Best Green Bean Casserole Recipe - Make Ahead Thanksgiving Side! (2024)

Best Green Bean Casserole Recipe - Make Ahead Thanksgiving Side! (1) Jessica

4.5 from 876 votes

649 comments

Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

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This is the very bestGreen Bean Casserolerecipe we’ve ever made. Seriously! Fresh green beans, homemade cream of mushroom soup, and crispy fried onions make this a holiday side dish that’s sure to impress your guests!

Best Green Bean Casserole Recipe - Make Ahead Thanksgiving Side! (2)

Table of Contents

  • Why This Is the Best Green Bean Casserole Recipe
  • What You’ll Need
  • How To Make This Easy Green Bean Casserole
  • Tips and Variations
  • What To Serve With French’s Green Bean Casserole
  • Can You Make Green Bean Casserole Recipe Ahead Of Time?
  • Storage and Freezing
  • More Must Make Holiday Side Dishes
  • Get the Recipe

    Why This Is the Best Green Bean Casserole Recipe

    This easy green bean casserole has been a long-time family favorite and our loyal readers agree! Here’s why you should try it in your holiday menu this year:

    • Reader Favorite: So many 5-star reviews, it’s hard to keep track! According to many years of glowing comments, your holiday table won’t be the same without this side dish.
    • Fresh Flavors: This green bean casserole, made with fresh green beans and a homemade mushroom cream sauce, beats the retro canned version hands down! If you grew up with French’s green bean casserole made with canned beans and canned soup, you might be a little shocked. You seriously won’t believe how creamy and flavorful this version is until you try it for yourself.
    • Impressive: Make this easy and delicious side dish from scratch with very little effort. While it looks similar to the canned classic, everyone swoons when they taste the homemade love in every bite.
    • Make Ahead: Save your sanity and prep this amazing green bean casserole up to 2 days before serving. It turns out perfectly!

    Looking for more tasty holiday side dishes? You can’t go wrong with our decadent sweet potato casserole topped with toasted marshmallows! We’re also quite partial to corn on the holiday and love a serving – or two! – of our best corn casserole or a creamy Southern corn pudding!

    Best Green Bean Casserole Recipe - Make Ahead Thanksgiving Side! (3)

    What You’ll Need

    Simple, wholesome ingredients make the best green bean casserole ever. Check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact amounts.

    Green Beans

    • Green Beans: We highly recommend using fresh green beans. For other options, check the tips section below.

    Mushroom Cream Sauce

    • Veggies: We’ll be using sweet yellow onion, freshly minced garlic, and portobello (large or baby) mushrooms.
    • Salt & Pepper: Freshly cracked black pepper will give you the best flavor.
    • Butter
    • Flour: Regular, all-purpose flour thickens the sauce perfectly.
    • Broth: Chicken or vegetable broth adds depth.
    • Dairy: The recipe calls for half and half, but heavy cream can also be used. Whole milk will work in a pinch.

    Topping

    • Breadcrumbs: Use your favorite store-bought or buzz up your own leftover toasted bread in the food processor.
    • French Fried Onions: Homemade onion strings NEVER beat French’s Fried Onions for flavor and crunchy texture. This is truly what makes this a French’s green bean casserole!
    Best Green Bean Casserole Recipe - Make Ahead Thanksgiving Side! (4)

    How To Make This Easy Green Bean Casserole

    Here’s a quick tutorial showing you how to make the best green bean casserole recipe you’ll ever try. For detailed directions scroll to the recipe card below.

    Best Green Bean Casserole Recipe - Make Ahead Thanksgiving Side! (5)
    Best Green Bean Casserole Recipe - Make Ahead Thanksgiving Side! (6)
    Best Green Bean Casserole Recipe - Make Ahead Thanksgiving Side! (7)
    • Blanch Beans: Boil green beans in water or chicken broth until just tender. Immediately drain and place beans in ice water to stop the cooking process. This keeps the green beans from becoming too soft.
    • Cream Sauce: In a large deep skillet, sauté the onions and garlic in butter until softened. Stir in mushrooms, salt and pepper. Sprinkle flour over vegetables; stir. Next, add broth and half and half. Stir to combine and cook until thickened.
    • Combine: Toss blanched green beans in the mushroom sauce and transfer to a large baking dish. Top with bread crumbs and French fried onions.
    • Bake: Bake at 375°F for 20 minutes, until hot and bubbly.
    Best Green Bean Casserole Recipe - Make Ahead Thanksgiving Side! (8)

