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Green Bean Casserole is a classic holiday side dish that doesn’t get enough love. This version of Green Bean Casserole is easy to make, uses fresh beans and mushrooms, has a delectable crunchy topping and no canned soup!
Table of Contents
Why I Love This Recipe
- No canned soup here: This homemade green bean casserole skips the canned soup and uses fresh ingredients for a healthier, from-scratch flavor. It tastes just as good as the canned soup version and is surprisingly really simple to make!
- Creamy and comforting: The velvety sauce gives you that classic creamy texture without being too heavy. Cozy comfort food perfection that belongs on every Thanksgiving Menu!
- Make-ahead friendly: Prep it a day ahead and bake before dinner for a stress-free Thanksgiving side dish. Pair it with my Maple Brined Turkey and Super Simple Stuffing for an easy holiday menu.
- Crowd-pleasing classic: Everyone loves a good green bean casserole! It’s nostalgic, delicious, and fits right in with favorites like Mascarpone Mashed Potatoes and Maple Roast Vegetables!
I’ve made this every year since I first discovered this recipe, at least 5 years! It’s so easy and such a crowd favorite. SO GOOD!
– Susie
The Ingredients
Here are the key ingredients you’ll need to make this from scratch green bean casserole, a fresher, more flavorful version of the classic holiday side dish!
- Fresh green beans: Trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces for even cooking.
- Yellow onion: Diced and sautéed for the crispy topping.
- Breadcrumbs: Adds that perfectly crisp, golden topping.
- Parmesan cheese: Tossed with the onions for a flavorful crunch.
- Mushrooms: Sliced and sautéed to create the base of the creamy sauce.
- Garlic: Minced for extra flavor and aroma.
- Butter: Divided between the topping and the creamy mushroom sauce.
- All-purpose flour: Thickens the sauce for that classic creamy texture.
- Chicken broth: Builds a rich, savory base (use vegetable broth for a vegetarian version).
- Whole milk: Makes the sauce smooth and velvety. Swap in half-and-half for an even richer casserole.
- Cooking oil spray: Helps the topping crisp up beautifully while baking.
*For a full list of ingredients with measurements, see the recipe card below.*
How to Make Green Bean Casserole Without Canned Soup
- Place the green beans in a steamer pot over boiling water and steam for 8 minutes or until fork tender. Preheat oven to 400°F.
- In a large sauce pot melt 1 tablespoon butter and sauté the chopped onion and 1/4 teaspoon of salt for 4 minutes.
- Remove the onions and set aside in a separate bowl with the panko and parmesan cheese. Toss to evenly combine.
- In the same large sauce pot, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, add the mushrooms and remaining 1 teaspoon of salt and sauté for 4 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute.
- Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of flour over the mushrooms and stir for 30 seconds until evenly coated.
- Add the chicken broth and milk, bring to a simmer and cook for 8-10 minutes or until thickened. If you run your spoon through the sauce and it immediately runs back together, continue to reduce.
- Add the beans to the sauce and then pour into a greased 8 x 8 inch baking dish.
- Sprinkle with onion/panko mixture on top, lightly spray with oil and bake for 25 minutes or until the top is golden.
Recipe Video
Tips and Tricks
- Make Ahead Version: This casserole is perfect for prepping ahead during a busy holiday week! Make the crispy onion topping and the green bean/mushroom mixture a day in advance, then assemble and bake right before serving.
- Storage: Got leftovers? Store your green bean casserole covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven at 350°F until warmed through to keep the topping crisp.
- For Extra Crisp Topping: If you love a golden, crunchy finish, broil the casserole for 1–2 minutes at the end of baking. Just keep a close eye so it doesn’t burn!
FAQs
Yes! This recipe skips canned cream of mushroom soup entirely, using fresh mushrooms, milk, and a homemade roux for a rich, creamy sauce.
Absolutely! You can prep both the green bean–mushroom mixture and the crispy onion topping a day in advance, then assemble and bake just before serving.
Yes! Swap the chicken broth for vegetable broth, and you’ll have a fully vegetarian, from-scratch green bean casserole without sacrificing flavor.
