Best Green Bean Casserole Recipe: Creamy, Crispy, Homemade

Did you know Americans serve an estimated 20 million green bean casseroles during Thanksgiving alone? This beloved comfort food has been gracing holiday tables since 1955, when Campbell’s Soup Company first created it!

But forget the canned ingredients. I’m sharing my foolproof green bean casserole recipe for a homemade version that’ll have everyone begging for seconds!

With perfectly crisp-tender green beans, a rich mushroom sauce made from scratch, and that irresistible crispy onion topping, this elevated classic deserves a spot at your dinner table any day of the year!

6 Key Ingredients You’ll Need For This Green Bean Casserole Recipe

Here are the ingredients you’ll need for the perfect green bean casserole:

1. Fresh green beans are absolutely worth the extra effort compared to canned green beans. They maintain this amazing crisp-tender texture that canned beans can’t match! Look for beans that snap crisply when bent. If they’re rubbery, keep looking! You’ll need about 2 pounds of fresh green beans for a standard 9×13 casserole dish.
2. Baby bella mushrooms (also called cremini) are my go-to choice for the best green bean casserole. They’ve got this deeper, more complex flavor than regular white button mushrooms. But honestly, either will work just fine. You’ll want about 16 ounces, sliced nice and thin, so they almost melt into the sauce.
3. Use heavy cream for the cream sauce base! Otherwise, the sauce won’t thicken properly, and you’ll end up with a runny mess. You need 1½ cups of heavy cream and 1 cup of chicken broth. The combination gives you that perfect rich-but-not-too-heavy consistency.
4. French’s are the classic choice for those crispy fried onions on top. You’ll need a 6-ounce container (and maybe grab an extra one because let’s be real, some of those crispy bits are definitely getting sampled before they make it to the casserole!)
5. The seasonings are pretty straightforward: 4 cloves of minced garlic, 1 teaspoon of fresh thyme (or ½ teaspoon dried), 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper. You can adjust these to taste, but this combo has never steered me wrong!
6. You’ll need about 3 tablespoons of flour to thicken the sauce. Don’t use cornstarch! It will make the sauce weird and kind of gelatinous. All-purpose flour gives you that silky-smooth sauce that brings everything together!

3 Ingredient Preparation Tips

1. Toast the flour for a minute in the mushroom pan before adding your liquids. It gets rid of that raw flour taste that can sometimes sneak through!
2. Quality ingredients really make a difference here. This isn’t just any old green bean casserole. This is the one your family will request every holiday!
3. If you’re planning ahead (which I highly recommend), you can prep your green beans and slice your mushrooms a day in advance. Just store them in separate containers in the fridge. But don’t try to make the cream sauce ahead – it’s definitely best when made fresh.

Essential Kitchen Equipment

Here’s what you need to get your kitchen set up for green bean casserole success!

1. You’ll need a 9×13 ceramic or glass baking dish. If you try squeezing everything into a smaller dish, the sauce will bubble over in the oven! A standard 9×13 ceramic or glass baking dish gives you the perfect depth for those lovely layers and enough surface area for maximum crispy onion coverage.
2. You’ll need a large pot (I use my 8-quart stockpot) for blanching those fresh green beans. This seems huge, but you want enough space for the beans to move around freely. Also, make sure it’s got sturdy handles for draining!
3. Speaking of draining, a good colander with sturdy feet is non-negotiable. The holes should be small enough that your green beans don’t slip through but big enough for water to drain quickly. Mine’s stainless steel and has lasted forever!
4. You’ll want a large skillet (at least 12 inches wide with high sides) for the sauce. This gives you plenty of room to sauté those mushrooms properly! If you overcrowd mushrooms in a small pan, they steam instead of getting that beautiful golden brown color. Trust me, that extra surface area makes a world of difference in developing flavor!
5. You’ll need at least two mixing bowls: one large bowl for ice water (to shock those blanched green beans) and another for tossing ingredients together. I like glass bowls because you can see what’s happening at the bottom, but stainless steel works great too!

Basic measuring tools

Measuring tools are where the accuracy matters! You’ll need:

• Dry measuring cups (1 cup, ½ cup, ⅓ cup)
• Liquid measuring cup (2-cup capacity is perfect)
• Measuring spoons for those seasonings
• A good set of tongs for handling the green beans

You don’t need top-of-the-line equipment, but you do need reliable tools that get the job done. My most used pieces are probably the most basic ones in my kitchen!

