Easy Green Bean Casserole (From Scratch)
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This Easy Green Bean Casserole recipe is made from scratch without the canned soup stuff. It’s still quick and easy to make, is much healthier, and tastes sooooo much better! Your dinner guests will love you for it!
What is Green Bean Casserole?
I don’t know when or how or by whom the classic green bean casserole was invented, but whoever did should have a holiday named after them. Or at least a postage stamp, don’t you think? I mean, the green bean casserole is an American tradition – as American as apple pie – and it’s been part of our homespun culinary culture for decades. Virtually every American has eaten it and many if not most have a recipe for it, somewhere. And that says something. The green bean casserole is an American classic that features green beans in a creamy sauce topped with crispy French fried onions and baked in the oven.
Unfortunately, part of that aforementioned American tradition is to make this casserole with canned condensed cream of mushroom soup. But let’s put a stop to that part of the tradition and make it without canned soup. I’m going to share my Easy Green Bean Casserole recipe that’s made from scratch, without the canned stuff, and that makes it not only healthier, but so much tastier! . Easy to make, prep time is very minimal and then you just pop it in the oven and wait for those luscious French fried onions to crisp up. It’s a winner!
Easy Green Bean Casserole Ingredients
For ease and convenience we’re using canned green beans but you can easily make this using fresh green beans. Check out my tutorial on How to Cook Green Beans and use them as this recipe directs.
- Green beans
- Mushrooms
- Onions
- Garlic
- Milk
- Chicken bouillon (vegan: use vegetable)
- Flour
- Salt and pepper
- French fried onions – I avoid the ones with hydrogenated oils and instead opt for the imported ones from Holland without all the junk ingredients. These ones for example. If you have an Aldi nearby, they also typically carry a Dutch import brand.
This easy green bean casserole recipe is just that – it’s easy with minimal prep but it doesn’t compromise in flavor. Within minutes your green bean casserole is ready to pop into the oven and you’ll enjoy the satisfaction of enjoying a homespun, from scratch American classic!
Easy Green Bean Casserole Recipe
Let’s get started!
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Heat the butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat and cook the onions until soft and translucent, 5-7 minutes. Add the mushrooms and garlic and cook until the mushrooms have released their juices and are tender, another 5 minutes.
Add the flour, stir to combine, and cook for another minute.
Add the milk, stirring constantly to prevent lumping, and bring to a simmer. Continue stirring until the mixture is thickened.
Add the chicken bouillon paste or powder, salt and pepper, and stir to combine.
Cover, reduce the heat to medium, and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Stir the drained green beans into the sauce. If desired, stir in 1/3 of the French fried onions. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Pour the mixture into a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish. Bake for 30 minutes until hot.
Top with the French fried onions and bake for another 5 minutes until the onions are golden.
Enjoy!
For more delicious side dishes try my:
- Au Gratin Potatoes
- Corn Pudding
- Zucchini Au Gratin
- Creamed Spinach
- Yorkshire Pudding
- Spiralized Beets
- Mashed Potatoes and Parsnips with Horseradish
- Brunede Kartofler (Danish Caramelized Potatoes)
- Baked Endives with Ham and Bechamel
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts
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Easy Green Bean Casserole (From Scratch)
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup finely diced yellow onion
- 6 oz fresh mushrooms , cleaned and chopped
- 1 clove garlic , minced
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 cups whole milk
- 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon base or powder (vegan: use vegetable), e.g. Better Than Bouillon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 44 ounces (3 x 14.5 oz cans) cooked cut green beans , drained
- 6 ounces French fried onions (I recommend ones made without hydrogenated oils)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.Heat the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the onions until soft and translucent, 5-7 minutes. Add the mushrooms and garlic and cook until the mushrooms have released their juices and are tender, 5 minutes.Stir in the flour and cook for another minute. Add the milk, stirring constantly to prevent lumping, and bring to a simmer. Continue stirring until the mixture is thickened. Add the chicken bouillon, salt and pepper. Cover, reduce the heat to medium, and simmer for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.Stir in the green beans and, if desired, 1/3 of the French fried onions. Add salt and pepper to taste.Pour the mixture into a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish. Bake for 30 minutes until hot. Sprinkle with the remaining French fried onions and bake for another 5 minutes until the onions are golden brown.
Nutrition
Originally published on The Daring Gourmet November 10, 2014
Hi, I’m Kimberly Killebrew and welcome to Daring Gourmet where you'll find delicious originals, revitalized classics, and simply downright good eats from around the world! Originally from Germany, later raised in England, world-traveled, and now living in the U.S., from my globally-influenced kitchen I invite you to tour the world through your taste buds!
What about using frozen green beans instead? Would I cook them first?
Thank you
Donna
Hi Donna, yes, you can use frozen and cook then drain them. If you haven’t already seen it, my recipe for the ULTIMATE Green Bean Casserole uses fresh (or frozen) green beans and is a favorite recipe among my readers: https://www.daringgourmet.com/ultimate-green-bean-casserole/
Just what I was looking for! Thank you for providing a canned soup free recipe!!
You’re welcome, Danielle, and happy cooking! You may also be interested in my “ultimate” green bean casserole recipe.
This looks wonderful! I try to avoid the canned condensed soups whenever I can and appreciate this recipe.
Thanks, Catherine, you’ll love this version!
I use canned vegetables all the time and it has never occurred to me to think that my dishes aren’t “from scratch” as a result. I don’t shuck my own corn or blanch fresh tomatoes and dice them before adding them to soups. I use canned corn and canned diced tomatoes. And I would definitely still consider those dishes as being “from scratch.” This casserole looks lovely, looking forward to trying it, thank you!
Thanks, Samantha, happy cooking!
How would you do it with fresh beans and freshly made
onions?
Check out my Ultimate Green Bean Casserole, it provides instructions for using fresh green beans.
That recipe looks wonderful! Thanks!
Thank you and you’re very welcome!
I don’t believe this would qualify as “made from scratch” since you are using canned green beans and canned french fried onions… :(
Hi Carolina, sure it does. Canned vegetables like this are 100% pure with no additives, fillers or additional ingredients. They’re canned to provide a long shelf-life and for convenience, just like our grandmothers used to do. If you were to grow beans in your garden and blanch and bottle the harvest to last you throughout the year and then use those beans in this casserole, you wouldn’t consider it “from scratch”?
Same thing with canned corn, canned tomatoes, canned black beans…you name it. We use those all time in “from scratch” recipes. I’ll grant you, the canned onions are pushing it a bit, but it also depends on which brand you use. I use organic French fried onions that are simply that, fried onions, nothing else. I’ve left it up to my readers which brand of onions they want to use.
And the point here is simply that this casserole, unlike the one we’ve been familiar with since the 50’s, doesn’t use condensed soup, it’s made from scratch with pure ingredients.