Easy Green Bean Casserole Recipe

published: Oct 2, 2022

updated: Oct 3, 2022

An Old-School Favorite the Whole Family Will Devour

Are you a fan of classic green bean casserole? This dish seems to be one of those things that you either love or hate. And that’s okay! Made with plenty of well-cooked green beans, a creamy sauce, and crunchy french-fried onions, it’s a simple and savory casserole dish that continues to be a holiday must-have. Even if you never eat condensed soup or canned green beans, many people simply can’t resist during the holidays!

There are plenty of other ways to make a green bean casserole! For example, in the slow cooker: Crockpot Green Bean Casserole, or by making my favorite version from scratch, instead of cream of mushroom soup, in this recipe for the Best Green Bean Casserole. But if you’re looking for the retro, tried-and-true version without any bells and whistles, this is the recipe for you!

From top: Black pepper, milk, mushroom soup, green beans, and french fried onions.

What’s in This Dish?

So just what goes into an old-school green bean casserole? Only a few, easy-to-find ingredients. Here’s the list:

Green Beans: Canned, well-drained.
Mushroom Soup: Also canned, of course.
Milk: To thin the sauce slightly.
Black Pepper: Freshly ground, if possible.
Fried Onions: These are often on sale during the holiday season. They come in a plastic canister and are usually stocked near the canned veggies.

Green bean casserole with french fried onions on top.

How to Make Easy Green Bean Casserole

I am convinced that one reason this casserole is so popular is that it packs so much creamy, savory flavor with so little effort. At a time when lots of us are wrangling a whole turkey or fancy dessert, easy sides are a gift.

Get the Oven and Baking Dish Ready. First, you’ll want to preheat the oven (if it’s not already preheated) to 375°F. Spray a 3-quart casserole with nonstick spray, and set it aside for now.

Mushroom soup, pepper, and milk in a medium mixing bowl.

Make the Casserole Mixture. Next, get out a large mixing bowl. Dump the cream of mushroom soup, milk, and pepper into it, and whisk to combine. Then stir in the drained green beans, plus half a cup of the crispy fried onions. Stir.

Green beans and fried onions in a mixing bowl with mushroom sauce.

Green bean casserole ingredients in a mixing bowl.

Pour, Top, and Bake. Pour the green bean mixture into your casserole dish, and spread it out evenly. Top with the remaining crispy onions. Bake the casserole for 20 minutes, or until the sauce is good and bubbly, and the onions are a dark golden color.

An unbaked casserole topped with fried onions.

Rest and Serve. Let the green bean casserole rest and cool for about 5 minutes before serving.
Enjoy!

Baked green bean casserole with golden-brown fried onions on top.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Far in Advance Can You Make Green Bean Casserole?

As long as you aren’t adding the topping until you’re ready to bake, you can make and refrigerate this casserole up to three days in advance.

Should Green Bean Casserole Be Soupy?

Green bean casserole should be saucy and creamy, but not soupy. Be careful about draining the beans, and whatever you do, don’t add water! Even though this recipe uses condensed soup, there’s no need to add water – if you do, the casserole will be runny.

How Do You Know When Green Bean Casserole Is Done?

Green bean casserole is done when the green beans are tender and the sauce is bubbling all around the edges of the baking dish.

Tips for Success

Before you start baking, I hope you’ll take a look at these helpful tips for success. They will go a long way toward making sure your casserole is picture-perfect.

Soup Substitutions: If you aren’t a fan of mushrooms, you can use another cream soup such as cream of celery or cream of onion.
Onion Topping and Onion Mix-Ins: I like to mix some of the crispy fried onions into the casserole to help add flavor. This is optional but definitely recommended.
Green Bean Options: You can use fresh, cooked green beans if you prefer. You will need about 5 heaping cups.
Add Cheese: Like a cheesy casserole? Add some shredded cheddar cheese to the green bean mixture, or add it in a layer on top of the green beans before you add the onions. Yum!
Oven Temp: This dish is flexible, and can also be baked at 350°F for a slightly longer time.

Close-up shot of holiday casserole, showing the texture of the crispy onion topping.

What Goes Well with Green Bean Casserole?

This classic side dish is great with almost any simple main course, like roast chicken or meatloaf. But it really shines as part of a big holiday spread! Here are some easy, tasty holiday favorites we love:

Ham: You can make a great holiday ham in the oven, or even in the air fryer, but this Crockpot Ham is super-easy and full of flavor. You’ll love how this simplifies your holiday meal prep.
Turkey: Well it isn’t the holidays unless you have a turkey! If you don’t have a favorite recipe yet, I highly recommend trying my very favorite Thanksgiving Turkey recipe!
Rolls: Homemade dinner rolls make a meal extra special, and these copycat Texas Roadhouse Rolls are some of the best! You’ll adore them, and their cinnamon honey butter topping. Yum.
Cranberry Sauce: Real cranberry sauce (or relish) is a joy to make and tastes so good with all of the holiday fixin’s. If you’ve never made your own, you have to try it! Here’s a simple Cranberry Relish recipe you’re guaranteed to love. I also have an awesome Apple Cranberry Sauce recipe for the apple lovers!

A fork lifting green bean in creamy sauce from a bowl.

How to Store and Reheat Leftovers

If you have leftovers, you can easily store this in the fridge. Just cover well, or transfer the leftovers into an airtight container. It will keep in your refrigerator for up to 3 days.

To 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, until heated through.

This easy Green Bean Casserole is an easy, retro favorite. Creamy mushroom sauce with soft green beans and crunchy fried onions!

Can I Freeze Green Bean Casserole?

Yes, green bean casserole can be frozen for 3 – 4 months. Store it in an airtight container in the freezer, and thaw before reheating.

Keep in mind, if you freeze the leftover baked casserole with the topping, the fried onions will lose their crunch. A better option might be to 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!

Yield: 6 Servings