Homemade Green Bean Casserole

Homemade Green Bean Casserole is creamy, full of flavor, and topped with delicious crispy onions! This classic Thanksgiving and Christmas recipe is easy to make from scratch, with the option to use canned or homemade cream of mushroom soup. 

*Originally published November 2016. Recipe, text, and photos updated. Original recipe below recipe card.*

Anyone else ready for Thanksgiving yet?? This Homemade Green Bean Casserole always makes it on our Thanksgiving menu. But honestly, it is just as delicious served at Christmas or any other night of the year!

I love that this Green Bean Casserole can be made completely from scratch – including the cream of mushroom soup and the crispy fried onions. But you can also use canned soup and onions to save a little time. Both ways are delicious!

Why you’ll love this recipe:

• This Green Bean Casserole is perfectly creamy, extra flavorful, and topped with the most satisfying crispy fried onions. It’s hands-down the most delicious way to eat green beans.
• You can make this recipe with frozen green beans or fresh, homemade cream of mushroom soup or canned, homemade crispy fried onions or canned. Options for every circumstance.
• It only takes about 15 minutes to prep the casserole, then the rest is hands-off baking time. Not bad for a staple Thanksgiving side dish!

Ingredients you’ll need:

BUTTER

ONION

GARLIC

MUSHROOMS

FLOUR

GREEN BEANS: I use frozen, but you can also use fresh. Just be sure to thaw and drain your green beans. I also like to give them a little squeeze to get out some of that water.

FRIED ONIONS: I included instructions for making them homemade, but you can also use the canned (I do it all the time!).

CREAM OF MUSHROOM SOUP: I like to make homemade cream of mushroom soup and I highly recommend it for this recipe! It’s easy and tastes SO good, you may never use canned again. But if you don’t have the time, canned soup can be used.

WHOLE MILK: Or use half and half. The extra fat content helps make the sauce rich and creamy. If you use regular milk it may change the flavor and consistency of the sauce.

CHICKEN OR VEGETABLE BROTH

NUTMEG

How to make homemade green bean casserole:

COOKING THE VEGGIES: Start by preheating the oven to 375°F. In a large oven going skillet, melt the butter over medium to medium-low heat. Saute the onions and mushroom until the mushrooms are golden. This is important because the mushrooms have more flavor as they brown.

ROUX: Stir in the garlic and flour and cook for 1 minute.

ADD REMAINING INGREDIENTS: Slowly whisk in the milk and broth until combined. Then lightly squeeze any excess water from the green beans and add them to the pan. Last, add 3/4 cup of the fried onions, the condensed soup, and nutmeg.

BAKE: Bake the casserole straight in the oven going skillet for 20 minutes or until bubbly. Then sprinkle with remaining onions and bake for 5 more minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

MAKING THE CRISPY ONIONS TOPPING: If you are making these homemade, you can make them the day before or while the casserole is baking. First, heat oil in a small pot over medium heat. Then soak thin onion slices in milk and combine flour, salt, pepper, and cayenne in a small dish. Remove the onions from the milk, coat in the flour mixture, and fry until lightly golden brown.

Tips for making this recipe:

• Make sure you let the mushrooms and onions get golden to get the most flavor in the dish.
• Allow the flour to cook for a full minute. The heat takes away the flour taste and just leaves you with a thick, creamy sauce.
• I highly recommend making the homemade cream of mushroom soup, if you have the few extra minutes it takes. It makes the whole dish more flavorful and gives it that true from scratch taste.

FAQs:

Other Thanksgiving and Christmas recipes:

• Butterflied Roasted Herb Turkey
• Homemade Herb Stuffing
• Skillet Garlic Green Beans
• Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes
• Cranberry Pomegranate Sauce
• Pumpkin Pie

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5 from 6 votes

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Homemade Green Bean Casserole

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

Total Time

35 mins

 

This Homemade Green Bean Casserole is creamy, full of flavor, and topped with delicious crispy onions! This classic Thanksgiving and Christmas recipe is easy to make from scratch, with the option to use canned or homemade cream of mushroom soup.