More Classic Thanksgiving Side Dishes
This from scratch green bean casserole is creamy, comforting, and packed with flavor! Perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any cozy meal. It’s easy to prep ahead, has that irresistible golden topping, and is guaranteed to be a hit with family and friends. Give it a try and let me know what you think by leaving a comment and rating below!
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Green Bean Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 pound green beans, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 1 1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
- 1/2 cup panko or bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
- 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 cup whole milk (you can use half and half if you want the dish to be extra rich and creamy)
- cooking oil spray
Instructions
- Place the green beans in a steamer pot over boiling water and steam for 8 minutes or until fork tender.
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- In a large sauce pot melt 1 tablespoon butter and sauté the chopped onion and 1/4 teaspoon of salt for 4 minutes.
- Remove the onions and set aside in a separate bowl with the panko and parmesan cheese. Toss to evenly combine.
- In the same large sauce pot, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, add the mushrooms and remaining 1 teaspoon of salt and sauté for 4 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute.
- Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of flour over the mushrooms and stir for 30 seconds until evenly coated.
- Add the chicken broth and milk, bring to a simmer and cook for 8-10 minutes or until thickened. If you run your spoon through the sauce and it immediately runs back together, continue to reduce.
- Add the beans to the sauce and then pour into a greased 8 x 8 inch baking dish.
- Sprinkle with onion/panko mixture on top, lightly spray with cooking oil and bake for 25 minutes or until the top is golden.
Is it ok to use 2% milk?
I’m so glad to find this! Green bean casserole was never a staple on our holiday table (we simmered green beans to death with a whole bunch of bacon). But, my kindergartener surprised me today by insisting that we do green bean casserole this week. He overheard two teachers raving about it and believes it will not be Thanksgiving without it. Thanks for the save!
Thanks for this recipe! I made this tonight and it was very good. My little guy wouldn’t eat it, but I didn’t expect that he would (he doesn’t like green beans or anything breaded so I figured he wouldn’t care for the topping). I forgot to buy mushrooms, so I had to make it without and I think it would have been even better with them (but if you don’t like mushrooms it’s still great w/out). It was a bit strong on the garlic, but that’s probably because I had a very big clove that I used so I’ll be sure to use a smaller one next time (I only just now noticed that it actually calls for 2 cloves, so I’m really glad I didn’t use two of the huge cloves I had) and if I had used mushrooms it probably would have helped tone down the garlic flavor too. I didn’t see a temp listed in the recipe so I baked it at 350 which worked fine. Also, I put a little of the bean mixture in a separate dish for a guest who can’t eat onions (just topped it with a bit of panko, parm and melted butter) and he liked it a lot. Oh, and I used 2% milk instead of whole and it was definitely rich and creamy enough! Thanks again for this very tasty recipe!
Sorry it was at 400 🙂
I’m not sure if I missed this somewhere, but what temperature do you bake at?
What a relief! This is our family’s favorite Thanksgiving dish, but I’m trying to wean them off of processed (canned) foods as much as possible. Thank you!
Everything is from a can if mom(grandma in my case) used canned green beans. ew. This may be why I never liked green bean casserole… or green beans at grandma’s house.
I second Scout’s request. I love the recipes but really fear I don’t have the time for the meticulous construction…game planning would be very helpful. Thanks for all the inspiration!
Yes just let them thaw 🙂
Would it okay to use frozen greens?
I would make it and put it in a dish and refrigerate then bake the day of 🙂
can i make this a day before?
Hi Catherine,
I would be interested too. And also I sent email to you I think last week about homemade ricotta cheese recipe too..
Thanks for all the good work in your website.
Hi! I have a comment unrelated to this recipe. Let me first say that I LOVE your site and all your recipes. I wanted to ask if you would be able to provide a weekly “game plan” for busy working moms (I have a 9 mo. daughter). As a busy working mom yourself, what do you prepare on a weekly basis? Sorry if this comment/question should be posted somewhere else…
Shallots are wonderful! I would totally use shallots too 🙂
I just went out and bought all the ingredients for one I saw in a magazine… but yours sounds much better.Can I use shallots (what I got for the other recipe) instead of yellow onion? Or will it make a large difference?