Green Bean Casserole is a Thanksgiving staple at our house. It is creamy, crunchy, delicious, and so easy to make.
I would honestly make green bean casserole regularly if my husband would let me. In my humble opinion, this is the best green bean casserole recipe. It is hands down, my favorite Thanksgiving side dish and I don't think a Thanksgiving meal would be complete without it.
I have tried so many homemade green bean casserole recipes, the best of the best green bean casserole "from scratch" recipes, but I still honestly just love my variation of the recipe from the back of the French's Crispy Onions can the best! This recipe is referred to as the Classic Green Bean Casserole, Campbell’s Green Bean Casserole, or the Classic French’s Green Bean Casserole.
In my opinion, this is the BEST Green Bean Casserole - to me, it tastes like being home for the holidays and time with family - if you could give that a taste. It is absolutely the ultimate comfort food and I can never get enough of it.
🥘 Ingredient Notes
- Cream of Mushroom Soup - I have tested this recipe using Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom soup as well as the store brand from Aldi and both versions came out great.
- Milk - Whole milk is best, but you honestly can use what you have in the house. The last time I made this, I used 2% milk and it came out great.
- Black Pepper - I like to use coarse ground black pepper for the pepperiest-flavor.
- Green Beans - Canned, fresh, or frozen green beans (I prefer to use French Cut canned green beans because they get really soft and absorb all the tasty flavors of the cream of mushroom, pepper, and milk. (For some of the older pictures in this post, I used fresh green beans from our garden that I had frozen over the summer. I still prefer the french cut in a can!) If you are using fresh green beans, be sure to blanch them and if you are using frozen, be sure to prepare them as directed - they may need to be steamed in the microwave before being added to the casserole. (We had SO many green beans in the garden!)
- Crispy Fried Onions - Honestly, green bean casserole is not green bean casserole unless it is green bean casserole with french fried onions. French’s brand is definitely the best - I’ve tested a few brands and if you want the crispiest onions, French’s is definitely the best. (One might even call this “French’s Green Bean Casserole!)
🍽 Equipment Needed
- A Baking Dish - I like to use the larger of this set from Staub, it is 10. 5x7. 5-inch but an 8x8-inch or 9x9-inch square baking dish will work as well.
- A Spoon for Mixing
🥣 How to Make It
Here’s how to make green bean casserole. It’s seriously so easy. First, preheat your oven to 350°F.
Then mix the cream of mushroom with milk and pepper. (You can do this directly in a baking dish or in a large bowl. I like to just mix it all in the baking dish. When prepping for a holiday, the less dishes to wash, the better.) (Pictures 1 - 4)
Next, add green beans. (Picture 5) Then and ⅔ cup of the crispy onions and mix well. (Picture 6)
It really is so easy to make!
Bake for 30 minutes. (Picture 7)
Remove from the oven and stir really well. (Picture 8)
Then add a top layer using the remaining ⅔ cup of crispy onions and bake for 5 more minutes until the onions are slightly browned. I like to add extra crispy onions - we love them so much so we probably add about a full cup. (Some people might think this is too much so do what you know your family likes!) (Picture 9 - 10)
Serve immediately.
Fresh from the oven - look at how the soup gets all bubbly - it is so good!
Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container for up to a week. We like to eat Thanksgiving leftovers for days - cold turkey sandwiches are the best!)
🔢 Recipe Yield
This recipe will yield 6 - 8 servings depending on how much everyone eats. (I like about 3 servings for myself!)
🙋♀️ Frequently Asked Questions
You can substitute cream of celery, cream of chicken, or cream of bacon - they are all really tasty but will change the flavor profile a little.
You can, but the oven is the only way to get browned, crispy onions. Just mix the milk, soup, green beans, pepper, and half of the onions together and heat it on the stovetop, over medium/low heat, stirring pretty frequently - for about 15 minutes. Serve with crispy onions on top.
Again, you can, but the oven is the only way to get browned, crispy onions. To make this in the microwave, bake in a covered 1 ½-quart microwave-safe dish for 8 - 10 minutes. Stir, then top with crispy onions and cook for another minute. Let stand for 5 minutes, then serve.
No - you do not need to grease the baking dish when making green bean casserole.
Yes, you can assemble your green bean casserole the day before and refrigerate it. I recommend leaving off the onions (the ones added in the second, 5-minute bake.) When you are ready, bake as directed. This will make sure that the onions get nice and crispy.
Absolutely! Be sure to use a larger baking dish and you may need to bake the casserole for an extra 5 minutes.
You can add chicken, ground beef, cooked crumbled bacon, or even cheese or water chestnuts. You can also add a pinch of celery salt or smoked salt to add a new depth of flavor.
Making green bean casserole keto means following a completely different recipe. Here's a recipe from the Low Carb Maven to make Keto Green Bean Casserole.
As long as you use a vegetarian cream of mushroom soup - most are, but always check - this recipe will be vegetarian.
Making green bean casserole vegan means following a completely different recipe. Here's a recipe from the Low Carb Maven to make Keto Green Bean Casserole.
This green bean casserole does not, but some people do like to add it. Here's a recipe for Green Bean Casserole with Cheese from Campbells.
Yes! The Magical Slow Cooker has a great recipe for making Green Bean Casserole in a Slow Cooker.
Yes! Shugary Sweets has a great recipe to make Green Bean Casserole in an Instant Pot.
🥫 Storage/Shelf Life/Reheating
Once cooled, store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. (It will probably last a full week, but the onions will get really soggy and the quality definitely won't be as good.)
