What’s the one dish you can expect to find on thousands of Southern holiday tables? Well, it’s Green Bean Casserole, of course! This well-loved classic features green beans in a creamy sauce topped with crispy fried onions. Get your serving on the first round because it’s almost always gone before seconds!
When I was growing up in southwest Georgia, holiday dinners at our house were a full production. Mama would start days ahead, planning the menu, polishing the silver, and making sure there was space for every casserole dish on the sideboard.
And when dinner was finally served, you could probably count on finding this bubbling, hot Green Bean Casserole tucked somewhere in between the cornbread dressing and the sweet potato casserole.
These days, I sometimes make this nostalgic casserole for my own family’s holiday dinners. It’s not fancy, and that’s exactly the point. It’s dependable, and it fits right in alongside the turkey, ham, or pork loin. No matter what occasion you’re cooking for, this recipe works for almost any menu.
Recipe Snapshot
Cuisine: American
Cooking Method: Oven
Total Time: 50 Minutes
Servings: 6
Primary Ingredient(s): Green beans, cream of mushroom soup, canned fried onions
Skill Level: Easy
What You’ll Like About This Recipe
- It’s a fuss‑free side dish that can be mostly assembled ahead of time.
- The creamy mushroom base with a crisp onion topping equals pure comfort food.
- It pairs well with many holiday spreads or even weeknight dinners when you want a hearty side.
Ingredient Notes
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This recipe keeps it simple with common ingredients, but there’s room to tweak a few things to suit your taste or what you have on hand.
- Cream of Mushroom Soup – This classic condensed soup gives the casserole its creamy texture. You can use a low-sodium version, or even a homemade bechamel sauce with sauteed mushrooms added if you’d rather do it all from scratch.
- Soy Sauce – Where most green bean casserole recipes use Worcestershire sauce, I prefer soy sauce for a slightly more mellow flavor. Use a splash of Worcestershire if that’s your preference.
- Green Beans – Traditional recipes use canned cut green beans, and that’s my preference as well. If you’d rather use fresh green beans, you’ll need about 1.5 pounds. Prep the beans and then cook them in lightly salted water until done. Drain, cool, and add them to the casserole.
- French’s Crispy Fried Onions – Everyone loves this crispy topping! Half of the onions are mixed in for texture, and the rest goes on top for that familiar crunch.
The complete ingredient list with detailed measurements is included in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How to Make Green Bean Casserole
Green bean casserole is really simple to make! This recipe would be a great option to hand off to a helpful teenager during holiday meal prep.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the cream of mushroom soup, milk, soy sauce, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder until smooth and combined. Fold in the drained green beans and half of the fried onion pieces. (Reserve the rest for topping.)
- Transfer the mixture to a medium casserole dish. An 8×8 or 9×9 works nicely for this amount, or use a 9×13 dish if you’re doubling the recipe.
- Bake until the center is hot and bubbly, about 30 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the oven, sprinkle the remaining fried onions over the top, and return to bake for an additional 10 minutes, until the topping is golden and crisp.
- Let it rest for just a minute or two, then serve while it’s still warm and bubbly.
Recipe Tips
- If using fresh green beans, prep and cook in lightly salted wateruntil done. Drain the beans very well, cool them, and add them to the mixture.
- If you want to prep ahead, assemble everything except the topping and refrigerate for up to a day. When ready to cook, bring the dish to room temperature, add the topping, and bake.
Recipe Variations to Try
- Add nuts for more crunch: Mix ¼ cup toasted sliced almonds with the onion topping before baking.
- Golden version: Use Campbell’s Golden Mushroom Soup instead of the classic cream of mushroom soup, omit the soy sauce, and stir in ¼ cup of chopped red bell pepper with the beans for added color.
- Broccoli swap: Replace the green beans with about 4 cups of cooked broccoli florets to make a broccoli casserole.
Storing Leftovers
Leftovers may be covered and refrigerated for 3 to 4 days. Reheat in the oven or microwave until warmed through. You will lose some crispiness on the topping but it’s still delicious!
More Green Bean Recipes You’ll Like
Southern Style Green Beans
Green Beans Caesar
Green Beans with Bacon and Onions
Braised Green Beans
Questions About Green Bean Casserole
Absolutely! You can assemble the casserole up to a day in advance. Just hold off on adding the crispy onion topping. Cover it and refrigerate, then bring it to room temperature before baking. Add the onions right before it goes into the oven so they stay nice and crunchy.
Yes! Just blanch about 1½ pounds of fresh green beans in boiling salted water for 3–4 minutes, then transfer them to an ice bath to stop the cooking. Drain them well before adding to the casserole.
The key is to wait until the last 10 minutes of baking to add the fried onions. If you’re reheating leftovers, you can sprinkle on a few fresh onions to bring back that crunch.
You sure can. For a vegetarian version, just use a vegetarian-friendly mushroom soup. To make it vegan, look for a dairy-free mushroom soup and use plant-based milk. You can also find vegan crispy onions at some grocery stores or online.
Have a question or thought to share?
If you have a question about the recipe or if you’ve made it and want to share how it turned out, I would truly enjoy hearing from you. Just scroll down to leave a comment or add your star rating.
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Recipe
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Green Bean Casserole
Ingredients
- 10.5 ounces cream of mushroom soup (1 can)
- ½ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 29 ounces cut green beans drained (2 cans)
- 2.8 ounces fried onions (1 can) French's brand recommended
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- Mix the soup, milk, soy sauce, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder in a small bowl. Add green beans and 1/2 of the onions. 1.4 ounces fried onions10.5 ounces cream of mushroom soup, ½ cup milk, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, 29 ounces cut green beans
- Place the mixture in a medium casserole dish (an 8×8 or 9×9 dish works for this amount – double the ingredients for a 9×13).
- Bake until heated through and bubbly, about 30 minutes.
- Sprinkle remaining onions on top and return to the oven for 10 minutes.1.4 ounces fried onions
- Serve warm.
Notes
- Toasted almonds add more crunch to the topping. Mix 1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds with the fried onions.
- May be stored, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and is provided for informational purposes. You should consult your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
I’m Lana Stuart, an award-winning cookbook author, food blogger, and lifelong cook raised deep in Southwest Georgia. I started Lana’s Cooking in 2009 to share the tried-and-true recipes I grew up with. Around here, the food is full of flavor, the traditions run deep, and there’s always room at the table.