Green Bean Casserole

Green bean casserole should be creamy and spoonable beneath a crisp layer of French-fried onions. This oven-baked version uses canned green beans and condensed cream of mushroom soup. Drain the beans well so the sauce stays thick, and save most of the onions for the last few minutes of baking. The filling can then heat through without the topping turning soft or too dark.

Ingredients for Green Bean Casserole

• 4 cans (14.5 ounces each) cut green beans, drained very thoroughly
• 2 cans (10.5 ounces each) condensed cream of mushroom soup (about 600g total)
• 1/2 cup milk (120g)
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 1/3 cups French-fried onions (about 75g), divided

Yield: 6 to 8 side-dish servings. Time: About 10 minutes prep, 30 minutes baking, plus a 5-minute rest.

How to Make Green Bean Casserole

1. Preheat the oven: Set a rack in the center and heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Use a shallow 2-quart casserole dish, about 8 by 8 inches or a similar size. Lightly grease it if it is prone to sticking.
2. Drain the beans: Pour the green beans into a colander. Let them drain while you mix the sauce; do not add the canning liquid to the casserole.
3. Mix the filling: In a large bowl, stir the mushroom soup, milk, soy sauce, and pepper until smooth. Fold in the drained beans and 1/3 cup of the French-fried onions. Spread the mixture evenly in the dish and reserve the remaining 1 cup of onions.
4. Bake the filling: Bake uncovered for about 25 minutes. Before adding the topping, check that the sauce is bubbling around the edges and the center is steaming hot when reached with a spoon. If the center is only warm, bake a few minutes longer.
5. Add the topping: Scatter the reserved onions over the surface. Bake for about 5 minutes more, until the onions are golden and crisp and the filling is bubbling.
6. Rest and serve: Let the casserole stand for 5 minutes so the sauce settles slightly, then serve hot.

How to Keep the Filling Creamy and the Topping Crisp

Thorough draining keeps excess bean liquid from thinning the mushroom sauce. A small amount of fried onions seasons the filling, while adding most of them at the end protects their crunch.

A deeper dish or a casserole assembled cold from the refrigerator may take longer to heat through. Check the center before adding the topping rather than relying only on the 25-minute mark.

Fresh beans need trimming and blanching before assembly. Frozen beans should be thawed and drained well. Neither is a direct timing swap for the canned beans used here.

What to Serve with Green Bean Casserole

Serve it alongside roast turkey, beef, or mashed potatoes. For a larger side-dish spread, add Slow Cooker Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes. Cranberry Jello Salad with Pineapple and Orange provides a sweet-tart contrast.

Make-Ahead, Storage, and Reheating

To make the casserole ahead, assemble the filling with the 1/3 cup of onions mixed in, but leave off the final topping. Cover and refrigerate for 1 to 2 days. Bake until the cold filling is hot and bubbling, allowing extra time as needed, then add the reserved onions for the final 5 minutes.

Cool leftovers and refrigerate them in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Reheat in the oven until hot and bubbling, about 20 to 30 minutes depending on portion size and starting temperature. If the topping darkens before the center heats through, cover the dish loosely, then uncover briefly to help the onions crisp. Refrigerated onions will soften somewhat.

Nutrition

Approximate nutrition per serving, based on 8 servings: 150 calories, 5g protein, 9g fat, and 17g carbohydrates. Per 100g: approximately 70 calories, 2g protein, 4g fat, and 8g carbohydrates. Values vary with the brands used and the drained weight of the beans.

Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes

Thin Yukon Gold potatoes cook in layers of creamy cheddar sauce in a slow cooker, then get a melted cheddar-and-Parmesan topping. The finished potatoes are tender and saucy enough to scoop, rather than cut into squares. An oval cooker gives the slices room to form even layers while leaving the oven free.

Slice the potatoes uniformly, cook on HIGH, and begin checking the center at four hours. Once the potatoes are fork-tender, an uncovered rest helps the sauce cling to each spoonful.

Ingredients for Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes

• 3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes (about 1,350g), peeled or scrubbed
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (about 45g), divided
• 1 medium yellow onion (about 150g)
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk (360g)
• 3/4 cup sour cream (180g)
• 2 1/2 cups freshly shredded sharp cheddar (about 285g), divided
• 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan (about 50g), divided
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons chopped chives or flat-leaf parsley

Freshly shred the cheeses if possible; block cheese generally melts more smoothly than pre-shredded cheese. A mandoline makes the potato slices easier to keep at a consistent thickness. Use its guard or a cut-resistant glove.

How to Make Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes in the Slow Cooker

1. Prepare the cooker and vegetables: Coat the insert of a 5- to 6-quart oval slow cooker with 1 tablespoon butter. Slice the potatoes into uniform 1/8-inch rounds and the onion very thinly. Thick potato slices may still be firm when the thinner ones are done.
2. Mix the sauce: Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. In a large bowl, whisk it with the milk, sour cream, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Stir in 1 1/2 cups cheddar and 1/4 cup Parmesan; reserve the remaining cheeses for the top. The mixture should be pourable, with visible cheese shreds.
3. Build the layers: Arrange one-third of the potatoes in broad, overlapping layers in the insert. Add one-third of the onion and spoon over one-third of the sauce. Repeat twice, ending with sauce. Gently press the top slices into the liquid without packing the layers tightly. Keep the cooker no more than about three-quarters full.
4. Cook until tender: Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours. Begin checking at 4 hours with a fork or thin knife, testing the center as well as the outer layers. If the potatoes resist, cover and check again every 15 to 20 minutes. Stop when the slices are easily pierced but still distinguishable and the sauce bubbles at the edges. Do not stir during cooking.
5. Melt the topping: Scatter the reserved cheddar and Parmesan over the tender potatoes. Cover and cook on HIGH for 10 to 15 minutes more, until the cheese is melted and glossy.
6. Rest and serve: Turn off the cooker and remove the lid. Let the potatoes stand uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes so the sauce thickens. Scatter the chives or parsley over the top and serve saucy spoonfuls from the insert.

