ULTIMATE BEAN GREEN CASSEROLEĀ Featured in magazines across the web and consistently rated THE best green bean casserole recipe EVER, this will convert even the most determined green bean haters!Ā Tender green beans, bacon, cheese, cream, mushrooms and more, this deluxe green bean casserole is made from scratch and is guaranteed to become your go-to from now on!Ā We promise!
Green Bean Casserole:Ā The quintessential American side dish for family gatherings, holidays, church socials, potlucks…the recipe clipping that virtually every American woman has had lying somewhere at some point throughout the past gazillion decades. Ā Only this one is different.
This one’s the best. Ā Ever.
And it’s made from scratch.
If up until now you’ve just been kind of “meh” towards green bean casserole, prepare to experience a major paradigm shift in attitude. Ā This isn’t your Aunt Betsy’s green bean casserole recipe.
I developed this recipe years ago when I had about two pounds of fresh organic green beans and some fresh mushrooms that I needed to use up.Ā As I browsed through my fridge I also noticed some thawed bacon, a block of white cheddar, and some half-and-half cream.Ā The wheels started turning as the blueprint for the ultimate green bean casserole recipe unfolded in my mind.Ā And the rest is history.
This ultimate, from scratch green bean casserole has since become one our most popular recipes every Thanksgiving and Christmas.Ā Multiple websites have praised it and online magazines have linked to it.Ā But most importantly of all, year after year our readers have fallen in love with it.Ā Just read all the rave comments below.Ā Without exaggeration this green bean casserole has literally become world famous.Ā Yes, it’s THAT good!
Even passionate green bean and green bean casserole haters have consistently been converted through this recipe.Ā My brother included.Ā My brother has hated green beans ever since he was old enough to say the word.Ā And he has never once relented.Ā But…he ate this. Ā He ate THIS!Ā Ā He ate it…and he liked it!Ā Ā And as far as I’m concerned that seals the deal.Ā Verdict drawn.
Yes.Ā The ULTIMATE Green Bean Casserole.
This recipe take a little longer than the 2 minutes and 38 seconds required to open a can of condensed mushroom soup, mix it with water, toss it with green beans, dump the mixture into a casserole dish, sprinkle with French fried onions, and put it in the oven to bake (ie, the classic recipe first introduced by Campbell’s in 1955). Ā But this Ultimate Green Bean Casserole is still quick to make and to say that there is no comparison between the two is the understatement of the century. Ā This isn’t called “ultimate” for no reason and we’re confident you’re going to love it as much as we and thousands of others do!
Can I Make Gluten Free Green Bean Casserole?
Yes!Ā You can substitute gluten free flour for thickening the sauce.Ā Alternatively you can dissolve 1 1/2 tablespoons of cornstarch in the chicken stock and then proceed with melting the butter, then adding the half and half and chicken stock/cornstarch, and whisking continually as it simmers until it’s thickened.
For the onions you can use gluten free French fried onions.
Can You Freeze Green Bean Casserole?
We do not recommend it.Ā Creamy sauces have a tendency to break and separate when they’re frozen and thawed and the last thing you want is a watery mess at your dinner table.
Can Green Bean Casserole Be Made Ahead of Time?
Yes!Ā Prep everything and place it in the casserole dish, except for the French fried onions, cover and refrigerate for up to a day before you’re ready to serve it.Ā When you’re ready to bake it, take it out of the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes.Ā Then sprinkle on the French fried onions and proceed with baking.
This also makes it convenient to bring the assembled casserole (minus the French fried onions) to another location where you’ll be having dinner and then simply add the onions and bake the casserole once you arrive.
The Ultimate Green Bean Casserole Recipe
This recipe begins by frying up bacon along with onions, mushrooms, and garlic.Ā Next we make a roux with butter and flour which will not only serve as a thickener for the cream sauce but will add wonderful depth of flavor.Ā Next we pour in the cream followed by that glorious white cheddar and watch it melt into a rich, luxuriously delicious sauce.Ā Fresh green beans are then folded in the sauce, the mixture is poured into a casserole dish and topped with crispy, crunchy, utterly irresistible French fried onions.Ā It’s baked until bubbly and oozing and then served at the table where it will completely disappear, every last drop of it, within minutes.
