With just a handful of simple ingredients and only 10 minutes of prep, this classic Green Bean Casserole earns a permanent spot on my Thanksgiving table. It’s one of those tried-and-true holiday dishes that delivers big comfort with minimal effort. A few staple ingredients, hardly any hands-on time, and a whole lot of flavor—exactly what I need when the holiday rush kicks in!

Easy Green Bean Casserole

This traditional casserole is one of the recipes I look forward to most on Thanksgiving day. I’ve never met a person who doesn’t love it, which is perfect because it’s so easy to make and tastes so good.

I created this recipe with just a handful of simple ingredients, and for those picky eaters out there, there are no mushrooms—I always opt to use water chestnuts instead, which still adds a variety of texture.

But, the most important and fundamental ingredient for this recipe is the crispy fried onions, so much so that it’s even sometimes known as French’s Green Bean Casserole. The crispy onions add a nice crunch to an otherwise soft casserole, as well as pack in the flavor. It’s not green bean casserole without crispy fried onions, so that’s one ingredient you don’t want to skip!

Helpful Tips and Variations

• Fresh, frozen, or canned green beans. You can use canned green beans. You’ll want two 14.5 ounce cans, fully drained. Reduce the baking time to 25 minutes. The overall casserole will have a softer texture than if you used fresh or frozen. If using frozen green beans, blanch first.
• Any cream soup will work in this recipe. While I used cream of chicken and mushroom soup, you can use whatever you prefer. I believe the original Campbell’s recipe from the 60s used Golden Mushroom soup.
• Make it cheesy. For a cheesy green bean casserole, add 1 cup shredded cheese (like Monterey Jack or cheddar) and increase the amount of milk to a total of ½ cup.

How to Make Green Bean Casserole Step by Step

Get the oven going and prepare a casserole dish: Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray a 9×9-square casserole dish with nonstick spray.

Prep the green beans: Boil or blanch 4 cups of green beans until they are crisp tender, about 3 minutes, then quickly cool in very cold or ice water. Pat dry.

Prepare the soup: In a medium bowl, combine 1 can of condensed soup, ¼ cup of milk, 8 oz. of water chestnuts, 1 tsp of Worcestershire sauce, ½ tsp black pepper, ⅛ tsp garlic powder, ⅛ tsp onion powder, and ¾ cup of the crispy fried onions, until incorporated and smooth.

Add the green beans: Gently fold in the green beans until combined and well coated.

Transfer and bake: Transfer the green bean and soup mixture to the casserole dish. Bake uncovered for 40 minutes, until bubbling.

Stir it, sprinkle with the remaining ¾ cup fried onions, and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes or until the onions are golden brown.

Serve: Serve the casserole and enjoy.

What to Serve With Green Bean Casserole

This is a traditional Thanksgiving side dish, so it typically accompanies my turkey or ham on the dinner table, perfectly placed next to some cranberry sauce or a hearty cornbread casserole.

Of course, it doesn’t mean I only make this side dish at Thanksgiving. I find it tastes just as great next to some steak as it does my holiday turkey.

How to Store

To make ahead of time, assemble (without the onion topping), cover, and refrigerate for up to 1 day. Before baking, let it sit on the counter for 30 minutes or add about 10 extra minutes onto the cook time.

Leftover green bean casserole can be refrigerated for up to 3 days, wrapped tightly.

To reheat leftover casserole, just pop it back in the oven. Cover it with aluminum foil for the first 20 minutes, then, if desired, you can remove the foil and add more crispy fried onions to the top. Bake just until heated through. It usually takes 20-30 minutes, but it depends on how much casserole you are reheating.

To freeze this casserole, it’s best to do so without the fried onions. Secure tightly with plastic wrap and again with foil. It will keep in the freezer for up to 2 months. Allow to thaw overnight, give it a stir, sprinkle with fresh crispy onions, and pop it in the oven to bake as directed.

More Thanksgiving Side Dishes

• Easy Stuffing
• 7 Up Biscuits
• Sauteed Mushrooms
• Roasted Spaghetti Squash
• Creamed Spinach
• Roasted Carrots