The Best Green Bean Casserole Recipe (5 steps)

Ingredients

• For the Casserole:
  • ½ pound fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into bite-sized pieces
  • ½ pound asparagus chopped into pieces about four inches (for more texture and flavor!)
  • 16 ounces baby bella (cremini) mushrooms, sliced
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon of fresh thyme (or ½ teaspoon dried)
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1½ cups heavy cream
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1½ teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • ½ cup grated Smoked Gouda (plus more for topping)
  • Fresh thyme leaves (optional)
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• For Topping:
  • 1½ to 2 cups crispy fried onions (French’s is best)

Instructions

1. Preheat the Oven:

• Preheat your oven to 350°F (or 375°F if using a lighter sauce).

2. Blanch the Green Beans:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. I add 2 tablespoons of salt.
• Add the green beans and cook for about 4 minutes until crisp-tender.
• Drain and immediately transfer to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. Drain again and set aside.

3. Prepare the Mushroom Sauce:

• In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat.
• Add the sliced mushrooms and sauté for about 8-10 minutes until softened.
• Stir in minced garlic, salt, pepper, and thyme, cooking for another minute.
• Sprinkle flour over the mushroom mixture and stir well.
• Gradually add chicken broth while whisking to combine. Once smooth, add the heavy cream in a steady stream, still whisking. Simmer until thickened, about 15-20 minutes.
• Stir in Dijon mustard and Smoked Gouda.

4. Assemble the Casserole:

• Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
• Spread a thin layer of the mushroom sauce on the bottom of the dish.
• Layer in the blanched green beans and asparagus and top with the remaining sauce.
• Sprinkle crispy fried onions evenly over the top.

5. Bake:

• Cover with foil and bake for 10 minutes.
• Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown on top.

6. Serve:

• Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving. Optionally garnish with additional Smoked Gouda.

Tips

• Feel free to add extra ingredients like shredded cheddar cheese or cooked bacon for added flavor!

This delicious and satisfying green bean casserole is perfect for holiday gatherings or family dinners. Enjoy!

12 Tips for Getting This Green Bean Casserole Recipe Just Right

Here are all the little tricks I’ve figured out to make this dish foolproof:

1. Trim the green beans properly. Line up a handful of beans and give them one quick slice with a sharp knife. Just make sure you’re only taking off that tough stem end!
2. For blanching, get your pot of water boiling FIRST, then add a good handful of salt. I’m talking 2 tablespoons. The water should taste like the ocean!
3. While the water is heating up, prep an ice bath in your largest bowl. Make sure it’s cold; a few measly ice cubes in lukewarm water won’t cut it!
4. Drop those beans in the boiling water for exactly 4 minutes. Set a timer, seriously! They should turn bright green and still have some snap to them. Immediately scoop them out with tongs and plunge them into that ice bath. This stops the cooking process and keeps that gorgeous green color!
5. For the sauce, start by melting 3 tablespoons of butter in your skillet over medium-high heat. When you add those sliced mushrooms, DON’T TOUCH THEM for at least 3 minutes! I know it’s tempting to stir, but let them get golden brown on one side first. After that initial sear, stir them and cook another 5 minutes until they’ve released their moisture.
6. When you add your minced garlic and thyme, cook until just fragrant (about 30 seconds. Burnt garlic is nobody’s friend!) Then sprinkle in that flour and stir constantly for a minute.
7. Slowly pour in your chicken broth and whisk like crazy. Nobody wants lumpy sauce!
8. For assembly, spread half the green beans in your baking dish. Pour over half the mushroom sauce, then repeat with the remaining beans and sauce. The layering is crucial to ensuring every bite has the perfect sauce-to-bean ratio!
9. DON’T mix the crispy onions into the sauce. Instead, sprinkle them evenly over the top just before baking.
10. Cover the dish with foil and bake. Then, remove the foil and bake until those onions are golden brown and your sauce is bubbling around the edges.
11. Once the casserole is out of the oven, let it rest for 10 minutes before serving! The sauce will thicken up perfectly.
12. Keep an eye on those onions in the final baking stage. They can go from perfectly golden to burnt in what feels like seconds! I usually start checking through the oven window at the 8-minute mark. You’re looking for that perfect golden brown color.

