This is the best green bean casserole recipe! Only a few simple ingredients, canned green beans, cheese, and a few minutes prep is all you need for the best green bean casserole. No creamed soup and no mushrooms! This recipe is a must have side dish for Thanksgiving dinner or any Holiday dinner.
GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE
I’ve been working really hard to get some Thanksgiving dinner recipe up on the blog. Just in time for Thanksgiving 🙂 Which happens to be my very favorite Holiday. What better day could there be? Being with family, cooking and baking all day, and a day where it’s socially acceptable to stuff yourself silly with all kinds of delicious food.
Seriously. Best. Day. Ever! At least for me.
A few weeks back I posted these perfect cream cheese mashed potatoes and you really must add them to your Thanksgiving menu as well as this no creamed soup green bean casserole.
I’ll be honest and say that I have never liked green bean casserole. I only have 3 foods that I absolutely will not eat and mushrooms are one of them. Hence the reason why I’ve never loved green bean casserole. Classic versions of this dish use a can of creamed mushroom soup. Which means mushrooms…..
I have tried so many versions and then I saw this version over at Keats Eats and I am not even kidding you when I say that I make this year round. It’s a popular side dish for dinner no matter the season or Holiday.
Not only is it perfect for Thanksgiving but Christmas & Easter. Basically any of those Holidays where you have a big family meal. Trust me, this no creamed soup green bean casserole needs to be on the table.
Simply melt some butter and add flour and a few spices. Cook that for just a few minutes and then remove from the heat.
Stir in some sour cream and dried minced onion. Then add the green beans, shredded cheese and crunchy onions. Pop it in the oven and it’s ready in 30 minutes.
You won’t believe how creamy and flavorful this dish is. No canned creamed soups and no mushrooms! Just easy, simple stuff that tastes like a million bucks.
I prefer green bean casserole with canned green beans. I’ve made so many that call for fresh green beans and not only is it a lot of work to prepare the beans, most of the time they don’t even cook all the way through. So you’re left with crunchy and crisp green beans.
Which is the reason I LOVE using canned green beans. Not only are they easy, convenient, and cheaper than fresh, but they cook up perfectly.
For a complete list of all the tried & true family favorite Thanksgiving recipes on the blog, CLICK HERE! I make most all of them every single Thanksgiving.
For dessert be sure to check out this huge list for the best thanksgiving day desserts! No bake pies are one of my favorite things ever, so there are lots of those. Enjoy friends!
Watch the recipe video
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon dried minced onion
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 can (28 oz each) french-style green beans (drained well)
- 1 cup shredded cheese (I use colby-jack)
- 1 cup French's fried onions
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Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 baking dish, or similar casserole dish, with cooking spray. Set aside.
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Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Once melted, add the flour, salt, sugar, and pepper. Stir with a whisk for 1 minute. Stir constantly so it does not burn.
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Take off the heat and add sour cream, and dried minced onion. Stir together until combined.
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Add green beans, half the cheese, and half the fried onions. Stir together and pour into prepared baking dish. Top with the remaining cheese and sprinkle with the remaining fried onions.
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Bake for 30 minutes.
If wanted, you can use 1 tablespoon of diced fresh onion. I prefer the dried minced onion because it's easy and you don't waste an onion for only 1 tablespoon!
To make this easy to prepare: measure out your dry ingredients (flour, salt, sugar, pepper) into a small bowl. That way when it's time to add them you just dump & stir.
I prefer the French style green beans in this casserole. But if you want a thicker, heartier green bean texture then use the cut green beans.
If you can't find the larger 28 oz cans of green beans then use 4 cans of 15 oz green beans instead.
