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Home » Recipes » Side Dishes

Classic Green Bean Casserole

By: Kathryn Doherty | Last Updated: Mar 11, 2025 | Published: Oct 21, 2021
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Classic green bean casserole is creamy and flavorful with crunchy French fried onions mixed in and on top. This favorite holiday side dish is just 4 ingredients and 5 minutes to prep!

Green bean casserole with French fried onions on top in a white oval baking dish after cooking and a serving spoon tucked in the side


 

First, a quick happy birthday to my dad! He's absolutely the best dad out there, and I feel so lucky all the time that he's my dad. We celebrated a couple of nights ago, but since today is the day, I had to mention it!

OK, let's talk food. (This is one of my dad's favorite holiday dishes so it's so appropriate to share today!)

Today, I’m so excited to share with you this classic green bean casserole recipe.

This is the version near and dear to my heart that my mom and grandmother always made when I was growing up.

And it’s the version I keep coming back to as an adult myself.

It’s a Thanksgiving favorite, but it works great for other holidays too. Anytime you need a bit of comfort food from your side dishes, this has you covered.

Plus, this green bean casserole is just 4 ingredients. Talk about making life easy!

A baked green bean casserole in a white dish with French fried onions on top

Ingredients:

  1. A large can of green beans
  2. A can of cream of mushroom soup
  3. ¼ cup of milk
  4. A large can of French fried onions

Easy peasy all the way.

AND, it takes all of 5 minutes to put together.

Seriously, you just mix the green beans, soup, milk and part of the fried onions and plop it in your casserole dish. Then it’s ready to put in the oven. (The rest of the onions go on top of the casserole towards the end for maximum crunch.)

It can be such a relief to have a super simple side dish when you’ve got a million things to make. Especially when it’s a classic like this that everyone will love!

For another veggie side dish everyone will spoon over, try this creamed spinach casserole.

And if you're feeling tight on oven space, check out this slow cooker green bean casserole that is just as easy and tastes just like the classic.

OK, let’s get cooking.

(You can also check out my Google web story for this green bean casserole recipe.)

Ingredients laid out on a white counter, including French fried onions, green beans, milk and a creamy canned soup
A creamy green bean and French fried onions mixture in a large glass bowl
A creamy green bean mixture in a white oval baking dish before being cooked
A baked green bean casserole in a white dish with French fried onions on top and a blue striped towel in the background

Now, I’ve got some notes, tips and substitutions coming up below on how to make green bean casserole. Just tryin’ to be helpful.

If you want to jump on down to the recipe, simply scroll right on through the rest of the text. The recipe card is near the bottom of the page, above the comments section.

Recipe Notes:

  • Green beans: Make sure you get the BIG can of green beans - the 28 oz. one. Or  you could use two smaller cans.
  • Soup: The recipe calls for a can of cream of mushroom soup. You could also use a can of cream of celery soup. And if you want to skip the can and make the creamy mixture yourself, you definitely can. I have details on that below and in the notes of the recipe card.
  • Milk: I use skim milk because that’s what we have on hand. You could also use a 1% or 2% milk or even try an alternative milk. It’s just ¼ cup so it shouldn’t make a huge difference.
  • French fried onions: These crunchy babies come in a container and we’re going for the BIG one here - the 6 oz. can. I mean, extra fried onions can only be a good thing, right? This way, you’ve got tons throughout the casserole and a nice crunchy layer on the top as well.
  • Servings: This casserole serves 6-8. Feel free to double the recipe and use a larger baking dish if you have a lot of guests to serve. (Or make two separate baking dishes.)
A white oval baking dish with green bean casserole topped with crunchy French fried onions

Now, as promised…

Want to skip the cream of soup can?

I totally get it. And I’ve done that several years myself when my mom and I were tag-teaming the Thanksgiving meal together and had the time and energy.

(Last year, in 2020, I was on my own for the entire Thanksgiving dinner and definitely took the shortcut of buying the can. So keep it easy if you need to! Zero judgement.)

Here’s the basics of how to make it homemade to use in this casserole. I’ve included this in the notes of the recipe card below, as well.

Green bean casserole with browned, crispy French fried onions on top in a white oval baking dish after cooking

How to make homemade cream of mushroom soup:

  1. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Once it's melted and foaming, add 8 ounces of thinly sliced button mushrooms. Cook for 5-7 minutes, until the mushrooms are tender and have released most of their liquids.
  2. Add ¾ cup of low-sodium chicken broth, ¼ teaspoon onion powder and ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder then bring the soup to a simmer.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk together ½ cup milk (skim is fine) and ¼ cup all-purpose flour.
  4. Stir the milk mixture into the soup and mix well. Cook for about 1 minute, until the soup has thickened. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

Ta-da! That's it. Pretty easy really.

Now, I know it’s Thanksgiving or a holiday or special occasion and so we love to make things ahead.

But honestly, this casserole takes 5 minutes to put together. And you don’t want the French fried onions to get soggy. So it’s best to put it together just before baking instead of the day before.

(If you get anxious about timing like my mom tends to do for holiday meals, feel free to gather the cans and ingredients and place them in the casserole dish on a side counter in the kitchen. You’ll know you’ve got it all ready to go.)

Green bean casserole with French fried onions on top in a white oval baking dish after cooking with a serving spoon in the side and green napkins nearby.

