Green Bean Casserole | foodiecrush.com

This classic Green Bean Casserole recipe is creamy, savory, and easy to make, with a crisp-tender bite that only real green beans can deliver.

There’s something nostalgic and timeless about Green Bean Casserole that keeps it at the center of the Thanksgiving table every year. But here’s the twist: we’re making it from scratch—no canned soup, just a homemade, creamy sauce that brings out the best in frozen or fresh green beans topped with crispy french fried onions. If you’re looking for an even bigger switch from the original, try my Green Bean Casserole with Onion Rings and mushroom sauce or Easy Green Beans Almondine. But if you’re a fan of the traditional version, you’ll love this made-from-scratch green bean recipe.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Incredible fresh flavor. Using real green beans and a homemade sauce gives this casserole a bright, fresh taste that canned ingredients just can’t deliver.
• Perfect texture. Regular green beans (not French-cut) hold up best in the creamy sauce, keeping a crisp-tender bite without turning to mush.
• Classic comfort made modern. This version of Green Bean Casserole has all the comfort of the classic but with a fresh spin.

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Ingredients for Green Bean Casserole

• Green beans—I prefer regular green beans over French cut or haricot verts in this recipe because regular beans stand up best in the sauce with a crisp-tender bite. Thawed frozen green beans or blanched fresh green beans work best.
• Butter—Butter creates a rich base for sautéing and adds a velvety flavor to the sauce.
• Onion—Sautéed onions bring sweetness and depth to the sauce, perfectly balancing the creamy elements.
• Garlic cloves— Garlic gives the sauce a savory warmth and aromatic quality, deepening the overall flavor.
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper—These essentials enhance the ingredient’s natural flavors and add a touch of seasoning to keep the dish balanced.
• All-purpose flour—Flour thickens the sauce, creating a perfect texture that clings to each green bean.
• Chicken broth—Chicken broth provides a savory, umami base that prevents the sauce from feeling too heavy, adding depth to every bite.
• Cream or half-and-half—Either dairy option adds richness and a lush mouthfeel, making the casserole creamy without being overly thick or gloopy.
• Dried thyme—Thyme’s earthy, subtle herb flavor adds a hint of holiday warmth.
• Soy sauce—Just a splash of soy sauce enhances the umami in the dish, balancing the cream with a slightly salty note and adding depth to the sauce.
• French-fried onions—These crispy, savory onions bring that classic crunch on top that is everyone’s favorite part.

Find the complete recipe with measurements below.

Why Frozen or Fresh Green Beans Work Best

Which is better, frozen or canned green beans for green bean casserole? While the original green bean casserole recipe often relies on canned green beans, fresh or frozen green beans elevate the dish, keeping the beans tender with a slight crunch rather than mushy. Regular green beans stand up well to the rich, creamy sauce, giving each bite texture and flavor. If using fresh beans, blanch them first to keep their color vibrant and their texture spot-on; if using frozen, thaw them before adding to the casserole.

How to Make Green Bean Casserole

• Thaw frozen green beans or blanche fresh green beans. I prefer the ease of using frozen green beans but if you use fresh, give them a quick cook before mixing. Blanching green beans in salted boiling water for about 5 minutes is a quick way to soften them while retaining their vibrant color and snappy bite. Salted water infuses flavor into the gently cooked beans.
• Prepare the white sauce. Cook the onion and garlic until soft then sprinkle with the flour. Cook the flour for a minute to lose its raw taste, stirring as it cooks so it doesn’t burn.

• Add the chicken broth, cream or half-and-half, thyme, and soy sauce and cook to reduce and thicken. Chicken broth adds flavor and acts as a thickener with the flour. Cream or half-and-half adds more thickening power to the sauce with thyme adding an herbal note and soy sauce brings umami, salt, and depth.

• Fold the blanched green beans into the sauce. Cook for a few minutes to warm through and start to tenderize the green beans.
• Add the warm green bean mixture to a baking dish, top with the crispy onions, and bake until bubbly. Bake in a 375°F oven for about 30 minutes or until bubbly.

Recipe Tips and Substitutions

• Use frozen green beans instead of fresh green beans. Frozen green beans retain all of the vitamins and minerals of fresh because they’re flash-frozen right after harvest. Three 12-ounce bags of frozen cut green beans make 2 pounds, or 6 cups fresh.
• Add fresh mushrooms to the gravy sauce. Add 8 ounces of sliced cremini or brown mushrooms when sautéeing the onions. They add a delicious flavor to the sauce and overall dish.
• Instead of soy sauce, try tamari. Both add an umami depth.
• I like regular green beans instead of haricot verts in this casserole. I’ve found thinner green beans don’t hold up as well in this recipe, nor do canned French-style green beans which can turn to mush.

How to Make Green Bean Casserole Ahead of Time

Preparing green bean casserole ahead of time is a smart way to simplify your Thanksgiving cooking.

• Prepare the beans and sauce then add to the baking dish.
• Wait to add the fried onions until just before baking so they stay crisp and don’t turn soggy.
• Cover the dish with foil and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
• Remove the casserole from the fridge, top with the fried onions, and let it sit at room temperature for about 15-20 minutes before baking.

Storage Tips

To store, cover tightly with foil or transfer leftovers to an airtight container. This casserole will keep well in the fridge for up to three days. To reheat, cover with foil and warm in the oven at 350°F until heated through.

What to Serve With Green Bean Casserole

If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.

Green Bean Casserole

This classic Green Bean Casserole recipe is creamy, savory, and easy to make, with a crisp-tender bite that only real green beans can deliver.

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Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword green bean casserole

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Servings 10

Calories 253kcal

Ingredients 

½x1x2x3x

• 2 pounds frozen green beans , thawed and drained
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 medium yellow onion , chopped
• 3 garlic cloves , pressed or minced
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2 cups heavy cream or half-and-half
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 3 cups canned fried onions

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Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 375°F. Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 5-6 minutes or until the onion softens and the garlic is fragrant. Stir in the kosher salt and black pepper.

• Sprinkle the flour over the onion mixture and cook for 1 minute, stirring, to lose the raw flour flavor. Add the chicken broth and stir to combine. Whisk in the cream or half-and-half until smooth, add the dried thyme, and stir in the soy sauce. Cook for 5-7 minutes on medium-high for the sauce to reduce and thicken.

• Add the green beans and stir well to combine. Cook until bubbly and the green beans are warmed through.

• Transfer the beans to a 9 X 13 baking dish then evenly sprinkle the top with the fried onions. Bake for 30 minutes or until warmed through and the top begins to brown.

Notes

• If using frozen green beans, thaw and drain before mixing. 
• If using fresh green beans, bring a large saucepan of water to a boil with 1 teaspoon of salt. Add the chopped green beans and cook for 5 minutes until tender but still crisp. Drain and immediately transfer to a large bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. Drain and set aside.

Nutrition

Calories: 253kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 29mg | Sodium: 449mg | Potassium: 286mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 942IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 95mg | Iron: 1mg

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