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78 Comments
Carol Campbell
October 14, 2017 at 3:06 am This version of a family favorite really helps me out. One of my son's is deathly allergic to mushrooms. But he loves green bean casserole. Making it with cream of chicken or cream of celery just tastes a bit off. Looking forwand to trying this one. Thank you. Sincerely, Carol.Together As Family
October 14, 2017 at 1:13 pm I love hearing this Carol. So sorry you have allergies to deal with. My family just does not like mushrooms so this has always been a favorite. I hope you all love it :)Jean Blackwell
December 6, 2018 at 5:32 pm Im also deathly allergic to mushrooms so I was so excited to find this recipe!! I can't wait to try it!!Patte
October 14, 2017 at 6:27 am This does not print the recipe nicely, even if you just try to print the "page" it prints the left margin icons over the recipe (?) ... Please, if you can, get your folks to fix this so it can be used.Together As Family
October 14, 2017 at 1:12 pm Sorry you're having trouble. I just tried printing and it and nothing was covered. Are you printing from the web browser print button or are you clicking the 'print recipe' button by the recipe? If you print from the browser then yes it might cover up stuff. Try printing from the recipe print button and it should work better for you. Let me know if that helps.Julie Pollitt
October 15, 2017 at 12:43 pm This would make a fantastic Thanksgiving meal! Everyone in my family will love this!Together As Family
October 15, 2017 at 9:43 pm Perfect for thanksgiving. Kid friendly also because of the no mushrooms. Thanks for stopping by :)Cat
November 2, 2017 at 2:44 pm This is the only green bean casserole I will eat. But my ratio of sour cream to green beans is much higher. I use an 8oz tub of sour cream to 1 regular size can of French style beans. I honestly detest the traditional version of green bean casserole! My mother has made this for as long as I can remember and I had no idea anyone outside of the family had ever eaten it.Together As Family
November 4, 2017 at 11:00 pm I've never liked the classic green bean casserole either but this one I could eat all the time! Yours sounds delicious and creamy (yum!). I remember my grandma making this a long time ago and I forgotten about it until recently.Sherrie
November 12, 2017 at 2:04 pm For those lactose intolerant I’m going to try this with plain Greek yogurt instead of sour cream. Has anyone ever done that?Together As Family
November 13, 2017 at 11:59 am I know in other recipes Greek yogurt is a perfect substitute for sour cream. I think it should work just fine.Amy
November 16, 2017 at 5:52 pm I’m planning to make this as well for my daughter who is lactose intolerant. My local Ralph’s (Kroger) recently started carrying lactose free sour cream but i bet the yogurt would work as well!Sophia Garcia
November 13, 2017 at 11:49 am Hey I understand your green bean plight. Healthy tasting green beans do not belong in a green bean casserole. I found a recipe for country green beans ; they are so good. You fry up some bacon (great start) just to render off a bit of fat. So not crispy. Then you add your green beans and low sodium chicken broth until the green beans are sufficiently covered. Let them simmer. Yes it takes awhile but you can make it in advance, and it is absolutely delicious. Add salt and pepper to taste.Together As Family
November 13, 2017 at 11:56 am Yum! That sounds delicious.Mary Snyder
November 18, 2017 at 9:37 am Can this be done in a crockpot??Together As Family
November 18, 2017 at 10:46 am No, I don't think it could. You could always experiment and try it. I have never done it in the crockpot so I would not even know what to tell you.Kim
October 31, 2018 at 9:56 am Hello, I'm from South Georgia,this is how we cook green beans here.You can also cook the beans in beef broth and the bacon grease. The key is cooking them for a long time .😁 Also they are better the next day. When we have left over beans we make vegetable soup using all the stock and beans. Nothing gets wasted.Together As Family
November 6, 2018 at 6:51 pm Good tips. I’ll have to try that next time I’m feeling brave enough to conquer fresh green beans. Thank you for your comment. So helpful.Angelique J Aguilar
November 18, 2017 at 9:45 pm My sister is normally in charge of the green bean casserole during Thanksgiving. She won't be able to come down this year so I called her today to find out how to make it. I also hate mushrooms so I asked her if I could use something else. I am definitely glad I found this. Thank you, I will be trying it this year. Happy Thanksgiving!Together As Family
November 19, 2017 at 12:12 pm So good to hear this! I have never been a fan of mushrooms so this casserole is one of my favorites. I am so happy you found this recipe. It's pretty easy so I hope you all love it. Enjoy and Happy Thanksgiving! :)Jeswell
November 19, 2017 at 9:06 am About how many will this serve? I’m going to make this today for a Friendsgiving dinner and will need to serve about 11. I’m going to try with Greek yogurt as well for our one lactose intolerant friend.Together As Family