    Tips and Variations

    Our fresh version of French’s green bean casserole is easy and tastes sublime. However, if you are looking to shake things up, see variations below and bonus tips:

    • Green Beans: For unbeatable flavor and texture, we wholly recommend using fresh green beans. The next best choice is frozen green beans, prepared just as you would fresh. Canned green beans are our last choice. But if that’s all you have access to, use 6 cans and drain them well before cooking.
    • Nutmeg: 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of ground nutmeg can be added to the cream sauce for surprising warmth and depth of flavor.
    • Cheese: Add up to 2 cups of shredded cheese to the green bean mixture. Or, sprinkle cheese on top of the casserole before breadcrumbs and fried onions. Try white cheddar, parmesan cheese, fontina, or regular cheddar.
    • Herbivores: Swap veggie broth for chicken broth to keep this casserole totally vegetarian.
    • Omnivores: Add chopped, cooked, smoky bacon to the green bean mixture before baking.
    • Not a Mushroom Fan? Nix the mushrooms and double the onion in the cream sauce to create a homemade cream of onion sauce instead!
    Best Green Bean Casserole Recipe - Make Ahead Thanksgiving Side! (9)
    Best Green Bean Casserole Recipe - Make Ahead Thanksgiving Side! (10)

    What To Serve With French’s Green Bean Casserole

    Here are some of our favorite holiday entrees to pair with this classic Thanksgiving side dish:

    • Turkey: Follow our easy directions for how to cook a perfect Thanksgiving turkey. For a smaller version try air fryer turkey breast, crockpot turkey breast, or instant pot turkey breast.
    • Ham: Try crockpot ham or air fryer ham to keep it stress free. Or this baked ham with orange glaze is a show stopper!
    • Pork Loin: This surprisingly easy stuffed pork loin is packed with dried apricots and Boursin cheese.
    Best Green Bean Casserole Recipe - Make Ahead Thanksgiving Side! (11)

    Can You Make Green Bean Casserole Recipe Ahead Of Time?

    Yes! This is a wonderful make-ahead side dish that also travels well. To prepare ahead:

    • Follow recipe up to topping it with the bread crumbs and fried onions.
    • Instead, cool and store the prepared casserole tightly wrapped in fridge for up to 48 hours.
    • To bake, remove from fridge and allow casserole to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes, or up to 1 hour.
    • When ready to bake, top casserole with the bread crumbs and French fried onions. Bake according to recipe directions!

    Storage and Freezing

    Leftovers are almost as good the next day! Here’s how to store and reheat this green bean casserole:

    • Fridge: Store leftovers tightly wrapped in fridge for up to 3 days. You can also store it in the baking dish, just wrap it tightly with plastic wrap or foil.
    • Reheat: For best results, reheat in the oven at 375°F for 15 minutes, or until warmed through. Or, microwave until warm. Adding fresh fried onions on top will make it taste more like it did fresh.
    • Freeze: Freeze leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in oven or microwave.

    More Must Make Holiday Side Dishes

    Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Topping

    Baked Mac and Cheese

    Cranberry Relish

    Soft Dinner Rolls Recipe

    • Creamy Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes
    • How to Make Turkey Gravy from Drippings
    • Apple Cranberry Sauce
    • Easy Jiffy Corn Casserole Recipe
    • Garlic Mashed Potatoes
    • Copycat Texas Roadhouse Rolls Recipe

    Best Green Bean Casserole Recipe - Make Ahead Thanksgiving Side! (16)

    Print Pin Recipe

    Yield: 8 servings

    Best Green Bean Casserole Recipe

    This homemade green bean casserole recipe is made from scratch with fresh green beans and a decadent, homemade cream of mushroom soup!

