Green Bean Casserole Recipe

A holiday table is never complete without a classic homemade green bean casserole. My recipe is loaded with pan-roasted mushrooms in a creamy sauce and topped with crispy fried onion straws. The flavors in this side dish are incredible, and the best part is that I can have it ready in less than an hour.

I grew up eating this classic side dish, and that is the reason I say a holiday table is not complete without a green bean casserole. My mom always made sure to include it on her beautiful and colorful table alongside the main dishes and other treats. I do the same now, and whenever I host, I like to add extra green bean dishes like my sautéed green beans or my green beans almondine.

Green Bean Casserole

Green bean casserole became popular in America during the 1950s thanks to an employee in the Campbell’s Soup Company test kitchen. It was originally called “Green Bean Bake.” This delicious casserole is a classic side dish often served at holiday dinner tables.

While the original recipe uses cans of cream of mushroom soup, just like hundreds of recipes online, my homemade version is unique and on another level of deliciousness. When you make this green bean casserole from scratch, you actually taste every fresh ingredient, and it beats anything that ever came from a can. I think you will agree with me on that.

In addition to pan-roasting mushrooms and cooking them in a rich cream sauce, I also use fresh French string beans, which elevate the flavor of this casserole. My recipe makes about 12 servings, perfect for hosting Thanksgiving or Christmas. Sometimes I make an extra casserole and keep it in the fridge since it stores well and makes a great side for any leftover main dish.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Here is everything I use to make my Green Bean Casserole, plus a few substitutions that work just as well. These swaps come in handy when I am short on an ingredient or want to switch things up a little without changing the flavor too much.

• Haricot Verts – I like using French green beans because they stay a little firmer after cooking. Regular green beans work great too.
• Bacon – I always add crispy bacon for extra flavor.
• Onions – I prefer pearl onions for their sweetness, but regular onions will work fine.
• Mushrooms – All mushrooms are acceptable to use in this recipe.
• Stock – I make my homemade chicken stock for best flavor.
• Garlic – Finely minced garlic adds a lot of flavors.
• Cream – Heavy whipping cream adds some much-needed fat to the green beans.
• Onion Straws – I sometimes grab the pre-made version, but I love making them fresh when I have time. They add the best crunch to the casserole.
• Herbs and Seasoning – I season with fresh thyme, salt, and black pepper.

How to Make Green Bean Casserole

Prep the green beans: I trim the green beans and parboil them in a large pot of boiling salted water for about 3 to 4 minutes. Then I chill them right away in an ice bath, and once they are cool, I strain and set them aside.

Cook the bacon: I add the bacon to a large frying pan or cast iron skillet and cook it until it is very crispy and brown. Then I remove it from the pan and set it aside.

Saute the vegetables: I add the mushrooms and onions to the pan with the rendered bacon fat and cook them for about 10 to 15 minutes.

Add garlic and flour: I stir in the garlic and cook it for about 1 minute, then sprinkle in the flour and mix until everything is well combined.

Make the sauce: I pour in the chicken stock and cream, then cook while stirring until the mixture thickens to the consistency of Alfredo sauce.

Combine everything: I stir in the crispy bacon lardons and fresh thyme, then season with salt and pepper. After that, I fold in the chilled, strained green beans until everything is evenly coated.

Bake the casserole: I place the dish in the oven at 225 degrees and bake it for 20 to 30 minutes while I prepare the onion straws.

Prepare the onions: I dip the sliced onions in egg wash, then dredge them in flour until they are fully coated.

Fry: I fry the coated onion straws in hot oil until they are golden and crispy brown.

Finish and serve: I place the crispy onion straws on top of the green bean casserole and serve it warm.

Chef Tip + Notes

The most important tip I can share is to never skip blanching the green beans before baking. When you blanch them in salted water for just a few minutes, it locks in the fresh flavor, bright green color, and crisp texture. If you skip this step, the beans can lose their color and turn soft while baking, and you will miss that satisfying snap that makes this side dish unique.

• Brown the mushrooms: I let the mushrooms cook long enough to brown and release their moisture.
• Use fresh thyme: I like to use fresh thyme for its light earthy aroma. It blends fantastic with the cream and bacon.
• Thicken the sauce: I make sure the cream sauce is thick before adding the beans. This helps the casserole stay creamy and stay firm.
• Fry onions last: I fry the onion straws right before serving. It keeps them extra crispy and delicious on top.
• Using canned beans: If I use canned green beans, I skip the blanching step. I mix them with the sauce once it is ready and place the dish in the oven at the same temperature to heat while I prepare the onion straws.

Serving Suggestions

Thanksgiving and Christmas at my house is always a big event, and this green bean casserole has its spot right next to the juiciest roast turkey. I pour the turkey gravy over everything, scoop some cranberry sauce on the side, and make sure there is plenty of mashed potatoes for everyone.

