Best Green Bean Casserole Recipe - I Heart Naptime (2024)

This green bean casserole is a classic Thanksgiving side dish that everyone loves! Tender green beans, a creamy mushroom sauce, and crispy fried onions make this green bean casserole a classic side dish.

Looking for more Thanksgiving side dishes? Don’t miss my creamy mashed potatoes, sausage stuffing and cranberry sauce.

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Green Bean Casserole with Cheese

For many families, Thanksgiving dinner just wouldn’t feel complete without the ultimate classic side dish – green bean casserole. This creamy, comforting casserole has graced holiday tables for decades, and for good reason.

Green bean casserole is a classic Thanksgiving side dish and tastes amazing served alongside an oven roasted turkey or baked ham.

Recipe Ingredients

This is the best green bean casserole recipe! Each ingredient is simple and when put together creates a great side dish.

Find the fullprintable recipewith specific measurements below.

• Chicken broth: Cook the green beans in a large pot with broth to give it an extra added flavor.
• Green beans: I used fresh cut green beans that were trimmed to 2-inches.
• Butter: Salted butter works well with this recipe.
• Onions & garlic: Chopped up and added to the casserole dish for flavor..
• Cream of mushroom: Not everyone loves canned goods but this cream of mushroom is perfect for the casserole dish. Adds in a creaminess plus flavor!
• French fired onions: These are cooked onions that have flavor on them. They are crispy and delicious!
• Cheddar cheese: Grate your cheddar cheese or purchase a pre-made bag of cheddar cheese.

How to Make Green Bean Casserole

Easy green bean casserole is always a family favorite in our house! This casserole is great to make ahead and prepare for special occasions along with candied yams. Fresh green beans makes this casserole amazingly delicious!

1. Simmer. Heat the chicken broth in a skillet over medium-heat. Add the green beans and let simmer for 7 minutes. Then drain.
2. Mix.Push green beans to one side of skillet. Add butter and chopped onions and cook for 3 minutes. Then stir in garlic and cook an additional 1-2 minutes. Add the cream of mushroom soup and let simmer a minute or two. Salt and pepper, to taste. Top with 1/2 of the fried onions. Then pour into a buttered 1 1/2 quart casserole dish.
3. Bake.Bake uncovered at 350°F for 15 minutes. Stir and then add the remaining cheese and fried onions to the top. Bake an additional 10 minutes, or until bubbly.

Make-Ahead Instructions

If you want to prepare the casserole the night before, simply pour the prepared mixture into the casserole dish (leave out the fried onions and cheese) and cover with foil. Then when ready to bake, add the fried onions and cheese on top and bake according to instructions.

Cooking Tips + Variations

Here are some cooking tips that will help perfect your green bean casserole dish. Follow these extra guidelines to help make this casserole dish the best!

• Double the recipe if using a 9×13″ pan.
• I like to steam my fresh green beans in chicken broth (instead of water) to add a little more depth of flavor.
• Feel free to add in 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms while cooking the onions.
• You can use a homemade cream of mushroom soup if you’d prefer to make it from scratch.
• Feel free to omit the cheese on top if you prefer it plain.
• If the onions start to get too crispy when baking, you can cover the dish with foil.

Storage + Reheating

To store: If you have leftovers, simply cover and store in the fridge for up to 3 days.

To reheat: I recommend reheating any leftovers in the oven so that the fried onions stay crispy. Just place the casserole in the oven at 350°F for 15 to 20 minutes, or until it’s warm throughout. You can cover with foil if the fried onions start to brown too fast.

More Thanksgiving Side Dishes

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