Green Bean Casserole Recipe - Cooking Classy (2024)

Published November 14, 2018. Updated August 21, 2019

The only Green Bean Casserole recipe you’ll ever need! It’s made with fresh tender green beans, a rich creamy mushroom white sauce, and it’s finished with the classic French’s crispy fried onions to give it that delicious reminiscent touch. Plus there’s parmesan in the recipe for extra flavor! This recipe is a Thanksgiving staple and one people will request again and again!

The Best Green Bean Casserole!

We’ve all had our fair share of nasty green bean casseroles. You know the kind with mushy, lifeless canned green beans and canned condensed mushroom soup (with lots of strange ingredients).

This version is made from scratch and is a million times better! It’s worth the few extra steps, I promise! You’ll never look back to that lazy version.

You may likely even find green bean casserole haters becoming true believers.

Ingredients You’ll Need for This Recipe

• Fresh green beans
• Butter
• Mushrooms
• Salt and pepper
• Garlic
• Flour
• Chicken broth
• Half and half
• Parmesan cheese
• French’s crispy fried onions

How to Make Green Bean Casserole

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Cook green beans in a pot of boiling water until just tender.

• Drain green beans from pot and transfer to ice water.
• Drain green beans well from ice water then pour into a baking dish.

• Saute mushrooms until softened, while adding in garlic and sauteing briefly near the end.
• Sprinkle flour evenly over mushrooms then toss to coat and cook briefly.

• Stir in chicken broth and half and half.

• Bring mixture to a simmer to thicken, while stirring frequently. It should have a nice creamy consistency.

• Pour sauce mixture over green beans in baking dish and toss to coat.

• Sprinkle fried onions evenly over top.
• Cover with foil (so onions don’t brown too much) and bake 10 minutes, uncover and bake 10 minutes longer.
• Serve warm for best results.

Tips for Perfect Green Bean Casserole

• Only use fresh green beans for best flavor and texture.
• Stick with half and half, don’t try to substitute milk or it won’t be as good.
• Par cook green beans, this way they won’t end up crisp and under-cooked by the time casserole is baked through.
• Blanch beans in ice water so they won’t end up overcooked in the end. It also helps then retain that pretty green color.
• The sauce should have a great consistency but if you happen to have watery or dry mushrooms you can adjust consistency a bit if desired (thicken with a little more of a flour/water mixture or thin with a little half and half).

What is Half and Half?

One question I get a lot is “what is half and half?” Half and half is basically a mixture of half milk and half cream so if you can’t find it you can make your own. Simple blend 3/4 cup milk and 3/4 cup heavy cream.

Want it Even Richer?

If you love a really rich sauce in green bean casserole, you can substitute heavy cream in place of half and half. I’d use 3 Tbsp flour if doing so as cream is thicker.

Can I Make it in Advance?

You can prep it day in advance to do so:

• Make up to step 7 (be sure not to add onions yet, you want them to stay crisp).
• Cover and refrigerate.
• The next day let it rest at room temperature while oven preheats.
• Sprinkle with onions and bake as directed.
• Add additional baking time as needed, sauce should be bubbling around edges. You may need an additional 5 – 10 minutes since it’s starting out colder.

More Thanksgiving Recipes You’ll Love!

• One Hour Dinner Rolls
• Honey Roasted Carrots
• Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
• Roasted Chicken and Gravy (if cooking for a smaller crowd)
• Apple Slab Pie
• Easy Chocolate Mousse Pie
• The Best Pumpkin Pie