November 19, 2017 at 12:08 pm One recipe of this casserole will serve 6-8 adult side dish servings. Obviously that depends on size of serving that people dish up. So, if you have 11 people then I would definitely make two dishes of this casserole. Good luck and enjoy!Jennifer
December 21, 2017 at 10:44 pm I am going to make this for Christmas.. we have a very large group of anout 50! 22 are adults... Does your recipe fit in one normal sized casserole dish? Trying to gauge hone much I need....Together As Family
December 22, 2017 at 1:45 pm Wow! That's a lot of people to feed 😊 The recipe as written fits in a 9x13 baking dish. As a side dish to a larger Holiday type meal, I would guess that you could easily get 8-10 portions from one dish. Hope that helps & good luck !Mariah
November 19, 2017 at 10:18 am I'm planning to make this ahead and freeze for Thanksgiving. I was going to assemble it, minus the topping which I will freeze separately and add before/during baking. Have you ever tried that before? Or any advice?Together As Family
November 19, 2017 at 12:06 pm I have no experience with freezing this dish. I think it may get too watery once you cook it from frozen (in me experience, frozen veggies give off a lot of water while cooking). I would honestly suggest just making it the day before (minus the topping) cover it and let it hang out in the fridge until you bake it on Thanksgiving. Your idea also may work just fine. I am not a huge fan of freezing things because I think it changes the texture.... but that is just me and it may be just fine to freeze this. I hope it works out for you! Happy Thanksgiving :)Mariah
November 19, 2017 at 1:56 pm Thanks for the quick reply! I agree with your advice, but I might still try freezing it as I have lots to do the day before. I'll let you know if it works. Happy Thanksgiving! : )Together As Family
November 20, 2017 at 1:32 pm Thanksgiving is always so busy. You should be just fine preparing it ahead of time and freezing. Let me know how it goes, I am curious now :) Happy Thanksgiving and good luck with all your cooking.Gina
November 20, 2017 at 8:49 pm I would have to agree I think it will get watery and weird if frozen. This is a dish you want to make up fresh.Vicki
December 1, 2017 at 11:26 pm Not a good idea to freeze a recipe with sour cream. Refrigerating for a day before baking would probably be fine.Melissa Wright
November 19, 2017 at 10:49 am How many people will this serve? I'm wondering if I should double it. I have 7 adults and 2 toddlers. Thoughts? Thank you!Together As Family
November 19, 2017 at 12:02 pm It makes a 9x13 baking dish. If you are serving it for Thanksgiving then I think one recipe should be just fine because there will be lots of other things to eat. If it's like for a dinner party or guests/friends over at the house, maybe two recipes worth would be the best. In my family, it's my husband and I and then 4 kids (age 7 and under) and if my kids are eating well that night (haha, does not happen often) then we can eat the entire pan! We love this stuff. But then again, this stuff is so good that you may just want to double it so you will have leftovers and so there will be enough just in case everyone loves it!Melissa Wright
November 25, 2017 at 5:00 pm To follow up... This was an overwhelming success! I really like the original casserole but will never go back. This has been requested to now be the way this dish is prepared for Christmas and Thanksgiving each year. Thank you for this recipe! It was amazing!Jerri
November 19, 2017 at 11:58 am Question, has anyone tried putting this together the day before (other than the fried onions on top). And baking it the day of the dinner?Together As Family
November 19, 2017 at 12:16 pm I have never done this but it would work just fine. Make the casserole, according to recipe, and put into your baking dish. I would then just save the other half of fried onions and cheese in a small bowl. When you're ready to bake it, sprinkle the leftover onion/cheese mixture on top and bake. You may have to add maybe 5 minutes to the baking time because the dish will be cold OR you could take it out of the fridge about 30 minutes before baking so it's not quite as cold. I hope that helps. Enjoy :)Michelle
November 20, 2017 at 10:27 am I just realized that we have a lot of “mushy” foods on our menu for thanksgiving this year; Sweet potatoe casserole, Mac n cheese, mashed potatoes etc. so I wanted something a little more crisp. But I feel like green bean casserole is always a so bland! I’m going to add this to the menu! I’m going to make it the day before and add the onions and bake the day if. Can’t wait to try it!Together As Family
November 20, 2017 at 1:29 pm Awesome! I hope you love it as much as we do. And yes, I agree, there always seems to be lots of mushy type foods at Thanksgiving, haha :) Happy Thanksgiving and enjoy!Michelle
November 22, 2017 at 4:32 pm I was wondering if this could be cooked in microwave. My oven will be full thamksgiving morning.Together As Family
November 22, 2017 at 6:07 pm It probably could, although the onions on top of the casserole may not get a nice crisp to them. Maybe cook it in the microwave and then broil it for just a minute in the oven, after everything else is done cooking in it. Hopefully that helps a little bit :) Good luck.Celia
November 22, 2017 at 8:44 pm I’ve been searching for a mushroom free recipe, so glad i found this one! Quick question though- Do you drain the green beans before adding them into the mixture? Thanks! :)Together As Family
