Classic Green Bean Casserole

This Classic Green Bean Casserole features tender green beans in a creamy mushroom sauce. It’s a staple holiday side dish for a reason!

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This Classic Green Bean Casserole features tender green beans in a creamy mushroom sauce.  It's a staple holiday side dish for a reason!

There’s a reason why green bean casserole (or GBC as we call it here) is a staple on Thanksgiving menus everywhere.  It’s creamy, crunchy, delicious and easy.  It’s basically the ultimate comfort food.  But here’s the thing.  Green bean casserole is like a chocolate chip cookie. Everyone has their own opinion on how it should be made. 

Uncle Joe says it must be made with fresh green beans.  Aunt Sue doesn’t like mushrooms.  I get it.  It wouldn’t be a family gathering without some sort of disagreement, right?  (And honestly if the most serious disagreement is over how to make GBC?  Well, consider that a win!) 

This Classic Green Bean Casserole features tender green beans in a creamy mushroom sauce. It's a staple holiday side dish for a reason!

This version was the one my grandma made for years…and years…and years. It was probably made by my grandma’s grandma, too.  Every Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter, you could always count on this classic green bean casserole making an appearance. And honestly, this is the one I crave during the holidays. Well, to be fair, I decided to add the cheese somewhere along the line…mainly because cheese makes everything better!

Classic Green Bean Casserole

Laura likes to call this GBC a “pro-level green bean casserole.” More specifically, she really likes how it uses real onions (in addition to the crispy ones on top), real mushrooms (in addition to the cream of mushroom soup) and bacon. I know everyone has their favorite version of green bean casserole, and this is ours. The taste is amazing, and it wouldn’t be the holidays without a casserole dish of GBC!

This Classic Green Bean Casserole features tender green beans in a creamy mushroom sauce. It's a staple holiday side dish for a reason!

Can you use frozen green beans?

Absolutely! This version uses canned green beans for simplicity. However, frozen green beans can be used instead – just go with 18-20 oz. of frozen green beans, but make sure to thaw and drain them first. 

Can you use fresh green beans?

Absolutely!  Just blanch 1½ pounds of fresh green beans in hot water and use them in place of the canned green beans. 

This Classic Green Bean Casserole features tender green beans in a creamy mushroom sauce. It's a staple holiday side dish for a reason!

Like it spicy? 

If you like spicy foods, then try using crispy fried jalapenos instead of crispy fried onions. (The crispy fried jalapenos are a bit harder to find, but they typically show up in stores during the holiday season.) Another idea would be to use Pepper Jack cheese instead of Monterey Jack. I’m partial to Cabot’s Pepper Jack cheese as it melts well and has just the perfect amount of heat.

Want to make this vegetarian?

Easy – just leave out the bacon. I’m a huge fan of the bacon in this recipe as it adds flavor and texture. However, feeding groups of people around the holidays often means adapting recipes to meet different dietary restrictions. To make this green bean casserole vegetarian, just omit the bacon and use olive oil for sautéing the onions and mushrooms.

This Classic Green Bean Casserole features tender green beans in a creamy mushroom sauce. It's a staple holiday side dish for a reason!

If you’re looking for a fantastic green bean casserole recipe, then look no further. This one is worth printing, bookmarking and writing on index cards – yes, it’s that good! I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do in our house. Cheers!

Did you make this Classic Green Bean Casserole at home? Leave a comment, or snap a photo and tag me on Instagram (@Spicedblog) – I’d love to see your version!

This Classic Green Bean Casserole features tender green beans in a creamy mushroom sauce. It's a staple holiday side dish for a reason!

Classic Green Bean Casserole

This Classic Green Bean Casserole features tender green beans in a creamy mushroom sauce. It's a staple holiday side dish for a reason!
5 from 4 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 239kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • Spray a 9”x13” baking dish with nonstick cooking spray; set dish aside.
  • Using a deep, large skillet, add the chopped bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat until crispy. Use a slotted spoon to transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Leave 1 Tbsp of bacon grease in skillet.
  • Place skillet over medium heat and add sliced onions. Sauté, stirring occasionally, for 4-5 minutes, or until onions begin to soften.
  • Add the mushrooms and continue sauteing, stirring occasionally, for 5-6 more minutes, or until mushrooms begin to turn golden brown.
  • Add garlic, stir and sauté for 1-2 more minutes.
  • Add the condensed soup, soy sauce, milk, cheese and cooked bacon (from above); stir until well combined. Cook, stirring often, until cheese has fully melted.
  • Add salt, pepper and green beans; stir until well combined.
  • Transfer green bean mixture into prepared baking dish.
  • Bake uncovered for 25 minutes.
  • Remove from oven and top with fried onions. Continue baking for 5-7 more minutes, or until onions are golden brown. Remove from oven and serve hot.
This Classic Green Bean Casserole features tender green beans in a creamy mushroom sauce. It's a staple holiday side dish for a reason!

Looking for more tasty side dishes? Check out these other favorites, too:

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16 Comments

  1. Cant wait to make this soon for me can i use tofu also do you have homemade recipe for cream of mushroom soup as it is difficult to find in Singapore i love mushrooms soooooooooo much i never had classic green bean casserole before perfect for my after office meals love your recipes as always brightens up my day everyday after work

    1. Hey Ramya! I’ve never made cream of mushroom soup from scratch before, but I know there are recipes out there for it. You’ll want to make sure you use a recipe for “condensed” cream of mushroom soup – this one looks like a good place to start: https://www.culinaryhill.com/homemade-cream-of-mushroom-soup/

      Green Bean Casserole is a staple side dish at Thanksgiving here in the US. I do hope you get to try this recipe – it’s delicious!!

      1. David, we don’t get canned condensed cream of mushroom soup here either, but I found a hack that Ramya might be able to find. I use dry (powdered in a bag) cream of mushroom soup (Knorr) and add only half the water they say one should use. It’s not quite the same but I use it in my GBC and as none of my guests have ever tasted the real thing, it goes over well…

        1. Interesting! That’s a great idea, Ron – and way better than making a batch of cream of mushroom soup from scratch. Ramya, have you ever seen dry cream of mushroom soup over there in Singapore??

    1. Oooo – I like the sound of that green bean side dish, Sherry. Laura has a somewhat similar recipe that she makes on occasion. This casserole is different as it’s, well, a casserole. It uses canned cream of mushroom soup (which I’m not normally a fan of) – it’s how my grandma used to make this recipe. It’s delicious!!

  2. 5 stars
    I’ve heard green bean casserole is such a classic in the South! So much flavor umami from the bacon and mushrooms – gonna have to make this soon!

  3. 5 stars
    I love that you sautéed onions in the bacon grease, and added the bacon and mushrooms to this green bean casserole. There’s nothing that measures up to tried and true family recipes and this is definitely one to keep. Thanks so much for sharing David.

    1. Oh, there is so much flavor going on with this casserole, Kristy. I know everyone has their own version of a GBC, but I have to say this one is one of my favorites. Of course, part of that is the memories associated with it…but even then, it’s just downright delicious! 🙂

  4. 5 stars
    Ah, the classic Green Bean Casserole! It’s true; everyone seems to have their take on it. Your version sounds amazing. The addition of cheese? Well, that’s a delightful twist.

    1. I’m telling you, Frank – this GBC recipe is a keeper!! I know it uses canned soup as a base, and I’m not a huge fan of that in general. But grandma knew what she was doing with this recipe!!

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