Recipe Variations & Substitutions

Here’s how I’ve adapted this classic recipe over the years to accommodate different dietary needs.

Gluten-free adaptation options

You can either use Cup4Cup gluten-free flour blend or Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 in exactly the same amount as regular flour for the sauce. But the trick is to cook it a bit longer when you’re making the roux: about 2 minutes instead of 1.

For those crispy onions, there are two options: either use gluten-free French fried onions or make your own by coating sliced onions in gluten-free breadcrumbs and giving them a quick fry!

Dairy-free alternatives

Full-fat coconut milk works amazingly well in place of heavy cream. Just make sure you’re using the canned stuff, not the drinking kind!

I’ve found that cashew cream is another fantastic option. Blend 1 cup of soaked raw cashews with ¾ cup water until super smooth, and use it 1:1 for the heavy cream.

For the butter, either Earth Balance or Miyoko’s plant butter works perfectly.

Vegetarian/vegan modifications

For my vegetarian friends, this one’s easy: just swap the chicken broth for vegetable broth! If you’re going vegan, you’ll need to combine this with the dairy-free options above.

You can also add a tablespoon of nutritional yeast to the sauce for that savory umami flavor that you might miss from the dairy.

Adding protein variations

Adding protein has become one of my favorite ways to turn this side dish into a main course!

About 2 cups of shredded rotisserie chicken mixed right into the sauce works beautifully. Or try adding crispy bacon bits (about 6 slices, crumbled).

This one time, I added leftover holiday ham (about 1½ cups, diced), and it was incredible! Just make sure any meat you’re adding is pre-cooked!

Cheese combination suggestions

While the traditional recipe doesn’t include cheese, I’ve experimented with quite a few combinations over the years.

My absolute favorite is mixing ½ cup of shredded Gruyere into the sauce. It adds this nutty depth that’s just chef’s kiss. Sharp cheddar is amazing too, but you don’t want to use more than ¾ cup, or it can get greasy.

For something really special, try a mixture of ¼ cup Parmesan and ½ cup Havarti.

Time to Make Some Green Bean Casserole!

Making this green bean casserole recipe from scratch might take a few extra minutes compared to the canned version, but the incredible flavor and texture make it absolutely worth it!

Whether you’re serving it for a holiday feast or Sunday dinner, this recipe proves that sometimes the classics just need a little homemade love to shine.

The key to success is blanching those green beans just right and taking the time to make that silky mushroom sauce. Now go ahead and get cooking!

Check out some of my other recipes and casseroles:

• Chicken Alfredo Recipe: Best Creamy Restaurant-Style Pasta
• Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe: Perfectly Sweet & Creamy!

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the ingredients to green bean casserole?

The basic ingredients for green bean casserole typically include:

• Fresh green beans (about 1½ to 2 pounds), trimmed
• Mushrooms (such as cremini or button mushrooms, around 8 to 16 ounces)
• Onions (sliced or pearl onions, about 1 cup)
• Garlic (2 to 4 cloves, minced)
• Cream or milk (around 1 to 2 cups, often heavy cream or chicken broth)
• Flour (for thickening the sauce, about 2 to 3 tablespoons)
• Crispy fried onions (for topping, about 1½ cups)

These ingredients can vary slightly based on different recipes and personal preferences.

How do you keep green bean casserole from being runny?

To prevent green bean casserole from being runny, ensure that you thoroughly drain any canned or frozen green beans to remove excess moisture before adding them to the dish. Additionally, consider incorporating a thickener like cornstarch or flour into the sauce while cooking, which will help achieve a thicker consistency and avoid a watery texture during baking.

How does Gordon Ramsay cook green beans?

Gordon Ramsay cooks green beans by first blanching them to preserve their crispness and vibrant color, then mixing them with a roasted garlic mustard sauce instead of sautéing. He emphasizes the importance of keeping the beans chilled and combines them with the sauce for a fresh, flavorful dish.

How many cans of green beans make 4 cups?

To make 4 cups of green beans, you will need about 2 to 3 standard 15-ounce cans of green beans. Each can typically contain approximately 1½ cups of drained beans, so using two cans will yield about 3 cups, while three cans will provide around 4½ cups, ensuring you have enough for your recipe.