November 22, 2017 at 10:51 pm Yay! I am so glad you found it too :) Yes, make sure the green beans are drained well. I like to dump mine in a colander and let them drain well in that. Hope that helps.Christine @ myblissfulmess
November 25, 2017 at 9:33 am Tastes much better than the original with creamed soup. Fresh mushrooms can always be added if you love mushrooms, but I made this with a couple of picky eaters in mind. Everyone was happy with it. Delicious! The only thing I changed, was I used fresh chopped onion in the green bean mixture in place of french fried onions because I was prepping this ahead of time and wanted to avoid any soggy french fried onions. When I was ready to bake it, I then added the french fried onions to the top.Kimberly
November 28, 2017 at 11:09 am First time making this recipe for Thanksgiving and oh my gosh my family could not get enough of it. And not having to use soup was even betterAshlie
December 6, 2017 at 3:06 pm Hi, this sounds amazingly delicious and I plan on making for my family.of 5. Although I was wondering if fresh green beans can be substituted for canned. And if so how many pounds would I need for this recipe?Together As Family
December 12, 2017 at 1:47 pm I have never made this with fresh beans so I honestly would have no idea where to start. You would need enough to fill a 9x13 dish, and you may have to precook them slightly beforehand so they are sure to cook all the way through. Just a thought, and again, I am not totally sure about it as I've never used them. Enjoy :)American Goulash – Weekend Potluck 295
January 24, 2018 at 2:47 pm […] Creamy Cheesy Green Bean Casserole by Together As Family […]LYNDA HUEBEL
April 21, 2018 at 7:28 pm I don’t see where this Creamy Cheesy Green Bean Casserole tells how many serving there are, or what the serving size is. I liked the recipe & would like to make it again.Together As Family
April 29, 2018 at 8:53 pm It's hard to say what a serving size is, as everyone is different. When I make it, we get 8 side dish serving sizes out of it.Allie
October 1, 2018 at 3:56 pm I am trying this tonight and I can't wait. I'm pregnant and have been craving green bean casserole & "cheesy" green beans.. This recipe looks like it'll hit the spot! 😋Together As Family
October 2, 2018 at 1:25 pm Gotta love those pregnancy cravings, haha :) I really hope this hits the spot for you. I make it all year round cause it's so good. Enjoy and good luck with your pregnancy.Arleen
November 3, 2018 at 6:58 am you're getting rid of the canned soup , so why used canned green beans? They are over processed and flavorless.Together As Family
November 6, 2018 at 6:45 pm I actually prefer canned green beans in green bean casserole. I’ve always had trouble getting the fresh green beans soft enough, and it just takes lots more time for not a great result. I know there’s lots of recipes out there that use fresh beans. Hopefully one of those work for you 😊.Christine @ myblissfulmess
November 6, 2018 at 7:18 pm I'm with ya. I prefer canned green beans for a dish like this. It has the perfect texture.Stacy
November 18, 2018 at 5:27 am Have you tried cut green beans versus French ?Together As Family
November 18, 2018 at 1:34 pm I prefer the French style green beans in this casserole but if you want a thicker, heartier green bean texture then using the cut green beans would work just fine. I hope that helps.Hope
November 17, 2018 at 3:13 pm Can you used canned cut green beans instead of French style?Together As Family
November 18, 2018 at 1:34 pm I prefer the French style green beans in this casserole but if you want a thicker, heartier green bean texture then using the cut green beans would work just fine. I hope that helps.Erin
November 17, 2018 at 7:54 pm Do you think bacon would be weird added in??Together As Family
November 18, 2018 at 1:35 pm Yum! Yes. I have actually had a couple readers tell me that they add bacon to it and love it. It might make it saltier cause bacon is salty, so just be aware of that if you try it. Enjoy!Jen
November 19, 2018 at 7:39 am Can the flour be substituted for almond or coconut flour?Together As Family
November 20, 2018 at 3:28 pm I would think that would work just fine. Never tried it myself but I see no reason for a flour sub to not work in this. Enjoy!Kara
November 20, 2018 at 5:45 pm I tried this recipe last year because I waited too long to discover I was out of cream of chicken soup (I hate mushrooms too), and it was a hit! Super easy and super yummy. My family always does pot-luck style and I'm always in charge of the green bean casserole (so I can ensure no mushrooms). It was nice to surprise them with a tasty new variation. I'm making this again! Thanks ;)Together As Family
November 20, 2018 at 5:57 pm This makes me happy to read. So happy everyone enjoyed it. I look forward to it every year.Jackie
November 21, 2018 at 8:50 am Hi, silly question, can you cook this at 425? Only because all of my side dishes have to be cooked at 425.Together As Family
November 21, 2018 at 10:32 am It may work. Maybe put it on the top rack. I just worry the bottom might burn at the high temperature. I would just watch it closely as it would need less cook time.Tessa T.