Quick side break…

Since we’re talking Thanksgiving and holiday meals, check out these other holiday favorites to round out your table:

- Classic Thanksgiving dressing will be your favorite side dish at the big meal! It’s made with simple ingredients, can be prepped ahead and comes out so flavorful.

- My mom’s classic deviled eggs are a must-have at any holiday meal. I have all the info you need for success and some fun ideas for toppings.

- This easy cranberry sauce takes just 15 minutes to make and beats the pants off of anything from a can.

- Bourbon sweet potato casserole is topped with buttery pecans and smells oh so amazing when it’s baking!

- Instant Pot mashed potatoes are a great way to have one of your side dishes separate from the oven and stove. They are creamy and dreamy.

- Roasted carrots are simply seasoned and come out buttery and the just right balance of sweet and savory.

- Slow cooker turkey breast is my fool-proof way to ensure a perfectly cooked, perfectly juicy, perfectly flavorful bone-in turkey breast every single time. No guesswork involved.

- And this easy turkey gravy is the ultimate in delicious! It can cover up a multitude of sins with a slightly dry or overcooked turkey if you still make yours in the oven.

And if you just love French fried onions like we do, also try this French onion chicken casserole for a cozy family dinner.

OK, back to today's recipe.

Close up of a serving spoon in a casserole dish of green bean casserole

Last thing, let’s talk about leftovers of green bean casserole.

How to store leftovers:

  • The leftovers of this casserole, if there are any, can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. The French fried onions tend to soften, however.
  • You can reheat in the microwave, but that’ll soften the fried onions even more.
  • If you want to regain some of the crunch, I recommend reheating it in the oven or a toaster oven at 350 for 10-15 minutes, until heated through.

I think that covers it. But if you have any questions, please let me know in the comments below. I’m happy to help!

I hope you and your family enjoy this classic green bean casserole year after year as much as we do.

Happy cooking, happy holidays and enjoy!

XO,

Kathryn

Green bean casserole with browned, crispy French fried onions on top in a white oval baking dish after cooking
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Classic Green Bean Casserole

Classic green bean casserole is creamy and flavorful with crunchy French fried onions mixed in and on top. This favorite holiday side dish is just 4 ingredients and 5 minutes to prep!
Prep Time5 minutes mins
Cook Time35 minutes mins
Total Time40 minutes mins
Yield: 6 -8 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 (28 oz.) can cut green beans, drained
  • 1 (10 oz.) can cream of mushroom soup
  • ¼ cup milk (skim, 1% or 2% are fine)
  • 1 (6 oz.) can French fried onions, divided

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 1 ½ quart baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
  • In a medium bowl, combine the green beans, soup, milk and ⅔ of the can of French fried onions. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish.
  • Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.
  • Top with the remaining ⅓ can of French fried onions. Return to the oven and bake an additional 5 minutes. Serve hot.

Notes

Green beans: Make sure you get the BIG can of green beans - the 28 oz. one. Or use two smaller ones. 
Soup: The recipe calls for a can of cream of mushroom soup. You could also use a can of celery soup. And if you want to skip the can and make the creamy mixture yourself, you definitely can. I have details on that below.
Milk: I use skim milk because that’s what we have on hand. You could also use a 1% or 2% milk or even try an alternative milk. It’s just ¼ cup so it shouldn’t make a huge difference.
French fried onions: These crunchy babies come in a container and we’re going for the BIG one here - the 6 oz. can. I mean, extra fried onions can only be a good thing, right? This way, you’ve got tons throughout the casserole and a nice crunchy layer on the top as well.
Servings: This casserole serves 6-8. Feel free to double the recipe and use a larger baking dish if you have a lot of guests to serve.
Leftovers: The leftovers of this casserole, if there are any, can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. The French fried onions tend to soften, however. You can reheat in the microwave, but that’ll soften the fried onions even more. If you want to regain some of the crunch, I recommend reheating it in the oven or a toaster oven at 350 for 10-15 minutes, until heated through.
How to make homemade cream of mushroom soup:
  1. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Once it's melted and foaming, add 8 ounces of thinly sliced button mushrooms. Cook for 5-7 minutes, until the mushrooms are tender and have released most of their liquids.
  2. Add ¾ cup of low-sodium chicken broth, ¼ teaspoon onion powder and ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder then bring the soup to a simmer.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk together ½ cup milk (skim is fine) and ¼ cup all-purpose flour.
  4. Stir the milk mixture into the soup and mix well. Cook for about 1 minute, until the soup has thickened. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 66kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 296mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment below or follow me on Instagram @familyfoodonthetable and tag me in your photo!
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Comments

  1. Dakota Miller

    October 27, 2021 at 4:19 am

    Hi, Kathryn! I'm no expert in the kitchen so this recipe is a lifesaver. This looks like an ultimate comfort food I can just cook easily. The canned mushroom soup is the only lacking ingredient in my pantry. What brand do you use? Looking forward to whipping up this recipe! Thanks!

    Reply
    • Kathryn Doherty

      October 27, 2021 at 7:55 am

      I'm so happy this is helpful! Campbell's makes these types of canned soups, but you can also probably find store brand versions in your grocery store. Hope that helps! 😊

      Reply
      • Dakota Miller

        November 05, 2021 at 11:34 am

        Got it! Thanks!

        Reply

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Meet Kathryn

Hi there! I’m Kathryn Doherty, a cookbook author, mom of two, and devoted food and home cooking nut. I’ve got lots of easy recipes to help you get delicious food on the table for your family!

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