalance by sending signals to our brains. This can result in cravings for foods that are rich in the lacking nutrients. For example, a craving for green beans could indicate a need for vitamins A, C, or K, or for dietary fiber.

How many days does green bean casserole last in the fridge? ›

Stored properly, your leftover green bean casserole will last 3-4 days in the fridge. Freezing: Wrap your green bean casserole tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil, freezer wrap or transfer to an airtight container and keep in the freezer for 6 months.

Do people still eat green bean casserole? ›

Green Bean Casseroles are served at 20 million Thanksgiving dinners every year.

How many green beans is 1 cup? ›

Although there's no hard-and-fast rule to predict exactly how hungry your guests will be, this formula should get you through the farmer's market or grocery store with confidence that you've got it right: Assume that one serving of green beans is about one cup, or 5 oz, with about 12 to 13 green beans per cup, ...

Where did green bean casserole originate? ›

It began in 1955, with Dorcas Reilly. Born on July 22, 1922, in New Jersey, Dorcas earned a cooking four-year college degree at Drexel University in 1947. She worked at Campbell's a few years later as a cook and created many dishes, including the first green bean casserole, according to David Moye from “HuffPost.”

How many cans of beans is 2 cups? ›

Some Handy Cooking and Storing Tips

One pound of dried beans (which is about 2 cups) will yield about 6 cups cooked beans. If a recipe calls for canned beans: 1 15-oz can of beans equals about 2 cups cooked beans.

Which is better frozen or canned green beans? ›

In fact, some frozen vegetables, such as green beans, have an edge over the limp and old green beans in your fridge! Frozen vs. Canned: In general, frozen vegetables are better than canned. Fresh vegetables are blanched before freezing, and they do lose some nutrients but not a lot.

Is canned or frozen better? ›

Canned Foods

According to Dr. Surampudi, canning requires a lot more processing, and is likely to have less nutritional value than frozen foods. The process of canning is different for different types of food, but typically it involves three major steps that keep the food safe to eat for long periods of time.

Do frozen green beans taste as good as fresh? ›

They'll never be as crisp-tender as fresh green beans, but as far as convenient frozen veggies go, they're phenomenal! They get tossed with olive oil, garlic, and lemon zest for a bright and delicious flavor.

Which vegetables are best frozen or canned? ›

Frozen vegetables often offer better texture and taste, with fewer additives and the retention of nutrients through freezing. Canned vegetables provide better convenience and have a long shelf life. They are already cooked so that we can use them immediately.

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