Let’s get started!
Fry the bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until crispy.
Add the onions and cook for 4-5 minutes until soft and translucent.
Add the mushrooms and garlic and cook for 4-5 minutes until the mushrooms are soft. Ā Transfer the bacon/mushroom mixture to a bowl and set aside.
Melt the butter in the same skillet, add the flour, and whisk until combined.
Continue whisking for another minute until the mixture has slightly deepened in color.Ā This will add flavor and cook off the “flour” flavor.
Whisk in the half-and-half and chicken stock and continue to whisk, letting the mixture simmer, until it has slightly thickened.
Whisk in the white cheddar cheese until combined.Ā Add the bacon/mushroom mixture and stir to combine.
Add the salt and pepper.Ā Let the sauce simmer for a couple of minutes, stirring frequently.
Add the blanched green beans and stir to thoroughly combine.
Pour the bean mixture into a 9×13 inch casserole dish.
Sprinkle all of the French fried onions evenly over the casserole.
NOTE:Ā Since everything but the French fried onions that go on top is made from scratch, choose some quality ones and avoid using those nasty hydrogenated-oil-packed French fried onions (of course you also have the option of making them yourself!). There are better options out there. Ā I had two in my pantry to choose from. Ā I went with Lars’ Crispy Onions this time (the 3-pack is the best deal).
Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes in an oven preheated to 350 degrees F.
Let the casserole sit for about 5 minutes before serving.
ENJOY!
PIN ME!
For another showstopping side dish, be sure to try our ever popular:
PERFECT Au Gratin Potatoes!
ULTIMATE Green Bean Casserole (from scratch)
Ingredients
- 3 slices thick-cut bacon , diced
- 1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion
- 2 cloves garlic , minced
- 12 ounces fresh button or cremini mushrooms , chopped
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup half-and-half
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 cup shredded white cheddar cheese
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 pound fresh green beans , trimmed, halved, and blanched (boil 5 minutes, place beans in ice water for a couple of minutes, drain)
- 1 can quality French fried onions
- or gluten free French fried onions
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Fry the bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until crispy. Add the onions and cook until soft and translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and garlic and cook for another 4-5 minutes until the mushrooms are soft. Transfer the mixture to a bowl.
- Melt the butter in the same skillet and whisk in the flour. Once combined, continue whisking for another 2 minutes until the mixture has slightly deepened in color. Add the half-and-half and chicken broth while constantly whisking to prevent lumps. Once slightly thickened, add the cheese and whisk until melted and combined.
- Next add the mushroom/bacon mixture along with the salt and pepper. Let the sauce simmer for a couple of minutes, then add the green beans. Stir to combine.
- Pour the bean mixture into a 9x13 casserole dish and sprinkle the French fried onions all over the top. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes until bubbling and the onions are golden and crispy. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published on The Daring Gourmet Dec 7, 2013
Laura McCree says
This recipe was a complete success. The first time I made it, I didn’t have quite enough of this, and had a little too much of that, and it came out fantastic anyways. It was so popular that it was immediately requested again three days later. I get my green beans from an Asian market as they are generally higher quality than the Walmart variety when the finished product is done. However, they require more cleaning and much more aggressive end removal.
So, I wound up making this in huge batches and freezing up to 4 casseroles for a “month’s worth”. This works really well as long as the mushrooms are fully cooked- I let the pre-green bean mushroom soup simmer longer than given; I leave the onion topping off until right before they go into the oven. As long as it’s fully defrosted, the cooking times are the same if not shorter. We haven’t been able to notice any decrease in quality, and this is practically a meal in and of itself.
