I’m a firm believer that green bean casserole deserves a spot on your table at Thanksgiving (or really, any holiday event)! And honestly, I’m convinced that if you don’t like green bean casserole it’s because you just haven’t had good green bean casserole.
There are a ton of recipes out there, and while I may be biased, I stand firm when I say that this is the best green bean casserole I have ever had.
Why you’ll love this green bean casserole recipe
It’s incredibly flavorful. Between the creamy homemade sauce and the fresh mushrooms… this green bean casserole recipe has a depth of flavor that you’ll love!
It’s so easy to make. Apart from making the sauce and softening the mushrooms, this green bean casserole recipe is fairly hands off!
Everything is better made from scratch. I’m not sure if it’s because my hard work paid off or if it’s because I can cook things the way I want… but everything is always better made from scratch. Especially this homemade green bean casserole recipe.
Ingredients
For this classic green bean casserole recipe, you’ll need:
- Green beans – I highly recommend using fresh green beans for this green bean casserole recipe. Though, you may want to steam your fresh green beans to ensure they aren’t too crunchy after baking! Frozen green beans work well, too! If you have to use canned green beans, I recommend French style green beans.
- Cream of mushroom soup – I used two cans of cream of mushroom soup for this green bean casserole recipe!
- Heavy cream and vegetable broth – Used to make the creamy sauce in your green bean casserole.
- Cremini mushrooms – Cream of mushroom soup is great and all, but if you want to add a bit more flavor to your green bean casserole, you’ll need fresh mushrooms! Feel free to swap the cremini mushrooms with button mushrooms.
- Soy sauce – Helps to bring out the umami from the mushrooms!
- Garlic, shallot, and thyme – Adds more flavor to the creamy sauce.
- Butter – Adds flavor and helps to soften the mushrooms.
- Salt and pepper – Helps all of the flavors pop.
- French fried onions – AKA crispy fried onions. They’re an essential part of every homemade green bean casserole!
That’s all you need to make the best green bean casserole recipe around! Fresh beans, fresh mushrooms, a homemade cream sauce… there’s nothing quite like a good green bean casserole.
You can add in a few extra things if you’d like though. Some common things are cheddar cheese, bacon, breadcrumbs instead of fried onions… or make your own crispy fried onions! Really, you can add in whatever you’d like!
How to make a simple green bean casserole
First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Then bring a large pot of water to boil.
While the water is boiling, wash and trim the green beans. Then, add to the boiling water for about 5 minutes. Add them to a large bowl with ice water immediately after removing them from the boiling water to stop the beans from cooking.
Once the beans have cooled off, drain the water and place the beans into a large bowl. Set to the side for now.
In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add in the diced mushrooms and soften for 10 minutes or until the mushrooms are golden brown. Add in the fresh thyme, shallot, and garlic and cook until fragrant. Remove from heat.
Add the heavy cream, cream of mushroom soup, soy sauce, salt, and pepper to the bowl with the green beans. Stir to combine and then add in the cooked mushrooms. Toss once more to combine then add the mixture to a large casserole dish.
Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes, then remove the foil and top with crispy fried onions and bake for an additional 10 minutes until your green bean casserole is bubbly and golden brown. Enjoy!
Frequently asked questions
Can I make green bean casserole ahead of time?
My green bean casserole recipe can be prepared a day or two ahead of time!
You may have to bake the green bean casserole for a bit longer than expected since everything will be chilled prior to baking.
Can I use frozen green beans in my green bean casserole?
You most certainly can! In fact, I recommend using fresh green beans or frozen green beans to make the best green bean casserole out there.
A lot of the time, canned green beans result in a mushy green bean casserole (and a lot of people complain that this is why they hate green bean casserole)!
PrintSimple Green Bean Casserole Recipe
This green bean casserole deserves a permanent spot on your table during any holiday party or event. It’s made with fresh green beans and mushrooms and is so flavorful!
- Prep Time: 15 Minutes
- Cook Time: 30 Minutes
- Total Time: 45 Minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 2 lbs fresh green beans
- 16 oz cremini mushrooms
- 2 cans cream of mushroom soup
- 1/2 cup vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 shallot, diced
- 4 TBSP butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 TBSP soy sauce
- 1 TBSP fresh thyme
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Crispy onions, for topping
Instructions
- First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Then bring a large pot of water to boil.
- While the water is boiling, wash and trim the green beans. Then, add to the boiling water for about 5 minutes. Add them to a large bowl with ice water immediately after removing them from the boiling water to stop the beans from cooking.
- Once the beans have cooled off, drain the water and place the beans into a large bowl. Set to the side for now.
- In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add in the diced mushrooms and soften for 10 minutes or until the mushrooms are golden brown. Add in the fresh thyme, shallot, and garlic and cook until fragrant. Remove from heat.
- Add the heavy cream, cream of mushroom soup, soy sauce, salt, and pepper to the bowl with the green beans. Stir to combine and then add in the cooked mushrooms. Toss once more to combine then add the mixture to a large casserole dish.
- Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes, then remove the foil and top with crispy fried onions and bake for an additional 10 minutes until your green bean casserole is bubbly and golden brown. Enjoy!
