The French’s green bean casserole is a holiday staple that’ll have everyone licking the pan!
This is coming from a person who, once in her life, was not a supporter of green beans.
In my younger years, I loved a heap of mac and cheese or mashed potatoes when presented with a spread of holiday sides.
But now, I couldn’t get enough of this green bean goodness even if I tried.
So, if you want to make everyone fall in love with the often-overlooked holiday side dish, this recipe is the key.
French’s Green Bean Casserole
Green bean casserole is a classic Thanksgiving staple that even non-green bean fans couldn’t do without.
The combination of green beans, cream of mushroom soup, cheese, and crispy French fried onions produces the most terrific tastes and textures!
The green beans may be the main feature of this casserole.
But the two things that make the dish a true star are melted cheese and crunchy French fried onions.
They really spruce up the rather bland green beans.
And here’s the kicker: this casserole is so easy to make, it’s almost embarrassing.
Your involvement is done in just 5 minutes. It’s mostly the oven that does the job.
Ingredients
One thing I love the most about this recipe is how accessible, convenient, and inexpensive the ingredients are.
You only need 4 ingredients, which are so basic, it doesn’t make sense how it can produce a dish so holiday-worthy.
Green Beans
Many find canned green beans to be unpleasantly mushy, but I won’t judge if that’s what you use.
Just be sure that when using fresh or frozen green beans, you saute or blanch them in salted water first to soften them.
Frozen green beans also need to be thawed first.
My recipe calls for 2 (14.5-ounce) of canned green beans, which are equivalent to:
- 1 1/2 pounds fresh green beans or
- 16 ounces of frozen green beans
Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup
It serves as a dressing to coat the beans, making them super creamy and delightful.
My preferred brand is Campbell’s (and no, this isn’t a paid advertisement) just because it has the best flavor and texture. Feel free to use your preferred brand.
Homemade cream of mushroom soup also isn’t that hard to make! I have a simple recipe for you in the tips section.
French Fried Onions
This is the reason why this casserole is called “French’s green bean casserole!” This show-stopping, crispy-crunchy topping makes all the difference.
Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Shred the cheese yourself for maximum melt! But if you just don’t have the time, I won’t judge. I like to use those pre-shredded bags of cheese, too, from time to time.
Tips for the Best Casserole
- Fresh, frozen, or canned beans are all fine. It just depends on your texture preference. Fresh ad frozen beans are crunchier, while canned beans are softer.
- Blanch or saute fresh or frozen beans. This’ll take about 8 minutes for fresh beans and 5 for frozen.
- Water chestnuts: a tasty way to add crunch. Adding a can of chopped water chestnuts will also extend the servings of the casserole.
- Everything’s better with bacon! Speaking of more crunch, bacon bits will also wonderfully do the job.
- Mix in the onions. My recipe calls for putting the onions on top, but you can also stir them into the casserole if you feel like it.
- Cheese galore: stir all of the cheese (instead of just half), into the casserole.
- Don’t want to use the microwave? Here’s an alternative approach: bake the casserole, sans the toppings, for 30 to 35 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Add the toppings and bake for 5 to 10 minutes more.
- Feeding a crowd? Double the recipe and use a 9×13-inch casserole. Increase the baking time by 10 minutes.
- This casserole is perfect any day of the year. This casserole isn’t just for the holidays! Serve it any day with meatloaf or pork chops for a complete meal.
- Pair the casserole with side dishes. Dinner rolls, cranberry salad, and mashed potatoes all pair well with the casserole.
Storage and Make-Ahead Instructions
To Store
I doubt there’ll be any leftovers, but in case there are, cover them with foil or store them in an air-tight container. Refrigerate them for up to 3 to 5 days.
To Reheat
Reheat them in the microwave until warmed through. If you want the onions to crisp up once again, use either the oven or oven toaster.
To Make Ahead
To make ahead, microwave and assemble the ingredients in the casserole, but skip the toppings.
Cover the casserole with plastic wrap and foil and refrigerate for up to 48 hours or freeze for up to 2 weeks.
If refrigerated, thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes, add the toppings, and bake as instructed.
If frozen, thaw the casserole in the fridge overnight, add the toppings, and bake as instructed.
Homemade Mushroom Soup Recipe
Finally, as promised, here’s a simple recipe for homemade mushroom soup, just in case you couldn’t get a hold of canned cream of mushroom soup.
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
12 ounces button mushrooms, sliced
1 cup whole milk
4 ounces cream cheese
Directions:
Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir the mushrooms until brown. Add the milk and cream cheese and stir until thick and melted.
More Casseroles You’ll Love
Italian Sausage Breakfast Casserole
French’s Green Bean Casserole (Easy Campbell’s Recipe)
6
servings10
minutes15
minutes322
kcalIngredients
2 (14.5-ounce) can green beans, drained
1 (10.75-ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 (6-ounce) can French fried onions
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the green beans and mushroom soup. Microwave on high power for 3 to 5 minutes, or until warm. Stir in 1/2 cup of the cheese and microwave for another 2 to 3 minutes.
- Transfer the mixture into a casserole and cover with French fried onions and remaining 1/2 cup of cheese.
- Bake the casserole for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and the onions start to brown. Serve and enjoy!