We tend to do batch cooking on a few days out of the month, and I was so happy that we could do it with this! My sister has always been a green bean casserole fiend, but her husband hated them. This recipe went over equally well with both! I was so excited to find this website as well; we are looking forward to trying all sorts of your other recipes.
Thank you!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Laura, you’ve made my day :) I’m absolutely thrilled that it was such a success and even won over your green-bean-casserole-hating brother-in-law! I really appreciate the detailed feedback on how you went about freezing it successfully – that is fantastic to know and will be very helpful to anyone else interested in freezing it. Thank you!! And welcome to The Daring Gourmet! Best, Kimberly
Elena Zajechowski says
First time making a green bean casserole, used to shudder at the thought. Coming from a Greek family, we only made fresh green beans sautƩed in tomato and onion sauce. You recipe came out incredible and I used our green beans fresh from our garden. Thank you for a splendid recipe.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m so thrilled to hear that, Elena, thank you! And how wonderful that you were able to use those magnificent fresh green beans from your garden!
Tiffany says
This was absolutely fantastic! I’m such a big fan of green bean casserole and have been craving it, but didn’t want to settle for the boring and processed traditional recipe, and wanted to utilize the fresh green beans I just picked up from the market! I served it with a grilled ham steak, and made a glaze with 1/4 cup fresh maple syrup, tablespoon dijon mustard, and tablespoon cider vinegar. Christmas in July! Yum!!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Tiffany, that sounds fantastic and your family/friends are a lucky bunch! You’ve got me seriously craving that entire meal right now :) So glad to hear the casserole was a hit and thank you for the feedback!
Anonymous says
Made this for Easter and had to email the recipes to everyone as they LOVED it!!!! I wanted to make a Green Bean Caserole but did not want to use a soup!!!! This is now my FAV!!
The Daring Gourmet says
Fabulous, I’m so happy it was such a big hit! Thanks for the feedback!
Robin says
I made this this week. I made a vegetarian version (no bacon, vegetable broth) for my daughter and the baconlicious version for the rest of the family. They loved it!! Even the carnivores liked the veggie version. Thanks so much!
The Daring Gourmet says
Wonderful! I’m happy to hear that both versions were a hit in your family. I’m still in shock that even my life-long green bean hating brother enjoyed this casserole. He said the flavor was so good that it made the green beans tolerable :) Thanks for your feedback, Robin! Best, Kimberly
Karen says
hey…. are these store brought French Fried Onions- or do you have a recipe for these???
The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Karen! Yes, they’re store bought – if you scroll down through the prep pictures you’ll see the ones I used (some fantastic ones imported from Europe with no junk ingredients). I make most everything from scratch, but there are some items, like with these, where they’re so good store bought, and made with clean ingredients, that I save myself the time and use them.
Ayako says
That fact is, nobody who had the dish was used to fake cheese. My friend was recently forced to go without dairy or soy due to her baby’s allergies. Bacon was actually used! Maybe that saved it. Still everybody liked the dish…you should be proud! BTW I did give away the fake cheese to my friend after that. Next time I totally will follow your recipe, exactly.
The Daring Gourmet says
Haha! I’m totally proud of you, Ayako! Yes, make it the “right” way next time and you’ll love it! :)
Anonymous says
FYI – I did make this dish with coconut milk and Daiya cheese. It was still delicious, and coconut milk did not bother anyone. However the fake cheese didn’t melt as its package says! Sad to see cheese swimming in the sauce! Still enjoyable, so thank you.
The Daring Gourmet says
Great, I’m glad you and your friends enjoyed it with those substitutions. I feel your pain about the cheese though. That’s the problem with fake cheese. Even though the package claims it melts, most of the pictures I’ve seen of vegan dishes that use fake cheese, like pizza for example, just show kind-of-sort-of melted blobs on top. Still, I think it’s awesome that you made a veganized version of this for your friends and the fact is, since fake cheese is what they’re used to, they probably didn’t even bat an eye at the swimming cheese ;)
Jeanie says
I cooked Christmas dinner this year for my in-laws who are old-fashioned not only in their life style but in their diets. I knew whatever I made had to be traditional and something they were familiar with, so what’s more traditional than green bean casserole! I tried this recipe and they loved it! We all loved it!