What to Expect From the Slow-Cooker Finish

Use fork tenderness rather than the clock alone: the center can take longer than the layers near the hot outer edge, and slow cookers vary. Cooking on HIGH and stopping as soon as the potatoes are tender helps the slices hold their shape.

The topping will be melted and lightly mottled, not crisp like an oven-baked crust. For optional browning, transfer the cooked potatoes to a broiler-safe baking dish and broil briefly. Never put a slow-cooker insert under the broiler unless its manufacturer explicitly says it is broiler-safe.

Serving and Storing Leftovers

Serve alongside roasted chicken, grilled steak, or a green vegetable. For a sweet-tart side at a larger meal, add cranberry Jello salad with pineapple and orange.

Cool leftovers promptly, transfer them to a shallow airtight container, and refrigerate for 2 to 3 days. Reheat covered at 350°F (175°C) for about 30 minutes, or until hot throughout. Add a small splash of milk or cream if the potatoes look dry.

Nutrition

Approximate nutrition per serving, based on 8 side-dish servings: 420 calories, 17g protein, 24g fat, and 35g carbohydrates. Per 100g of finished potatoes: approximately 150 calories, 6g protein, 9g fat, and 13g carbohydrates. Values vary with ingredient brands, portion size, and moisture lost during cooking.

Cranberry Jello Salad

This cranberry Jello salad is glossy, fruit-studded, and softly set: it jiggles when the dish moves but holds a scoop on a serving spoon. Raspberry gelatin, whole-berry cranberry sauce, crushed pineapple, and orange give it a sweet-tart flavor and visible fruit throughout.

Chill it in a shallow clear glass dish rather than a mold, and plan on an overnight set. Just before serving, mound whipped cream in the center and finish with fresh cranberries, mint, and orange zest.

Ingredients for Cranberry Jello Salad

• 2 (3-ounce) boxes raspberry gelatin dessert mix (170g total)
• 2 cups boiling water
• 1 cup cold water
• 1 (14-ounce) can whole-berry cranberry sauce
• 1 (20-ounce) can crushed pineapple in juice, undrained
• 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
• 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest, plus a little more for garnish
• 1 1/2 cups whipped cream or whipped topping
• 3 to 5 fresh cranberries, for garnish
• 1 small fresh mint sprig, for garnish

Use canned pineapple, not fresh: enzymes in fresh pineapple can prevent gelatin from setting. This recipe includes the canned pineapple juice in its liquid balance, so do not drain it or add extra liquid.

How to Make Cranberry Jello Salad

1. Prepare the dish and garnish: Set out a shallow, round, clear glass serving dish that holds 2 1/2 to 3 quarts. Zest the orange and reserve a pinch of zest for garnish. Rinse and thoroughly dry the fresh cranberries and mint.
2. Dissolve the gelatin: Put the raspberry gelatin mix in a large heat-safe bowl. Pour in the boiling water and whisk until no grains remain, about 2 minutes. Check the bottom of the bowl for gritty residue before adding the cold ingredients.
3. Add the fruit: Whisk in the cold water and orange juice. Stir in the whole-berry cranberry sauce, breaking it into small pieces. Stir in the undrained pineapple and 1 teaspoon orange zest. The mixture should be evenly red, with fruit visible throughout.
4. Chill until set: Pour the mixture into the dish and gently level the surface. Let stand for about 10 minutes, then cover and refrigerate at 40°F (5°C) or below for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight.
5. Garnish and serve: Once the center is fully set, mound the whipped cream in the center. Add the fresh cranberries, mint sprig, and reserved orange zest. Serve cold with a large spoon directly from the dish.

How to Tell When It’s Set

Start checking after 6 hours. When you gently nudge the dish, the salad should jiggle as one mass, with the center set as firmly as the edges. A spoon should lift a soft, defined scoop rather than runny liquid. A deeper bowl may need more chilling time than the shallow dish used here.

Cranberry Jello Salad Variations

• Cherry gelatin: Replace the raspberry gelatin with two 3-ounce boxes of cherry gelatin. Keep the other ingredients and chilling time the same.
• Smoother cranberry texture: Use a 14-ounce can of jellied cranberry sauce instead of whole-berry sauce. The salad will have fewer visible berry pieces.
• Optional crunch: Offer 1/2 cup toasted, cooled chopped pecans or walnuts alongside individual servings rather than scattering them over the dish.

Serving Cranberry Jello Salad

Serve it chilled as a holiday side dish or dessert-style fruit salad. For a savory cranberry starter before the meal, try this Cranberry Cream Cheese Dip with Orange and Scallions.

Make-Ahead and Storage

Prepare the gelatin base up to one day ahead and keep it covered in the refrigerator. Add the whipped cream and fresh garnish shortly before serving so the topping stays neat.

Cover leftovers and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Store any extra whipped cream separately if possible; cream left on the salad may soften. Do not freeze the finished salad, which can become watery or clumpy after thawing.

Nutrition

Approximate nutrition per serving, based on 11 side-dish servings with the whipped-cream garnish: 180 calories, 2g protein, 5g fat, and 32g carbohydrates. Per 100g: approximately 95 calories, 1g protein, 3g fat, and 17g carbohydrates. Values vary with the gelatin mix and whipped cream or topping used.