Green Bean Casserole

Green bean casserole is one of our favorite vegetable side dishes.  That may possibly stem from relating it to Thanksgiving and sitting down together with the entire family.

This green bean casserole makes it to most family parties and brings back a flood of happy memories.  

Green bean casserole is great as a side dish for ham or turkey dinners.

You can easily adapt it to feed a crowd. You can easily double or triple this recipe.

The best green beans to use in this recipe

We like using canned cut green beans for this easy green bean casserole, but you could also use French Style cut green beans.

We have found that any brand of green beans is great.

We are all about a good deal and sometimes store brands are less expensive than name brands.

Fresh green beans would also work, but they would need to be cooked thoroughly before adding them to the recipe.  

How to MAKE green bean casserole

We love how easy green bean casserole is to prepare because you only dirty one pan; the one that it is cooked in.

Combine the soup, milk, and pepper and then fold in the green beans.

Sprinkle the french fried onions on top, then bake.  It’s that simple!

We are usually very generous with the french fried onions because they add the perfect crunch and taste to the casserole.  

Can green bean casserole be made ahead of time?

The hardest part about cooking Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner is timing when to put everything in the oven so it is hot and fresh when you are ready to eat.

I love to make my green bean casserole the day before, covering it with foil and storing it in the fridge.

If you are worried about the french fried onions not being as crisp as they usually are, you can wait to top your casserole until it is time to bake it.

You can make this easy green bean casserole and store it in your fridge 3-4 days in advance, then bake it right before your dinner.

Can you freeze green bean casserole?

If you need to make your green bean casserole more than a few days in advance, you can freeze it.

Before you freeze your casserole, follow the instructions, while being sure to not top the casserole with the fried onions, and cook it completely, then let it cool to room temperature.

To freeze green bean casserole, wrap the pan tightly with plastic wrap, followed by a layer of foil and place in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.

When it is time to cook, remove plastic wrap and foil and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Apply a layer of new foil and bake for 45 minutes, or until completely warmed through.

Uncover and top with french fried onions and bake for an additional 20 minutes, or until the onions are golden brown and crispy.

how long does it take to reheat green bean casserole?

If you are reheating your green bean casserole from the fridge, you can cover the pan with foil and bake at 350 degrees F for 20-30 minutes until heated through.

If you are reheating individual servings, place them on a plate and microwave in 1-2 minute intervals.

Remove from the microwave after each interval, stir and return to the microwave until heated through evenly.

Green Bean Casserole Ingredient Add-Ins:

You can add your own twist to this simple recipe by adding ingredients that your family loves.

Some popular green bean casserole additional ingredients are cooked bacon, sautéed onions, replacing cream of mushroom soup with cream of chicken, and fresh mushrooms.

If you love holidays as much as we do, check out our cookbook, Celebrate Every Season.

In Celebrate Every Season, we share festive recipes for every month of the year.  Order your copy HERE!

WHAT GOES WITH GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE?

Try some of these delicious recipes to serve with your green bean casserole:

• Slow Cooker Maple Glazed Ham
• Slow Cooker Turkey and Stuffing
• Apple Butter BBQ Spareribs
• Slow Cooker Ritz Chicken
• Brown Sugar Honey Salmon