    Prep Time25 minutes minutes

    Cook Time20 minutes minutes

    Total Time45 minutes minutes

    Ingredients

    • 2 tablespoons kosher salt
    • 1.5 pounds fresh green beans, rinsed and ends trimmed
    • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
    • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
    • 2 cloves garlic, minced
    • 2 large portobello mushrooms, sliced or diced
    • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, to taste
    • ½ – 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, to taste
    • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
    • 1 cup chicken broth, or vegetable stock
    • 1 cup half-and-half, or heavy cream
    • ½ cup breadcrumbs, optional
    • 10 oz French Fried Onions

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9×13 casserole dish, set aside.

    • Blanch the beans: In a large pot, bring about a gallon of water and 2 tablespoons of salt to a boil. Add the green beans and boil for 8 minutes. Drain in a colander and immediately plunge the beans into a large bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. Drain and set aside.

    • Canned Green Beans: If using canned green beans instead, drain green beans completely and set aside.

    • Melt butter in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and onions, stirring occasionally, until the onions begin to soften, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms, salt and pepper and continue to cook for another 1 to 2 minutes.

    • Sprinkle in the flour and stir to combine. Cook for 2 minutes. Add the chicken broth and stir to combine. Then add the half and half and simmer until the mixture thickens, stirring occasionally, approximately 6 to 8 minutes.

    • Remove from the heat and stir in all of the green beans. Transfer green bean mixture to prepared casserole dish.

    • Top with the bread crumbs and then layer the french fried onions on top. Place casserole in the oven and bake until bubbly, about 20 minutes. If your onions start to brown too quickly, cover the casserole with foil. Serve immediately!

    Video

    Equipment

    Notes

    PREP AHEAD DIRECTIONS: You can prepare the casserole up to 48 hours ahead of time. STOP at step 7 in the directions above. Do not top casserole with the bread crumbs and french fired onions. Instead, wrap cooled casserole tightly with foil, or saran wrap, and store in refrigerator for up to 48 hours.

    When ready to bake, remove from the refrigerator and let casserole rest at room temperature for 30 minutes (or up to 1 hour) before baking. Then continue on with the recipe directions from step 7.

    Storage: Store leftovers tightly wrapped in fridge for up to 3 days. You can also store it in the baking dish, just wrap it tightly with plastic wrap or foil.

    Reheat: For best results, reheat in the oven at 375°F for 15 minutes, or until warmed through. Or, microwave until warm. Adding fresh fried onions on top will make it taste more like it did fresh.

    Green Beans: For unbeatable flavor and texture, use fresh green beans. The next best choice is frozen green beans, prepare them just as you would fresh. To use canned green beans, use 6 cans of green beans, well drained.

    Nutmeg: 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of ground nutmeg can be added to the cream sauce for a surprising warmth and depth of flavor.

    Cheese: Add up to 2 cups of shredded cheese to the green bean mixture. Or sprinkle on top of the casserole before breadcrumbs and fried onions. Try sharp white cheddar, shredded parmesan cheese, fontina, or sharp cheddar.

    Not a Mushroom Fan? Nix the mushrooms and double the onion in the cream sauce to create a homemade cream of onion sauce instead!

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1 serving, Calories: 359kcal, Carbohydrates: 31g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 24g, Saturated Fat: 11g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 19mg, Sodium: 2515mg, Potassium: 341mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 782IU, Vitamin C: 12mg, Calcium: 85mg, Iron: 1mg

    © Jessica

    Cuisine: American

    Category: Vegetable Sides

    Categories:

    • Casseroles
    • Christmas
    • Diet
    • Easter
    • Fall
    • Family Recipes
    • Holidays
    • Recipes
    • Side Dishes
    • Thanksgiving
    • Vegetable Sides
    • Vegetarian
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    This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.

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    Best Green Bean Casserole Recipe - Make Ahead Thanksgiving Side! (2024)

    FAQs

    How do you keep green bean casserole from getting soggy? ›

    Any liquid from the beans will make your casserole watery. Only add 1/4 cup milk with the condensed soup—do not add the water as directed on the can. Add the crispy fried onions during the last 5 minutes of baking or they will absorb some of the sauce and become soggy.

