Green Bean Casserole Recipe - Add this easy green bean casserole to your list of Thanksgiving side dish ideas this year for a fresh twist on a classic. Made just as rich and creamy without canned soup!
When planning my easy holiday side dish recipes to go with my Thanksgiving turkey, this green bean casserole is always at the top of my list. It’s made from scratch, using fresh ingredients, without creamed soup and no processed shortcuts.
With crisp-tender green beans, a rich homemade mushroom sauce, and crispy onions on top, this version is much more flavorful than any you’ve had before and just as comforting. It’s also easy to make dairy-free, so everyone can enjoy it!
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Taste and texture. It’s creamy, savory, and satisfying. The onions for crunch are a nice finish!
- Simple ingredients. Whatever you don’t already have is easy to find at your local grocery stores.
- Easy to make. No need to pre-cook or partially cook the beans first.
- Can make ahead. Get a head start and prep it the night before.
- Customizable. Leave the mushrooms out or make it dairy free if you prefer.
Ingredients for Homemade Green Bean Casserole
For the Creamed Mushrooms
- Butter or avocado oil: To sauté the mushrooms. Using butter gives it extra flavor.
- Onion and garlic: Finely diced onions and minced garlic cloves add aromatic flavor to the mushrooms.
- Mushrooms: Thinly sliced. Keep some to make m y delicious cream of mushroom soup with a white wine broth tomorrow!
- Heavy cream: Or coconut cream. It’s not a creamed mushrooms recipe without the cream!
- Fresh thyme leaves and chopped parsley: You can replace fresh thyme with ½ teaspoon dried thyme.
- Salt and pepper: to taste
For the Casserole
- Fresh green beans: Trimmed. No need to blanch them first.
- Milk or coconut milk: Makes the casserole extra creamy. Use coconut milk for dairy-free.
- Crispy onions: I use the kind from Trader Joes but any storebrand will do. Keep some for the topping.
- Avocado oil: For greasing the dish.
See the recipe card for the full information on recipe ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Oven-baked Green Bean Casserole with Crispy Onions
Step 1: Heat the butter or oil in a large skillet over medium heat and cook the onion until translucent and soft. Then, add the sliced mushrooms and increase the heat to medium-high. Stir often.
Step 2: After about 5 minutes of cooking the mushrooms, stir in the cream, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium and let that simmer for about 3-4 minutes until slightly thickened. Stir in chopped parsley, and remove from heat.
Step 3: Place trimmed green beans in a prepared 13x9 baking dish. In a medium bowl, mix the creamed mushrooms, milk, crispy onions, and salt and pepper. Pour over the beans and toss gently to coat.
Step 4: Bake in a preheated 350°F for 30 minutes until the beans are tender. Remove from the oven and sprinkle the remaining onions on top. Bake for another 5-10 minutes until crispy and golden.
Enjoy warm as a holiday side dish or with oven baked chicken thighs for a cozy weeknight dinner. Whether you’re planning your Thanksgiving menu, hosting holiday dinner, or craving a fresh twist on a Thanksgiving side dish, this green bean casserole is perfect!
Cooking Tips
- Don’t skip browning the mushrooms. This allows their liquid to be released and reabsorbed for best flavor.
- Keep the onions crisp. Only add the crispy onion topping for the last 10 minutes. Any longer and they might burn or start to get soggy.
- Make it a dairy-free green bean casserole by using coconut milk, coconut cream, and avocado oil (not butter).
- Make it ahead. Assemble the casserole in the dish without the crispy onion topping, cover it in plastic wrap and refrigerate it overnight. Just before baking add the onions.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! Make sure they’re thawed completely and pat dry.
It’s not, because the onions have a crispy coating on them. There is no roux and no other source of gluten, but because we’re using the onions, it’s not a gluten-free recipe.
If you want to try this recipe without the onions you can, or make my fresh green beans with bacon and shallots instead.
Be sure to cook down the mushrooms first, and if you’re using frozen green beans be sure they’re thawed and dried.
You can swap them for something else just as tasty that also adds texture. You could try diced celery or caramelized onions instead.
If you’ve ever had my potato mushroom casserole with mushrooms and caramelized onions, you may want to try using both mushrooms and caramelized onions for a twist!
More Easy Holiday Recipes
- Creamy Cheesy Potato Casserole
- Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
- Easy Oven Baked Chicken Drumsticks Recipe (with Potatoes!)
- The Best Turkey Stuffing
- Oven Bake Asparagus and Bacon Wraps
- Cozy One-Pot Chicken Stew with Fluffy Sourdough Dumplings
- The Best Coffee Rubbed Steak Recipe (Smoky & Bold Flavor)
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📖 Recipe
Best Green Bean Casserole Recipe with Creamed Mushrooms
Equipment
Ingredients
For Creamed Mushrooms
- 3 tablespoons avocado oil or butter
- 1 medium onion finely diced
- 1 lb bella mushrooms thinly sliced
- 1 cup heavy cream or coconut cream
- 2-3 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme or 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- sea salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon parsley finely chopped
For Green Bean Casserole
- 1 lb green beans fresh, trimmed
- ¾ cup milk or coconut milk
- ½ cup crispy fried onions store bought
- sea salt and pepper to taste
- avocado oil spray for greasing the baking dish, or butter
For Topping
- ¾ cup crispy fried onions
Instructions
How to Make Creamed Mushrooms
- Heat butter or avocado oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the diced onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add the sliced mushrooms and increase heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring often, until mushrooms release and reabsorb their juices, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in cream or coconut cream, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper.
- Reduce heat to medium and simmer until slightly thickened, about 3–4 minutes.
- Stir in chopped parsley and remove from heat.
Assemble Green Bean Casserole
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 13×9-inch baking dish with avocado oil spray.
- Place trimmed green beans in the prepared dish.
- In a medium bowl, combine the creamed mushrooms, milk (or coconut milk), ½ cup crispy onions, and salt and pepper.
- Pour the mixture evenly over the green beans and toss gently to coat.
Bake
- Bake uncovered for 30 minutes, until green beans are tender.
- Remove from oven, sprinkle ¾ cup additional crispy onions over the top, and bake for another 5–10 minutes, until golden and crispy.
Serving
- Serve warm as a side dish for holiday meals or weeknight dinners. Enjoy the creamy mushrooms and perfectly crisp onions with every bite!
Notes
- Use fresh green beans for the best texture. They hold up better than canned or frozen and stay crisp-tender after baking.
- Trim the beans evenly so they cook at the same rate. If your beans are extra long, cut them in half.
- Cook the mushrooms until the moisture evaporates. This step builds rich, deep flavor and prevents a watery casserole.
- Dairy-free option: Use avocado oil instead of butter and swap the heavy cream + milk for coconut cream + coconut milk.
- Make-ahead friendly: Assemble the casserole up to one day in advance (without the crispy onion topping). Cover tightly and refrigerate. Add the onions just before baking.
- Prefer softer green beans? Par-boil them for 2–3 minutes before assembling the casserole.
- Don’t skip the final bake with the crispy onions. It gives you that golden, crunchy top everyone loves.
- Leftovers reheat well. Warm in the oven at 350°F for 10–12 minutes to revive the crispiness.
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