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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Equipment
- 2-quart casserole dish
- large bowl
- colander
- mixing spoon
Ingredients
For the 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 600 g total)
- 1/2 cup milk (120 g)
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 1/3 cups French-fried onions (about 75 g), divided
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and position a rack in the center. Lightly grease a shallow 2-quart casserole dish if needed.
- Drain the green beans thoroughly in a colander and discard the canning liquid.
- Stir the condensed mushroom soup, milk, soy sauce, and black pepper together in a large bowl until smooth.
- Fold the drained green beans and 1/3 cup of the French-fried onions into the sauce mixture.
- Spread the mixture evenly in the casserole dish and reserve the remaining 1 cup French-fried onions for topping.
- Bake uncovered for about 25 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling around the edges and the center is steaming hot.
- Scatter the reserved French-fried onions over the casserole and bake for about 5 minutes more, until golden and crisp.
- Rest the casserole for 5 minutes before serving.
Tips
- Drain the canned beans very thoroughly so the sauce stays creamy and thick.
- Mix only 1/3 cup of fried onions into the filling and add the rest near the end of baking to keep them crisp.
- Check that the center is steaming hot before adding the topping; a deeper dish or cold casserole may need extra baking time.
- Use a shallow 2-quart dish for more even heating and browning.
- Thaw and drain frozen beans well, or blanch fresh beans before using them.