The Daring Gourmet says
That’s wonderful, Jeanie, I’m so happy to hear it was such a hit! Thanks for your feedback!
Ayako says
I actually did a research on how to make this dish without dairy and soy because my friend who invited us over for X’mas can’t take them now due to her baby allergies. Looks like coconut milk can be the best bet to replace half-and-half. We’ll see. Daiya cheese is really the only option to substitute cheese…cheddar though…oh well.
The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Ayako! Yeah, I really don’t know a whole lot about good dairy substitutions. I don’t think I’d recommend coconut milk though – it has too strong of a flavor, the wrong kind of flavor. I’m pretty sure there are vegan “half and half” substitutes you can buy. And really most kinds of cheese will work well in this casserole. But then the problem with non-dairy cheese is that it doesn’t really melt too well. You know though, all these critiques are obviously coming from someone who eats dairy – people who are used to eating dairy free would probably think it all tastes perfectly normal and good :)
Nita says
Hey there!
Just bumped into your site and was amazed to see the recipe list.. great work :-)
I would like to know any alternative for the below as i am a Vegge:
1 cup half-and-half
1 cup chicken broth
Love,
Nita
The Daring Gourmet says
Thank you, Nita, and welcome! You know, I really don’t know a whole lot about what kinds of vegan products are out there. I know there are vegan cheeses, and I would imagine there are probably vegan substitutes for cream as well. For the chicken broth simply substitute vegetable broth. And for the bacon, there are also vegan “bacon” products available. Good luck!
Carmel Moments says
Looks A-MAZING! It has to be good if it involves cheese, bacon and onion. :)
The Daring Gourmet says
Oh, isn’t that the truth! It’s like I’ve been saying ever since getting back from my deep South vacation: The Southerners do it best – everything with bacon or bacon grease! :) Thanks so much, Carmel Moments, and thank you for visiting!
Michaela says
I am dying to try this! I make a similar version and add a pinch of nutmeg, makes all the difference! I can’t wait to do this with bacon and cheese! Thank you for all your time and wonderful recipes.
The Daring Gourmet says
Hi, Michaela! Thank you! This one’s a keeper, for sure. I’ll be making it again for Christmas :)
Beth Jenkins says
I can not wait to make this. I can not get condensed soup in Germany and have tried making it with powdered soup, but it does not work as well. I never thought of just using a white based sauce – well a jazzed up white base sauce! Thank you.
The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Beth! Fantastic, I’m happy you’re making this! Whenever you get to it, let me know what you think. In the meantime, have a wonderful Christmas in Germany! In my opinion there just isn’t any place like Germany for enjoying the Christmas season – it’s magical. If you haven’t already been to Rothenburg ob der Tauber for the Christmas market and for the Kaethe Wohlfahrt store (talk about magical!), it’s a must! The Christmas market there isn’t one of the bigger ones, but it’s my favorite of all them because of the atmosphere. I love Rothenburg!
jesusan says
I can tell just by reading the recipe that there is no comparison between this and the stuff made with canned mushroom soup. My sister loves green bean casserole, so I will make sure she gets this recipe.
The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks for passing this on to your sister, Susan!
Nick Matten says
Made this twice before and I love it. Question tho I have 3 Christmas’s this year plan on making it for all. Can I make the three at once today and save the other two in fridge and bake them tomorrow and Christmas day. Tia
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thank, Nick! Yes, you can make them in advance but leave them unbaked and don’t add the onions until tomorrow. Pull the casseroles out of the fridge and let them sit at room temp for 20-30 minutes, add the onions and then bake. Merry Christmas!
Trina says
This is my absolute favorite green bean casserole recipe!!! My family has ORDERED me to make it again for Thanksgiving and Christmas this year :) Thank you, Kimberly!