Green Bean Casserole Recipe (From Scratch!)

Lose the canned soup and make this healthier version!

Image of green bean casserole in a baking dish, smothered in creamy sauce.
Green bean casserole was popularized by Campbell's in the '50s, which used the casserole to promote their cream of mushroom soup.Credit: iStock Debbi Smirnoff

Originally invented by the Campbell Soup Company as a promotional ploy, green bean casserole has since become a holiday season staple (holy marketing game, Batman!) That said, for many who grew up with the dish, the very name conjures memories of soggy, tasteless canned veggies. 

Luckily, there is another option! Lose the canned soup, and you’ll be ready to dig into a healthful and tasty version of this holiday classic.

30 min. Prep
35 min. Cook
1 hr 5 min. Total
4 Servings

Ingredients

Green Bean Casserole

French Fried Onions

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Over medium heat, sauté the butter, onion, and garlic in a sauce pan for a minute or two to let the onion soften. Add flour and cook for another minute. 

Then whisk in the milk slowly, and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Season with salt and pepper, and set the resulting white sauce aside.

In a large bowl, toss together the green beans, white sauce, 1 cup of the French fried onions, bacon, and cheese. Pour the mixture into a baking dish, cover it with foil, and bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 45 minutes. 

Remove the casserole from the oven, and remove the foil. Top the casserole with the rest of the French fried onions, and bake ten minutes more, uncovered, until crisp.

For the French fried onions: Slice the onions into rings, separate them, and soak them in milk for a few minutes. Heat about an inch of oil in a frying pan. Coat the onions in the flour, and then place them in the pan with the heated oil. Once the onions float, turn them over and cook until they are a nice golden brown. When you remove them from the oil, drain them on a paper towel.

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