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Christmas recipes, Crispy onion topping, Fried onion topping, Green bean casserole, Green beans, Thanksgiving recipes

Servings: 6

Calories: 481 kcal

Author: Malinda Linnebur

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• ½ small onion diced
• 1 small clove garlic minced
• 4 ounces (115g) mushrooms diced
• 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 1½ pounds (680g) frozen cut green beans thawed and drained
• 1½ cups (100g) french fried onions or homemade (recipe below in notes)
• 1 (10.5) ounce can cream of mushroom soup (or homemade)
• 1 cup (235ml) whole milk or half and half
• 1 cup (235ml) broth of choice (chicken or vegetable)
• ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. In a large oven going skillet melt the butter over medium to medium low heat. Saute onions and mushrooms until mushrooms are golden. Stir in the garlic and flour. Cook for 1 minute.

2. Whisk in the milk and broth. Lightly sqeeze any extra water from green beans. Add green beans, ¾ cup fried onions, condensed soup, and nutmeg. Bake for 20 minutes or until bubbly. Sprinkle with remaining onions and bake for 5 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Recipe Notes

1. To use fresh green beans: Trim and cut the fresh green beans into smaller pieces. Then blanch them in boiling water for 5 minutes. I don’t bother with an ice bath, but you do what best fits your lifestyle 
2. To make ahead: Make the casserole all the way up to the baking point, then remove from the heat and cool thoroughly. Cover it tightly and refrigerate for up to a day. Then bake the next day as directed, or until it is hot and bubbly.
3. For homemade soup: Homemade Cream of Mushroom Soup
4. To make homemade crispy fried onions for topping:

• • 1/2 small onion, thinly sliced
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1. This can be made a day in advance or while the casserole is baking.
2. Thinly slice the onions and place them in milk to soak for 10 minutes. 
3. Heat a small pot of oil (for frying the onions) over medium to medium high heat.
4. In a small bowl combine the flour, salt, pepper, and cayenne. 
5. Take onions out of milk and coat in flour mixture a little at a time. Carefully fry in hot oil a few at a time taking care not to crowd the pan. Fry until lightly golden and drain on paper towel.
6. When casserole is done baking top with your crispy fried onions and serve immediately.

Nutrition Facts

Homemade Green Bean Casserole

Amount Per Serving

Calories 481 Calories from Fat 306

% Daily Value*

Fat 34g52%

Saturated Fat 16g100%

Cholesterol 14mg5%

Sodium 552mg24%

Potassium 369mg11%

Carbohydrates 38g13%

Fiber 4g17%

Sugar 7g8%

Protein 4g8%

Vitamin A 963IU19%

Vitamin C 14mg17%

Calcium 87mg9%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the information shown is just an estimate.

ORIGINAL RECIPE:

CRISPY ONION TOPPING:

• 1/2 small onion, thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• oil for frying

GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE:

• 1-1 1/2 pounds frozen green beans, thawed and drained
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 8 oz baby portabella mushrooms, chopped or sliced
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 2 large cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 3/4 cup half and half

1. In a small bowl combine the flour, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper for the crispy onions and set aside. Place onions in milk to soak and set aside. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. In a large oven safe skillet melt the butter over medium high heat. Add in the mushrooms and onion and cook until lightly browned (about 3-5 minutes). Stir in the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds.
3. Take the reserved flour mixture and remove 3 tablespoons from it and sprinkle over the mushrooms. Stir in the flour then while stirring slowly pour in the broth and half and half. Reduce heat and simmer until thickened. Stir in green beans then bake for 15 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

CRISPY ONION TOPPING:

1. This can be made a day in advance or while the casserole is baking.
2. Heat a small pot of oil for frying the onions over medium to medium high heat.
3. Take onions out of milk and coat in remaining flour mixture a little at a time. Carefully fry in hot oil a few at a time taking care not to crowd the pan. Fry until lightly golden and drain on paper towels.
4. When the casserole is done baking top with your crispy fried onions and serve immediately.