The Best Green Bean Casserole

One of the best things you can do as a prepper is to learn how to make homemade meals. Most people make green bean casserole for the holidays, but this casserole is so good that you’ll want to make it any time of the year! It pairs perfectly as a side to a variety of entrees.

The Best Green Bean Casserole

Green bean casserole is iconic as a Thanksgiving or Christmas side dish and is part of the food fair in the United States. Made with green beans, cream of mushroom soup, and French-fried onions, it is the ultimate comfort food. Dorcas Reilly created the first recipe for this casserole at the Campbell Soup Company in 1955, and it has been a tradition ever since.

If you want the best green bean casserole, I’ve perfected this dish from the 1955 recipe. With a little soy sauce, garlic powder, and pepper, this casserole is even better than the classic green bean casserole people have enjoyed for decades. It’s perfect as a side dish to almost any main entree, and even though it’s a classic Thanksgiving and Christmas dish, you can make it as a crowd-pleasing meal item any time of the year.

Green Bean Casserole Ingredients

As a prepper, I recommend stocking and storing canned cream of mushroom soup, green beans, and seasonings since they are all ingredients used in various recipes. For this recipe, you’ll need the following ingredients:

• Cream of Mushroom Soup: I used one can of mushroom soup. However, you can make your homemade cream of mushroom soup from scratch.
• Milk: Milk helps make the casserole creamy and delicious. You can also make this recipe with instant milk.
• Soy Sauce: Gives the casserole a sweet and savory taste that complements all the other flavors.
• Garlic powder: You can use a little garlic powder for seasoning, but minced garlic would also be good.
• Black pepper: Black pepper has healthy antioxidant properties and adds a depth of flavor to your dish.
• Green beans: I used fresh green beans for this recipe, but you could also use canned green beans or freeze-dried green beans. I shared pictures below of how to prepare freeze-dried green beans for any recipe calling for this vegetable.

Items You May Need In The Kitchen

• Baking Dish
• Mixing Bowl
• Measuring Cups and Spoons
• Whisk

How to Make The Best Green Bean Casserole

Green bean casserole is incredibly easy to make, as you’ll see by following the steps below:

Step 1: Gather Ingredients

Gather your ingredients, so you’re ready to go with meal preparation.

Step 2: Preheat the Oven and Prep the Green Beans

Preheat the oven to (350°F) = (176°C). If using fresh green beans, cut off the ends and cut them into bite-size pieces. Steam until tender (about 5-7 minutes in a pot of boiling water). If using canned green beans, skip to step 4.

Step 3: Drain Green Beans

Drain the steamed green beans. Grease a 9-inch by 13-inch baking dish. If not using fresh green beans, go to step 4.

Step 4: Make a Sauce

Combine the mushroom soup, milk, soy sauce, garlic powder, and pepper, and mix until smooth. Set aside.

Step 5: Prepare the Green Beans

Place the green beans into the greased baking dish. Sprinkle 1/2 of the French’s® French Fried Onions over the green beans. 

Step 6: Add the Soup Mixture

Pour the soup mixture over this layer. Baked uncovered for 25 minutes or until cooked through.

Step 7: Add Fried Onions

Sprinkle the remaining French Fried Onions on top and bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Finished Product

Enjoy.

Green Bean Casserole Recipe

Green Bean Casserole Recipe Tips

1. Add sauteed onions: Mix some additional onions with the green beans to add even more flavor.
2. Mix the soup with the green beans: I usually put the soup mixture on top of the green beans, but you can mix it with the green beans, covering all of them if you choose.
3. Don’t overcook the green beans: When steaming them, remember they’ll continue to cook as you bake them. So, it’s ok to undercook them slightly during the steaming step.
4. Add bacon: Everyone LOVES bacon! Bacon adds another layer of flavor that just can’t be beaten!

Why is My Green Bean Casserole Runny?

Green bean casserole should not be runny. You want a nice thick sauce to coat the green beans, not a soup. If your green bean casserole is watery, you may have measured too much milk into the recipe. To rectify this, add a thickener such as flour or cornstarch to thicken the soup mixture before adding it to your green beans. Or skip the milk altogether.

Should I Use Canned or Fresh Green Beans?

I use fresh green beans from my garden and prefer fresh over canned. Canned green beans tend to get mushy and tasteless after they’re baked into the casserole. However, fresh green beans come out perfectly crisp yet tender and flavorful. Plus, if you have a garden, this is the perfect way to use those green beans!

What Can I Use Instead of French Fried Onions?

The French-fried onions add texture and flavor. The crispy onions are what make the whole dish blend together so well. If you don’t have any, you can substitute them with dried bread crumbs mixed with butter, crushed potato chips, or Ritz crackers. Keep in mind that substitutions will change the flavor.

Can I Make Green Bean Casserole Ahead of Time?

Yes, you can! However, you don’t want to add the crispy onions beforehand since they will get soggy. Assemble your casserole in the baking dish without the onions. You can store it wrapped in plastic wrap for 2-3 days in your refrigerator. Or, you can freeze it for up to 2-weeks before you want to bake it. Thaw it overnight in the fridge, add the crispy onions, and follow the baking directions above.

How Do You Store Leftovers?

If you have leftover green bean casserole, store it in your refrigerator covered with plastic wrap. It’s good for 3-5 days. When reheating, add another layer of French-fried onions and crisp them in the oven. Otherwise, the crispy onions will be a bit soggy if you reheat them in the microwave.

NEW: Can I Use Freeze-Dried Green Beans?

I made this casserole for Thanksgiving dinner using freeze-dried green beans and it turned out to be delicious. The pictures and steps are listed below.

Open The Can

Remove the Oxygen Absorber and Place It In A Trash Container

Cover freeze-dried beans with water according to the brand instructions

Drain The Green Beans and Cook Until Tender With A Little Water

Two Ways To Store Unused Dry Freeze-Dried Green Beans

Quart Mason Jars With Lids

Quart Mason Jars Using DicoRain Sealer

More Homemade Recipes You’ll Love

If you’re interested in learning how to make more homemade recipes, check out some of my favorites below!

• Basic Muffin Recipe
• Shepherd’s Pie Recipe
• The Best Bacon Pea Salad
• Taco Salad Recipes

Final Thoughts

I’ll bet your family has a green bean casserole recipe in your meal preparation inventory. Is yours much different or similar? I’d love to hear about your green bean casserole recipe and share it with my readers. It’s all about teaching our family to cook from scratch; casseroles are a great way to start. May God Bless this world, Linda