Green Bean Casserole: the hearty, delicious holiday side dish to serve this Thanksgiving

While roast turkey is often the star of Thanksgiving dinner, it's the spread of side dishes that help make this holiday meal special. One classic side dish that no Thanksgiving dinner should be without is green bean casserole. It's made with its perfectly tender yet crisp green beans cooked in a rich, creamy mushroom sauce, and topped with crispy fried onions.

Green bean casserole is a super simple, yet out-of-this-world delicious way to take your Thanksgiving dinner to the next level. It's virtually effortless to make and can be put together in less than five minutes.

It's an amazing side dish with other classic Thanksgiving recipes. Serve your green bean casserole with classic Thanksgiving fare like roast turkey, mashed potatoes, roasted veggies, and stuffing. Your family will love it!

Green Bean Casserole Ingredients

You can use fresh, canned, or frozen green beans to make your green bean casserole. Frozen or canned tend to be more convenient because they're available year-round and require less cooking time. Green bean season lasts from May to October, although in some areas you can still get them in November. Make sure your green beans are “French cut” or thinly sliced.

Cream of mushroom soup adds loads of flavor and helps make this recipe a total breeze to cook.

Soy sauce adds a touch of savoriness, while milk give the casserole its irresistible cream texture.

Crispy fried onions give the casserole a nice crunchy topping that tastes delicious with the other flavors in the dish.

How to Make Green Bean Casserole

It seriously couldn't be easier to make green bean casserole from scratch. Start by heating your oven to 350F. Next, cook the green beans in boiling water until they're tender-crisp, about five minutes. Drain the beans, then pour them into the casserole dish with the soup, milk, soy sauce, and 1 cup of fried onions.

Add the pepper and seasoning salt, then bake the casserole for 30 to 35 minutes. Take the casserole dish out of the oven and stir well. Sprinkle the rest of the fried onions over the top and bake for 10 minutes more until golden brown.

How Long to Cook Green Bean Casserole

Green bean casserole is so easy to make. It only takes about 5 minutes to prepare it, then about 30 to 35 minutes to bake. It's a perfect last-minute dish you can throw together in no time during the holidays or anytime you need a fast, easy side with dinner. You'll know your casserole is finished and ready to come out of the oven when it's bubbly and golden brown.

Can You Make Green Bean Casserole Ahead of Time?

You can make green bean casserole up to two days in advance, which is ideal if you're planning a big Thanksgiving dinner. Prepare then assemble the casserole, but leave out the French fried onions. If you add them, they'll get soggy. Once put together, cover the casserole and pop it into the fridge. Take it out about 30 minutes before you want to bake it, then add the fried onions and bake according to the recipe. It may need a little extra cooking time, so just keep an eye on it.

Tips for Making the Best Green Bean Casserole

You can use fresh or canned green beans instead of frozen ones.

Don't overcook the green beans – this will cause them to become mushy and potentially make your casserole runny.

While whole milk will give your casserole the best flavor and creamy texture, you can use skim, non-fat, or plant-based milk instead.

Bake your green bean casserole uncovered.

Green Bean Casserole Variation Ideas 

Jazz up your green bean casserole by adding some roasted garlic. Other great-tasting seasonings to flavor your casserole include paprika, smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper.

For extra flavor, you can boil the green beans in chicken or vegetable broth.

While cream of mushroom is the go-to for this recipe, a rich, creamy mushroom Alfredo sauce would be a beautiful addition.

You can also add cheese such as cheddar, parmesan, gouda, gruyere, feta, goat cheese, blue cheese, or Swiss cheese.

Other fabulous ingredients to add to your green bean casserole include crispy chopped bacon, sausage, bell peppers, carrots, mushrooms, or other veggies.

Sour cream or cream cheese will give you a creamier casserole.

You can use plant-based milk to make a healthy, vegan-friendly green bean casserole.

Use coconut aminos instead of soy sauce to make a gluten-free green bean casserole.

How to Store and Reheat Green Bean Casserole

Let the casserole cool, then wrap it well and store it in the fridge for up to 4 days. To reheat it, pop the casserole in the microwave until heated. You can also wrap the casserole in tin foil and bake it at 350F for about 20 minutes.

Can You Freeze Green Bean Casserole?

Absolutely! Frozen green bean casserole can be kept for up to 2 weeks. Bake it at 350F for 30 to 40 minutes when it's time to serve it.

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350F.

Chop the green beans and place them into a pot of boiling water. Cook for a few minutes, until tender-crisp.

Once done, drain.

Pour the soup and green beans in a bowl.

Add 1 cup of fried onions, milk, soy sauce. Season with pepper and seasoning salt.

Toss to combine. If your casserole is runny, add a little flour or a slurry of one tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with one tablespoon of water.

Transfer the mixture into a casserole dish.

Level the top.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Take the casserole dish out of the oven and stir well. Add the rest of the fried onions.

Bake for 10 minutes more until golden brown. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

Use a 9×13-inch casserole dish to cook your green bean casserole.