By the time we all sit down, the table looks like the same one my mom used to prepare when I was a kid, full of color and comfort. When it is just a regular dinner with my family, I usually serve this casserole with my classic meatloaf and a batch of homemade dinner rolls.

Make-Ahead and Storage

Make Ahead: I can prepare this recipe up to an hour before serving and keep it warm in the oven at 200 degrees. For the night before, I store the sauce and blanched green beans separately in the fridge, then mix, bake for 20 to 25 minutes, and top with onion straws before serving.

How to Reheat: Add the desired amount to a casserole dish and cover with foil.  Bake in the oven at 350° for 15 to 20 minutes or until hot.  You can also heat in the microwave until hot.

How to Store: I cover and keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

More Side Dish Recipes

• Sautéed Asparagus Recipe
• Potatoes Au Gratin
• Cheesy Broccoli Recipe
• Spaghetti Squash Recipe
• Ranch Potatoes Recipe

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Green Bean Casserole Recipe

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5 from 22 votes

A holiday table is never complete without a classic homemade green bean casserole. My recipe is loaded with pan-roasted mushrooms in a creamy sauce and topped with crispy fried onion straws. The flavors in this side dish are incredible, and the best part is that I can have it ready in less than an hour.

Servings: 12

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes minutes

Ingredients 

US CustomaryMetric

For the Green Beans:

• 2 pounds trimmed haricot verts or green beans
• 8 strips sliced bacon
• 8 ounces sliced button mushrooms
• 8 ounces sliced cremini mushrooms
• 1 cup pearl onions or diced yellow onions
• 4 finely minced garlic cloves
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 ½ tablespoons diced fresh thyme
• salt and pepper to taste

For the Onion Straws

• 1 egg whisked with ½ cup of whole milk
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 peeled very thinly sliced yellow onion
• salt and pepper to taste
• oil for frying

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 225°.
• Add the green beans to a large pot of boiling, salted water for 3 to 4 minutes or until cooked and slightly firm. Immediately add them to a large container of ice water and chill until cold. Strain and set aside.
• In a large frying pan or cast-iron skillet over medium heat, add in the bacon and cook until very crispy brown, about 5 minutes. Remove the crispy brown bacon and set them aside.
• Add the mushrooms and onions to the pan with rendered bacon fat over medium-high heat and brown them well, which takes about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir often.
• Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute and then sprinkle in the flour and mix until completely combined.
• Pour in the chicken stock and cook over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes or until very thick. Pour in the cream and cook until it becomes very thick like alfredo sauce.
• Stir in the crispy bacon lardons, fresh thyme, season with salt and pepper, and then fold in the chilled, strained green beans.
• Place the pan in the oven at 225° for 20 to 30 minutes while making the onion straws.
• Add the egg mixed with milk into a medium size bowl.
• In a separate medium size bowl mix together the flour with salt, pepper, and paprika.
• Add the sliced onions in egg wash and mix, and then dredge them in flour until completely coated.
• Fry the onions straws in a pot or cast-iron skillet of oil at 350° until crispy brown, which takes about 1 to 2 minutes. Drain the onions on a cookie sheet tray lined with paper towels.
• Add the onion straws to the top of the green bean casserole and serve.

Notes

The most important tip I can share is to never skip blanching the green beans before baking. When you blanch them in salted water for just a few minutes, it locks in the fresh flavor, bright green color, and crisp texture. If you skip this step, the beans can lose their color and turn soft while baking, and you will miss that satisfying snap that makes this side dish unique.

Brown the mushrooms: I let the mushrooms cook long enough to brown and release their moisture.

Use fresh thyme: I like to use fresh thyme for its light earthy aroma. It blends fantastic with the cream and bacon.

Thicken the sauce: I make sure the cream sauce is thick before adding the beans. This helps the casserole stay creamy and stay firm.

Fry onions last: I fry the onion straws right before serving. It keeps them extra crispy and delicious on top.

Using canned beans: If I use canned green beans, I skip the blanching step. I mix them with the sauce once it is ready and place the dish in the oven at the same temperature to heat while I prepare the onion straws.

Make Ahead: I can prepare this recipe up to an hour before serving and keep it warm in the oven at 200 degrees. For the night before, I store the sauce and blanched green beans separately in the fridge, then mix, bake for 20 to 25 minutes, and top with onion straws before serving.

How to Reheat: Add the desired amount to a casserole dish and cover with foil.  Bake in the oven at 350° for 15 to 20 minutes or until hot.  You can also heat in the microwave until hot.

How to Store: I cover and keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 386kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 8gFat: 31gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 65mgSodium: 178mgPotassium: 477mgFiber: 3gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 1318IUVitamin C: 14mgCalcium: 74mgIron: 2mg

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Author: Chef Billy Parisi