    Can you prep green beans ahead of time? ›

    Drain and rinse under cold water 1 to 2 minutes to stop cooking process. Drain well. Refrigerate green beans between layers of paper towels in an airtight container or resealable food storage bag for up to 1 day. To serve, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat in large skillet.

    Which is better frozen or canned green beans for green bean casserole? ›

    When I make green bean casserole, I skip canned beans all together. Frozen green beans are the best green beans to use for green bean casserole.

    Should green bean casserole be soupy before cooking? ›

    Green Bean Casserole from Scratch FAQs

    Cover and freeze until you are ready to bake. You can bake start from frozen without adding the onions until the casserole has already baked for about 20 minutes. Should green bean casserole be soupy? No, your green bean casserole should not be soupy.

    Can I refrigerate uncooked green bean casserole? ›

    Assemble the casserole, but leave the fried onions or other garnishes off the top. Cover with foil and refrigerate. When you're ready to cook the casserole, set the baking dish out as you preheat your oven so it can begin to come to room temperature.

    How long can green bean casserole stay in the fridge before cooking? ›

    Pour the mushroom sauce over top, stirring to coat the green beans well. Cool completely, then tightly cover the baking dish with plastic wrap then foil. Refrigerate up to 2 days. Reheating: Remove the baking dish from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes or up to 1 hour before you'd like to finish them in the oven.

    Can you cook green beans ahead of time and reheat? ›

    They can be prepared ahead of time and reheated right before serving. This is the perfect side dish for family weeknight dinners or special occasions.

    How do you keep cooked green beans from turning brown? ›

    If green beans are turning brown when cooked; you are definitely overcooking them. Keep the pot lid mostly on,excluding most of the oxygen; and they will stay green. Also; check to see if you're using hard water (with lots of Ca++ or Mg++ in it).

    What vegetables can be prepared the night before? ›

    Prep your veg the night before

    Peel potatoes, carrots, parsnips and any other veg you're having and leave them in pans of cold water overnight. This will save you a lot of faff and additional mess on Christmas morning.

    Why is my green bean casserole so soupy? ›

    The Casserole Is Too Soupy

    If you used frozen green beans, but didn't fully defrost and drain them prior to adding them to the casserole, that mistake will surely account for the excess water you're now experiencing.

    How many cans of green beans equals 4 cups? ›

    ✿ 4 cups of green beans is about 1½ pounds fresh or 16 ounces frozen or 2 cans (15 ounces each) drained.

    Which canned green beans taste best? ›

    If your recipe happens to call for Italian green beans, these are the best canned green beans. Del Monte is the brand that makes the most appearances on this list, but if you're looking for French style green beans, go for Great Value. They're less salty and more substantial than Del Monte.

    Why isn t my green bean casserole thickening? ›

    Add a thickener

    The extra thickening should thicken the sauce, and if the mixture is still runny, repeat the process. The site also reports that you should use 1 tbsp of corn starch if thickening a small portion and up to 4 tbsp of corn starch for large batches.

    Can you overcook green bean casserole? ›

    Overcooking the beans won't just drain them of their appealing color, but it will also make them too soft and mushy, resulting in a less appetizing casserole.

    How do you keep green beans crisp in the fridge? ›

    How to Store Green Beans. Green beans should be stored unwashed in the crisper drawer of your fridge. If they came in a bag, keep them in the bag when storing. If they came in a small berry box from the market, transfer them to a reusable storage or plastic bag before storing them in the fridge.

    Why is my green bean casserole always runny? ›

    Green bean casserole should have a nice thick sauce that coats the green beans—it should not resemble soup. One common cause of a watery casserole is not adding enough thickener, such as flour or cornstarch, to your sauce.

    How long can green bean casserole sit out after cooking? ›

    How long is green bean casserole good for in the fridge? If properly prepared, cooked and stored in a covered air tight container in the refrigerator I would expect prepared or leftover food to last 2 or 3 days. Cooked Food should not be allowed to sit at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

    How do you fix a soggy casserole? ›

    Just because your casserole is starting to look a bit soupy doesn't mean it's beyond saving. In fact, all you need to do is add some pasta noodles or grains to your base. This trick works for the simple reason that both types of ingredients soak up water as they cook.

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