November 21, 2018 at 11:14 am Thank you for posting this! I just did the recipe and popped it in the oven. I also dislike mushrooms and researched a ton of recipes but found this one to look the best =) I chopped up and cooked 3/4 cup of mushrooms to add to half of it to please the fungus fans. Looking forward to finding more recipes on your site. Happy Thanksgiving!Together As Family
November 21, 2018 at 7:59 pm Thank you so much for visiting! Happy Thanksgiving to you as well. Your fungus fans comment had me laughing 😂.Natalie F
November 22, 2018 at 9:25 am Making this again this year, it was a hit last year. I love how easy it and is and the common ingredients. I use almond flour and it still comes out great.Angela Roman
November 22, 2018 at 10:25 am My family makes a green bean casserole very similar to yours. We layer American cheese and cornflake crumbs on top, instead of fried onions. In recent years, I’ve switched the American to gruyere cheese (because gruyere!) and I started using fresh beans (I steam them for about 10 mins before adding them to the casserole). This casserole has so many wonderful memories. I was an Air Force brat, and for several years we were stationed with another family we became close with. I remember shared Thanksgivings with them and Connie (wife/mom of other family) bringing this casserole. It’s been a holiday staple ever since. I was into adulthood before I realized there was another green bean casserole. 😂 Happy Thanksgiving!Toni Wlasniewski
November 22, 2018 at 5:59 pm This was my mother-in-law's recipe. Once I introduced it to my side of the family, they are loved it and abandoned the standard mushroom-soup recipe. I made it for dinner today and it was a hit as usual.Jennifer
December 14, 2018 at 8:49 pm This recipie was a huge hit at thanksgiving and I just made another one today because I can’t wait til Christmas to have it again. I want to stress to definitely buy the French’s brand onions. I bought the store brand to save 50 cents and that was the wrong choice because it turns out there’s a huge difference. Sometimes I skip the butter flour step and just open the cans, mix in the sour cream and the cheese and dried diced onions, top with the fries..... still goodSusan
December 18, 2018 at 10:42 am Cheddar cheese soup works even better than cream of mushroom soup and no additional products to prepare. My family prefers the green bean casserole this way since some are not fans of mushrooms.Valerie Nolte
April 20, 2019 at 3:35 pm I just love this green bean casserole recipe! I have been making it for every special occasion for years. I use shredded Swiss cheese in mine, which gives it a special flavor. I've always used frozen french style green beans, but will try it with canned the next time.Together As Family
April 22, 2019 at 3:23 pm Oh yum, swiss cheese! I think I may have to try that.Penny
June 3, 2019 at 8:57 am I’ve not tried this recipe yet but I have a funeral to help fix food for so I’ll see how people like it there. It sounds wonderful. One of the comments suggested frozen French style , I much prefer frozen to canned. I can’t wait to try it. I also do not like mushrooms and my husband is allergic to them.Together As Family
June 3, 2019 at 9:09 pm Good luck! I hope it's a hit.Gloria Timmons
June 17, 2019 at 1:45 pm Does this dish reheat well? If refrigerated will it reheat ok for another meal the next day?Together As Family
June 27, 2019 at 10:23 pm Yes it does! The leftovers are fabulous and I always just reheat them in the microwave and it's delicious.