Classic Southern Green Bean Casserole Recipe

Whether you’re cooking for a holiday potluck or just a weeknight dinner, this easy green bean casserole recipe is always a hit. It’s got all of the classic flavors you love, and it’s simple to make. Plus, it’s perfect for any occasion – from Thanksgiving to Christmas to Fourth of July! So if you’re looking for an old-fashioned favorite that everyone will love, give this green bean casserole recipe a try. You won’t be disappointed!

Southern side dishes are known for being rich, decadent dishes that are so good, they overshadow the main dish. And this green bean casserole is no exception! It’s similar to the classic casserole from our childhood, but with more richness, texture, and flavor that elevate it to the main star of the meal. It’s exactly the kind of dish I see at potlucks and gatherings where I live in South Carolina. And it’s always good! If you’re looking to enhance your Southern meal experience even further, consider improving your canned refried beans with this guide on how to make canned refried beans better.

With cream cheese adding an added zip, bacon for an extra crunch, and a little diced onion for flavor and texture, it will become a go-to for all kinds of meals, not just Thanksgiving!

Ingredients

For the Casserole

• 40 ounces green beans, canned, fresh, or frozen (can be more or less)
• 3/4 cup diced onion
• 1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup
• 1 cup (one container) cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup bacon crumbles
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

For the topping

• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 cup fried onions

Recipe

1. Prepare the beans. If you’re using canned, drain, rinse and set aside while you prepare the sauce. If you’re using frozen, rinse and pick through for stems and set aside. If you’re using fresh, trim and blanch and set aside.
2. Saute diced bacon.
3. Keeping two tablespoons of bacon fat (or butter or oil if you prefer) in the pan, saute the onion on medium heat, until it is nearly cooked. Add the garlic and cook for one more minute, being careful not to burn.
4. In a bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, Cream of Mushroom soup, one cup cheese, and salt and pepper. Then stir in the sauteed onion and garlic. Taste the sauce and add salt and pepper if needed.Mix in the green beans and spread in the casserole dish.
5. Cover the casserole dish with the remaining shredded cheese, and add the bacon crumbles.
6. Bake in the oven at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. As the dish begins to bubble, add the fried onions and cook for another five minutes.
7. Serve immediately.

Why this recipe works

This casserole works because it’s as fast and easy as it is tasty. This recipe has a few more ingredients than the classic recipe, but it doesn’t take much extra time. Simply saute the onion and bacon, mix it with the sauce and beans, and cook.

You can make it in advance and it takes just about 25 minutes in the oven to be bubbly and delicious. And it really is delicious. Crunchy bacon combines with the familiar fried onions, plus diced onion, garlic, cream cheese, and the tasty green beans make it a perfect, rich dish.

What kind of beans should I use?

Classic green bean casseroles call for canned beans, but it’s just as easy to use frozen beans, and even fresh when they’re in season or featured in the store. So, use whatever you prefer.

Canned beans are soft and absorb the flavor of the sauce. Frozen are already prepared and ready to go, but have a firmer texture. And fresh are fun to use, especially on holidays, when we want everything to be extra special and vibrant, colorful, and delicious. But if you want a shortcut, use canned or frozen, and it will still be amazing.

For fresh beans, rinse, trim the edges, and blanch them so they’re partly cooked. If you’re using frozen, pick through to find any stems.

Rinse them and set them out to dry and come to room temperature while you are preparing the sauce. Wet beans add extra moisture, which you don’t want, and frozen be

Simple variations on this dish

This dish is endlessly changeable. You can add sauteed mushrooms or fried onions in the casserole mix. You can change up the kind of cheese used. Or, use a cracker crumble on top instead of fried onions (SEE THIS OTHER GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE RECIPE FOR HOW TO MAKE A CRACKER TOPPING) . Crispy bacon crumbles blended with the fried onion topping would be divine!

Can I make this ahead?

This dish is great to make in advance, which is why it’s a great dish for holidays and big events. Just be sure not to add the fried onions until it’s already in the oven. If you add fried onions to the casserole, don’t add them either. It’s very easy to add last-minute ingredients, as they just need to be mixed in.

Can I freeze this?

This dish will freeze fine, but if you want to serve it to a crowd, don’t cook before freezing. That way, the milk ingredients will stay together and not curdle. Any separation that may take place will be remedied as it cooks.

If you freeze leftovers, they’ll taste delicious, but there’s always a risk of separation with dairy products. But it will still taste delicious.

This dish makes about ten servings.

It will last about four days in the fridge.

More Recipes You May Enjoy:

• Easy Green Bean Casserole with Sour Cream
• Easy Instant Pot Green Beans – Crisp and Tasty!
• Instant Pot Green Beans Almondine

Casseroles are the perfect dish to take to a potluck or serve as a side at a holiday meal. They’re usually inexpensive, easy to make, and can feed a large group of people. This green bean casserole recipe is classic southern comfort food that is sure to please everyone at your table. Give it a try and let us know what you think!