Green bean casserole with cream of mushroom soup is the classic Thanksgiving side served on tables across America. This version stirs melted cheddar right into the mix along with crispy fried onions, so every bite turns out creamy and full of flavor instead of bland and watery. It comes together in about five minutes and bakes in under an hour, so it works just as well for a weeknight dinner or holiday table.
One of my favorite memories from Thanksgiving as a kid is standing at the counter making this casserole myself. Mom would open the can of cream of mushroom soup for me, but everything else, she let me do on my own. We’ve made it every single Thanksgiving since, and I handed the job over to my own kids as they grew up. Now my grandkids like to help too.
Main Ingredients Needed For Green Bean Casserole with Cream of Mushroom Soup
Here’s a quick overview of the key ingredients for this recipe. For the full list of ingredients and exact measurements, jump to the recipe card.
- Canned green beans: These are the base of the whole casserole. I always grab cut green beans, not whole, so every bite gets a little of everything else mixed in. I drain them well before they go in; that’s what keeps the casserole from turning watery.
- Condensed cream of mushroom soup: This is what makes the sauce rich and creamy. Use it straight from the can; don’t add any water like you would for a regular bowl of soup.
- Shredded cheddar cheese: The cheese adds a layer of creaminess to the casserole. I’ll shred a block myself if I want it to melt a little smoother, but the bagged pre-shredded kind works fine too.
- Half and Half: I use half and half to make the casserole extra creamy.
- Crispy fried onions: These get added twice, half stirred right into the casserole for flavor and half sprinkled on top at the end for that crunchy, golden layer everybody fights over.
How To Make Green Bean Casserole with Cream of Mushroom Soup
This green bean casserole with French-fried onions comes together in two easy stages: mix it and bake it, then top it and bake it again.
Tip: I’ve found that saving half the onions for later and adding them near the end of baking keeps them nice and crispy instead of letting them turn soft.
If you want an easy green bean recipe using your crock pot to save oven space, my Southern Style Crock Pot Green Beans uses frozen green beans instead of canned, for a completely different take on the same vegetable.
Classic Green Bean Casserole with Cheese
This classic green bean casserole with cheese is easy to make your own.
- Reach for French-cut green beans instead of the regular cut if that’s what’s in your pantry; you’ll just get a slightly thinner bite.
- Sodium is easy to dial back too; a low-sodium condensed cream of mushroom soup works exactly the same way in this recipe.
- If somebody in your family passes on mushrooms, condensed cream of celery soup swaps in just as easily, and the casserole stays every bit as creamy.
- Skim milk instead of whole milk lightens it up without changing the texture, and hot pepper cheese in place of the cheddar gives it a kick without taking over the whole dish.
I’ve made this casserole every one of these ways myself, so you can count on all five actually working.
Questions When Making Green Bean Casserole with Cream of Mushroom Soup
Yes, this recipe is built around canned cut green beans, drained well before they go into the dish. They give the casserole its familiar tender texture and let the whole thing come together in about five minutes of prep, no extra cooking required before it bakes.
No, this recipe uses canned green beans straight from the can, just drained well before they go into the dish. There’s no pre-cooking needed since the beans finish softening right along with everything else during the 30-minute bake.
The most common reason is beans that weren’t drained well enough before mixing. I always give mine an extra shake in the strainer for exactly that reason, then drain your canned green beans thoroughly and wipe the edges of the baking dish clean before it goes in the oven so nothing pools around the sides while it bakes.
No, condensed cream of mushroom soup is what this recipe is built around, but if you’ve got a family member who doesn’t like mushrooms, condensed cream of celery soup works just as well and keeps the casserole just as creamy. Either way, use it straight from the can; don’t add water to it like you would for a regular bowl of soup.
Green Bean Casserole with Cream of Mushroom Soup
Ingredients
- 30 ounces green beans, canned, 2 15 oz cans, drained, cut
- 10 1/2 ounces condensed cream of mushroom soup, canned
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1 1/3 cups fried onions, crispy, divided
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Nonstick cooking spray, for greasing the dish
Instructions
Prepare the Casserole
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease an 8-by-8 inch baking dish or 1.5-quart baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.Nonstick cooking spray
- Add the drained green beans, condensed cream of mushroom soup, cheddar cheese, whole milk, half of the crispy fried onions, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper to the prepared baking dish.30 ounces green beans, 10 1/2 ounces condensed cream of mushroom soup, 1 cup cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup whole milk, 1 1/3 cups fried onions, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, Salt and pepper
- Stir until everything is evenly combined.
- Use a damp paper towel to wipe the edges of the baking dish clean.
Bake the Casserole
- Bake uncovered for 30 minutes, or until it’s bubbling at the edges and the cheese is melted.
- Sprinkle the remaining crispy fried onions evenly over the top.
- Return to the oven and bake uncovered for another 10 minutes, or until the onions are golden.
- Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before serving.
Gina’s Notes and Tips
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days for best results.
- Make Ahead: Assemble the full casserole up to a day ahead, leaving off the second half of the crispy fried onions. Cover and refrigerate overnight. The next day, uncover and bake as directed, adding the remaining fried onions in the last 10 minutes.
- Doneness: The casserole is done with its first bake once it’s bubbling at the edges and the cheese is melted. After the onions go on top, it’s done once they turn golden, about 10 more minutes.
- Freezing: Not recommended for this recipe.
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A Plate for Someone Who Can’t Be Home is something I think about every holiday season, because this green bean casserole with cream of mushroom soup travels well. It holds together in a container just as easily as it does straight out of the oven at your own table. Think about the widow down the street who’s cooking for one this year, the coworker who drew the short straw and has to work the holiday shift, or the neighbor who can’t travel home to see her own family this Thanksgiving. Pack this green bean casserole alongside a warm serving of Crockpot Turkey with Gravy, Crockpot Mashed Potatoes, and a scoop of Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese, and you’ve got a full holiday plate ready to drop off for one of them. A plate like that says somebody remembered you on a day when it’s easy to feel forgotten, and I think that’s about as close to the heart of hospitality as it gets, carrying a little bit of your own table out to someone who doesn’t have one to sit at. Grab a container with a lid, drive it over, and let that drive be the whole visit if that’s all the day allows. That’s how a holiday meal keeps stretching past your own four walls.