This Southern Green Bean Casserole recipe with fresh green beans and cheese is the perfect Thanksgiving casserole recipe and side dish. It uses my homemade cream of mushroom soup and bacon (if you wish)! Make this green bean casserole with or without fried onions. Plus, get tips to keep it from being watery and tips to add flavor to your green beans.
Why Make Southern Green Bean Casserole
- Homemade Cream of Mushroom Soup: If you’re wondering why green bean casserole is a thing, then you probably haven’t had it with homemade mushroom sauce. By taking a few extra minutes to cover your green beans in a creamy and garlicky mushroom sauce, you add so much flavor to your green beans and this dish.
- Easy to make: even though this Southern Green Bean Casserole uses fresh green beans and homemade mushroom soup, it’s still easy to put together. You’re going to need one pan and baking dish. You can even buy many of the ingredients already prepped to save time.
Ingredients Needed
Homemade Cream of Mushroom Soup
- Butter
- Cremini Mushrooms: I used 8oz of whole mushrooms and sliced them thinly. You can buy your mushrooms sliced if you’d like to save time. If cremini mushrooms are not available, I also enjoy this with shiitake mushrooms or mixed mushrooms.
- Yellow Onion: I dice this, but you can also slice it.
- Garlic: I used fresh garlic that I pushed through a garlic press. But, if you use minced jarred garlic too!
- Chicken Better than Bouillon: this concentrated chicken broth is a great starter to sauces. I use it in this recipe as a way to add flavor without adding too many ingredients.
- Bragg’s 24 Herb Sprinkle Seasoning: this is a mixed herb seasoning that includes flavors like tarragon, sage, thyme, and garlic.
- Heavy Whipping Cream
- Water: the water helps to loosen the cream sauce.
- Xanthan Gum or Cornstarch: this helps to thicken green bean casserole so that it is not watery or runny. You can use one or the other in this recipe
Other Southern Green Bean Casserole Ingredients
- Fresh Green Beans: I make my green bean casserole with fresh green beans. I get these washed and trimmed from the market. Then, I steam them in the microwave until they are tender.
- Bragg’s 24 Herb Sprinkle Seasoning: this is the same seasoning from above
- Mozzarella Cheese: I use low moisture shredded cheese, but you can use cheddar cheese, Monterey Jack or shredded cheese blends like Italian Blend cheese.
- French Fried Onions: These add a bit of a crunchy texture to the dish, but, if you want to make green bean casserole without fried onions, then you can use the cheese and nut topping from my other recipe.
How to Make Southern Green Bean Casserole
I’m simplifying how to make this dish in four key steps. Please see the recipe card below for all the details.
- Sauté the vegetables: Melt the butter in a skillet over medium high heat. Add the onions, mushrooms, and garlic. Sauté until the onions are translucent and the mushrooms are tender.
- Make the mushroom cream sauce: Turn the heat to medium low. Add the remaining mushroom soup ingredients and allow the sauce to thicken.
- Add the steamed fresh green beans and cook until the mixture is thick and creamy
- Layer in a baking dish & bake: Transfer the creamed green beans and mushroom mixture to an oven safe dish. Top with mozzarella cheese and half the French fried onions. Bake.
Top Cooking Tips & FAQs
- Make Southern Green Bean Casserole without fried onions: Green Bean Casserole always has a crunchy topping. If you want to make it without fried onions, try this keto green bean casserole (it uses a crunchy cheese and nut topping).
- Add bacon to increase the flavor: this casserole is delicious as is, but if you eat pork, then you can add bacon your green bean casserole to add another layer of flavor. You’d simply crisp the bacon before sautéing the vegetables for the mushroom cream sauce. Then add the crisped bacon back to the pan before layering and baking the casserole.
What is the best cheese to use for green bean casserole?
You can use a range of cheeses to add flavor to green bean casserole. In this recipe, I’m using shredded mozzarella, but you can use cheddar cheese, Monterey Jack or shredded cheese blends like Italian Blend cheese.
How do you make green bean casserole not watery?
I allow my green beans to cook down in the sauce before placing it in the oven. I also add a thickener like Xanthan Gum or Cornstarch.
What can I add to green beans to make more flavor?
I use the better than bouillon chicken broth. It is concentrated so it adds flavors like garlic, turmeric, and herbs without requiring too many additional ingredients. I also make the mushroom soup from scratch.
Recipes to Enjoy This With
Southern Green Bean Casserole Recipe
Learn how to make Southern Green Bean Casserole with fresh green beans and cheese using this easy recipe. Includes homemade cream of mushroom soup and topping options with or without fried onions.
Servings 12
Ingredients
Cream of Mushroom Soup
- 4 tbsp butter
- 4 cup Cremini Mushrooms I used 8oz whole mushrooms and sliced them thinly
- 1 cup Yellow Onion diced
- 1 tbsp garlic cloves minced, you can also add more if you are a garlic lover
- 1 tbsp Better than Bouillon low sodium, chicken
- 1 tsp Bragg's 24 Herb Sprinkle Seasoning
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 tsp cornstarch or Xanthan Gum
Other Southern Green Bean Casserole Ingredients
- 1 lb green beans These were trimmed. I steamed them until tender (~4 minutes in a steamer insert)
- 1 tsp Bragg's 24 Herb Sprinkle Seasoning
- 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese low-moisture, shredded, or use shredded cheddar, Italian Blend, or Monterey Jack cheese
- 1 cup French fried onions I used half while baking and the other half when it came out the oven
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a skillet over medium high heat.
- Add the onions, mushrooms, and garlic. Sauté until the onions are translucent and the mushrooms are tender (~10 minutes).
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Turn the heat to medium low. Add the remaining mushroom soup ingredients and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add the steamed green beans and cook until the soup reduces and is thick and creamy.
- Transfer the mixture to a oven safe dish.
- Top with mozzarella cheese and half the French fried onions.
- Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes.
- Top with additional French fried onions before serving.
Notes
- Make Southern Green Bean Casserole without fried onions: Green Bean Casserole always has a crunchy topping. If you want to make it without fried onions, try this keto green bean casserole (it uses a crunchy cheese and nut topping).
- Add bacon to increase the flavor: this casserole is delicious as is, but if you eat pork, then you can add bacon your green bean casserole to add another layer of flavor. You’d simply crisp the bacon before sautéing the vegetables for the mushroom cream sauce. Then add the crisped bacon back to the pan before layering and baking the casserole.