Name: Green Bean Casserole
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1.5 lbs green beans, trimmed and cut in half; 3 cups cream of mushroom (make your own!); 1 cup fried onions, for topping

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A classic for the holidays, no table is complete without a Green Bean Casserole with fresh green beans. Make this easy recipe for Thanksgiving with homemade Cream of Mushroom soup.

This green bean casserole recipe is easy to make ahead of time for the holidays.

Looking for a dish for a gathering that has stood the test of time? Make this classic Green Bean Casserole recipe.

Easy to make and a crowd-pleaser, you can make this days ahead of time and bake just before serving.

Did you make this recipe? Share with me in the comments below what you thought and how it turned out.

Ingredients

This Green Bean Casserole recipe is only three ingredients, making it one of the simplest dishes on your Thanksgiving table.

Green Beans: Fresh is always better but you can also use frozen or canned in a pinch.
Cream of Mushroom soup: Either make your own or buy a canned version. No green bean casserole is complete without a good mushroom soup!
Fried onion topping: An absolute must when making this casserole! Buy French’s to save on time, or make your own!

How to Make Green Bean Casserole

Add the beans and cream of mushroom the a casserole dish, then bake and then add the fried onions. — Add the beans and cream of mushroom the a casserole dish, then bake and *then* add the fried onions.

Making this Green Bean Casserole is as simple as blanching the green beans and mixing it with the cream of mushroom soup.

First, trim the green beans and cut them in half, then blanch. More directions on blanching the green beans below. After the green beans have been blanched, mix with the cream of mushroom soup. Then add to a casserole dish and bake at 350 degrees for half an hour. The casserole will be bubbling and hot. Then add the fried onions and bake for another 5 minutes, the fried onions will be slightly browned and crisp.

How to Blanch Fresh Green Beans

Blanching green beans is an easy task in the kitchen, but it can be time consuming. While there is nothing like a fresh green bean, you can also use frozen or canned if you need to save on time.

Take the green beans and trim off the ends. Then split them in half so that each green bean is easy to eat with a fork.
Submerge the green beans in salted boiling water for about 7 minutes. Test one after about 5 minutes to test for tenderness. It should pierce easily (but too easily) with a fork. Remember, the beans are still going to go in the oven, so they will still have some time to cook. The green beans will be tender but still have some crunch.
Once the green beans are cooked to the desired doneness, submerge the beans in a large bowl of ice water.
The beans will be a bright green once they are shocked in the cold water. Drain and set aside. They are now read to be used in your casserole!

Set up your ice water while the beans are boiling.

Fried Onions for a Green Bean Casserole

Everyone’s favorite part of the casserole (mine included) are the crispy fried onions on the top! I always use French’s Fried Onions, but if you have the time, feel free to fry up a batch of yellow onions or even shallots for something a little different.

If you do want to fry your own onions or shallots, all you need to do is chop your onion so that each piece is about an eighth of an inch thick. If you want to replicate French’s onion topping, throw in some rings as well as smaller pieces of onion. No dredging is required unless you want to make a flour and egg dredge- which will make them more of an onion ring topping.

In a shallow frying pan, add about 6 tablespoons of oil and wait until the oil is hot. You can check to see that the oil is hot by sticking the end of a wooden spoon in and small bubbles will appear by the base of the wooden spoon. Add in your onions and fry on each side for about 10 minutes. They will be golden brown. Remove and transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Go ahead and taste a few to check for doneness and then sprinkle with salt when they are still hot.

You should need one large yellow onion or three shallots for each pound of green beans. But a couple of onion pieces always go missing after they are fried so it’s always best to cook up more than you will need.

Making a Green Bean Casserole with Fresh Green Beans Ahead of Time

Want to make this dish ahead of time for Thanksgiving or Christmas? I couldn’t think of a better make-ahead-side for the holidays.

Make the casserole and leave off the fried onions and cover with foil. When I’m making dishes to make ahead, I usually write bake directions on a sticky note and stick it directly tot the foil so I’m not confusing which directions go with what dish.

You can make this dish up to three days in advance. It’s best if it’s baked just before serving so it’s served hot. It’s also not too picky about how it’s baked, so it can share room in the oven with another dish. This recipe does call for 350 for half an hour, but the most important part is that the cream of mushroom soup is bubbling before the fried onions are added and that the onions don’t burn once they are added.

Wondering What to Serve with your Casserole?

This dish is a hearty veggie side that needs something to go with it. The good news is that you have plenty of options. You will oftentimes see this classic green bean casserole next to a carved Turkey or roasted ham.

My favorite sides to go with this casserole is a cheesy potato gratin and another casserole – sourdough stuffing! Break out freshly made cranberry sauce to drizzle on top if you like a bit of zest to brighten the flavors on your plate.

While many families just enjoy this dish on during the holidays, it’s a year-around staple that I make about twice a month. The best part, of course, is the crispy-fried onions on top! It started as a holiday tradition, but it’s a great way to eat your veggies as well.