To reheat, I recommend putting a portion in a small baking dish (like the smaller dish in this set) and baking it in the oven for a few minutes at around 350°F. This will allow the crispy onions to get a little crispy again.
📋 Tips
- When using fresh or frozen uncooked green beans, make sure to cook them first or they will be really crunchy. (Blanch fresh green beans for about 5 minutes or until tender, or steam frozen beans as directed on the package. )
- Try to use very thin green beans - frozen haricot vert or canned french cut. These will get nice and soft when cooked.
- To make a larger batch of this recipe, double (or triple) the recipe and prepare it in a 13x9-inch (or larger for 3x) baking dish. Use an entire 6-ounce container of Crispy Fried Onions, reserving 1 ⅓ cup for the topping. Increase cooking time to 40 minutes or until heated through.
- As a fun variation, use a mix of ⅔ cup Funyuns with ⅔ cup Fried Onions. It gives the recipe a little bit of a different flavor. (You can also do all Funyuns, about 1 ½ cups will work.) You can use the Funyuns crushed or whole!
🍗 What can you serve with Green Bean Casserole?
Here are some of my other favorite Thanksgiving Recipes:
🥘 Looking for more green bean casserole recipes?
Here are some honorable Mentions for "Other Great Green Bean Casserole Recipes":
- Paula Deen’s Green Bean Casserole
- Pioneer Woman’s Green Bean Casserole
- Alton Brown’s Best Ever Green Bean Casserole
- Alton Brown's Not Your Mama's Green Bean Casserole
- Spend with Pennies Green Bean Casserole
- Vegan Green Bean Casserole (from the Minimalist Baker)
- Keto Green Bean Casserole (from the Low Carb Maven)
- Green Bean Casserole with Cheese
- Cream Cheese and Bacon Green Bean Casserole (from This is Not Diet Food)
- Southern Green Bean Casserole (from Southern Living)
Have You Tried This Recipe?
Please rate it and leave a comment below. I would love to hear what you think!
Classic Green Bean Casserole
Equipment
- a baking dish
Ingredients
- 1 10.5 ounce can cream of mushroom soup
- ¾ cup milk
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 14 ounce cans french cut green beans, drained or 4 cups of fresh or frozen green beans, cooked
- 1 ⅓ cup fried crispy onions divided into two equal portions
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Then mix the cream of mushroom with milk and pepper. (You can do this directly in a baking dish or in a large bowl.)1 10.5 ounce can cream of mushroom soup, ¾ cup milk, ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Next, add green beans and ⅔ cup of the crispy onions. Mix well.2 14 ounce cans french cut green beans, drained, 1 ⅓ cup fried crispy onions
- Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and stir.
- Then add a top layer using the remaining ⅔ cup of crispy onions and bake for 5 more minutes until the onions are slightly browned.
- Serve immediately.
- Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container for up to a week.
Notes
- When using fresh or frozen uncooked green beans, make sure to cook them first or they will be really crunchy. (Blanch fresh green beans for about 5 minutes or until tender, or steam frozen beans as directed on the package. )
- Try to use very thin green beans - frozen haricot vert or canned french cut. These will get nice and soft when cooked.
- To make a larger batch of this recipe, double (or triple) the recipe and prepare it in a 13x9-inch (or larger for 3x) baking dish. Use an entire 6-ounce container of Crispy Fried Onions, reserving 1 ⅓ cup for the topping. Increase cooking time to 40 minutes or until heated through.
- As a fun variation, use a mix of ⅔ cup Funyuns with ⅔ cup Fried Onions. It gives the recipe a little bit of a different flavor. (You can also do all Funyuns, about 1 ½ cups will work.) You can use the Funyuns crushed or whole!
Once cooled, store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. (It will probably last a full week, but the onions will get really soggy and the quality definitely won't be as good.) To reheat, I recommend putting a portion in a small baking dish (like the smaller one in this set) and baking it in the oven for a few minutes at around 350°F. This will allow the crispy onions to get a little crispy again. FAQs Can you substitute anything for the cream of mushroom soup?
You can substitute cream of celery, cream of chicken, or cream of bacon - they are all really tasty. Can you make green bean casserole on the stove?
You can. Just mix everything together and heat it on the stovetop, over medium/low heat, stirring pretty frequently - for about 15 minutes. Serve with crispy onions on top. Can you make green bean casserole in the microwave?
You can, but the oven is the only way to get browned, crispy onions. To make this in the microwave, bake in a covered 1 ½-quart microwave-safe dish for 8 - 10 minutes. Stir, then top with crispy onions and cook for another minute. Let stand for 5 minutes, then serve. Do you need to butter or spray the baking dish?
No - you do not need to grease the baking dish when making green bean casserole. Can I make this the day before to refrigerate and serve the next day?
Yes, you can make your green bean casserole the night before and refrigerate it. Just don’t put the onions on top until you are ready to bake it. This will allow the onions to stay crispy. Can you double or triple this recipe?
Absolutely! Be sure to use a larger baking dish and you may need to bake the casserole for an extra 5 minutes. Can you add anything else to green bean casserole?
You can add chicken, ground beef, cooked crumbled bacon, or even cheese or water chestnuts. You can also add a pinch of celery salt or smoked salt to add a new depth of flavor.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is approximate and is automatically calculated, so should only be used as a guide.
This recipe was originally published on November 24, 2020, but has been updated with new images and more helpful tips!
Janice
I don't like the French fried onions can I still make it
Kari
I've never made this recipe without the onions, but I bet you could just top it with a little melted butter mixed with panko bread crumbs for a crunch!
Mary
Great recipe! A classic in our house for the holidays for sure.
Really good tips here as well.