Green Bean Casserole

That creamy mushroom sauce, tender green beans, and fried onion topping are a match made in heaven. But while I’m all for a good kitchen shortcut, I’m not a fan of casseroles made with canned soup. So, I’ve created a from-scratch version that’s just as easy (even for a novice cook!) and even more delicious.

Even if, I did make an exception for those crispy fried onions. All recipes are rigorously tested in our Nashville Test Kitchen to ensure they are easy, affordable, and delicious.

This recipe is **chef’s kiss**! I was thrown off by the cream cheese but I shouldn’t have been!

We gave this recipe a try on Thanksgiving and have made it 2 more times since then😂 So delish!” Green Bean Casserole is an absolute staple of the holidays.

It was one of the first recipes that I mastered for the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons, and I’ve been making it ever since. It’s truly simple to make from scratch, and I never regret doing so. It’s a seriously budget-friendly method made from green beans in a creamy sauce and topped with French-fried onions.

There are many variations nowadays, and my from-scratch version skips the canned soup and uses simple, everyday pantry staples for an EVEN tastier result!

The Secret to a Good Green Bean Casserole

Nope, it isn’t canned soup (sorry, Campbell’s). I know this might seem unconventional, but this is one of those times you’ve got to trust me.

The cream cheese adds the most amazing creaminess and makes the sauce extra rich. It as well helps to stabilize the casserole for baking so the sauce doesn’t separate or curdle.

But if you’re still a little skeptical, just check out all the 5-star reviews from happy readers below! This secret element is definitely not a secret anymore. )

Green Bean Casserole

- 8 oz. mushrooms* ($2.49) - 2 cloves garlic ($0.08)

- 1 Tbsp olive oil ($0.22) - 3/4 tsp salt, divided ($0.04)

- 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper, divided ($0.04) - 4 Tbsp salted butter ($0.50)

- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour ($0.04) - 1 cup vegetable broth** ($0.13)

- 1 cup whole milk ($0.18) - 1/8 tsp garlic powder ($0.02) - 4 oz. cream cheese ($0.46)

- 24 oz. frozen French-cut green beans*** ($2.36) - 1 cup crispy fried onions, divided ($0.73)

- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Roughly chop the mushrooms into small pieces. - Add the olive oil to a large skillet and heat over medium.

Once hot, add the mushrooms and a pinch of salt and pepper. Sauté the mushrooms until soft, then add the minced garlic and continue to sauté until the liquid in the skillet evaporates.

- Add the butter and flour to the skillet. Stir to melt the butter and allow the butter and flour to create a paste that coats the bottom of the skillet. Continue to stir and cook over medium for one to two minutes, or until the flour begins to turn golden on the bottom of the skillet.

- Add the vegetable broth, milk, and garlic powder to the skillet. Whisk to combine and dissolve any browned flour off of the bottom of the skillet. Allow the liquid to come up to a simmer, at which point it will thicken.

- Add the cream cheese to the skillet and whisk over medium heat until the cream cheese has fully melted into the sauce. - Add the frozen green beans to the sauce and stir to combine.

Continue to heat over medium, stirring occasionally, until the green beans have heated through and the sauce comes up to a gentle simmer. Let the green beans simmer for a few minutes.

Going to Give them a taste and add salt and pepper to your liking (I, about ½ tsp salt and another ⅛ tsp pepper). - Stir ¼ cup of crispy fried onions into the green bean mixture.

Pour the green beans into a 2-quart casserole dish and top with the remaining ¾ cup crispy fried onions. - Bake the casserole for 20-25 minutes, or until the fried onions have turned deep golden brown and the sauce is bubbling up around the edges.

How to Make Green Bean Casserole Step-by-Step Photos

Sautè mushrooms and garlic: Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

Wash 8oz. button mushrooms and roughly chop them into small pieces. Mince two cloves of garlic.

Heat a large skillet over medium, add 1 Tbsp olive oil, and swirl to coat the skillet. Pour in the mushrooms and a pinch of salt and pepper to the skillet and sauté until the mushrooms become soft.

Add the minced garlic and continue to sautè until all of the moisture in the skillet evaporates. Add 4 Tbsp salted butter and ¼ cup all-purpose flour to the skillet.

Continue to sauté the mushrooms with the butter and flour until the flour begins to coat the bottom of the skillet and turn golden brown. This toasts the flour and prevents that floury flavor.

Whisk 1 cup vegetable broth, 1 cup whole milk, and ⅛ tsp garlic powder into the skillet, making sure to dissolve all of the flour off the bottom of the skillet as you whisk. Allow the liquid to come up to a simmer while whisking, at which point it will thicken.

Cut 4 oz. cream cheese into chunks, add it to the sauce, and whisk until it has fully melted in. Add green beans: Add 24oz.

French-cut frozen green beans. Stir the green beans into the sauce and allow them to heat through and the sauce comes up to a gentle simmer. Allow them to simmer for 2-3 minutes.

Per to At this point, you want to taste the sauce and add more salt and pepper (I, about ½ tsp salt and ⅛ tsp pepper). Stir ¼ cup of crispy fried onions into the skillet. Transfer the green beans and sauce to a 2-quart casserole dish and top with ¾ cup of crispy fried onions.

Bake: Bake the casserole in the preheated 350ºF oven for 20-25 minutes, or until heated through and the fried onions have become golden brown. Once you try this from-scratch green bean casserole with cream cheese, you’ll never go back to the canned soup version again!

Variations to Try

The classic version of this casserole is great, but if you want to make it a little more fancy, here are some fun toppings or add-ins I think you’ll love:

- Bacon crumbles (mixed in or sprinkled on top) - Cheddar cheese or Parmesan (for topping or mixing into the sauce)

- Buttered breadcrumbs or crushed potato chips (in place of the fried onion topping) You can prepare this creamy green bean casserole one day ahead of time (minus the onion topping), cover it in plastic or foil, and refrigerate it. I’d add the fried onion topping the next day and bake as directed, slightly extending the baking time to account for the casserole being cold.

Serving Suggestions

Serve this with all the classic Thanksgiving dishes including sweet potato casserole and my apple walnut stuffing.

Don’t forget the apple pie for dessert!