Grandma’s Green Bean Casserole
on Nov 11, 2019, Updated Mar 15, 2024
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Green bean casserole is a savory holiday side dish with all kinds of big and delicious flavors, and it’s totally easy to make day of or ahead of time!
This green bean casserole is the perfect homemade side to bring to holiday celebrations with loved ones, and it’s a piece of cake to whip up with only 15 minutes of prep time and 30 in the oven.
Table of Contents
- Easy Green Bean Casserole Recipe
- What goes with green bean casserole?
- What can I substitute for cream of mushroom soup in a casserole?
- Can I mix up green bean casserole the night before?
- How do you reheat green bean casserole?
- How to make green bean casserole:
- Grandma’s Green Bean Casserole Recipe
- Side dish recipes for your turkey dinner:
Easy Green Bean Casserole Recipe
Could anyone else out there totally survive on casseroles alone? I know they’re not for everyone, but I can’t get enough. They just remind me of cozy comfort foods that warm you up with their rich and savory flavors, and Grandma’s green bean casserole absolutely lives up to all the casserole hype. My favorite thing about casseroles? They’re famously easy to make (which might be why they’re such a hit especially for holiday meals — nobody wants to be slaving away in the kitchen for hours).
AND, they’re great make-ahead dishes for big gatherings, too. You can prep all the ingredients, bake the casserole, and then either freeze it if the event’s a while away or refrigerate it if it’s only a couple days away. And it tastes just as good reheated as the first time it was made — promise. That’s sort of the magic of casserole, don’t you agree?
Homemade green bean casserole has to be one of my favorites. Not only does it remind me of sweet memories around the holidays, but the textures and flavors are unreal and just so good. You’ll love this rendition with cracker crumbs on top because they lend a crunchy, salty topping to an already incredible dish!
What goes with green bean casserole?
Of course, green bean casserole is typically a holiday side dish, so any of your normal suspects on a holiday table really go nicely with it: turkey and gravy, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, or homemade cranberry sauce are all super tasty with it!
What can I substitute for cream of mushroom soup in a casserole?
So, my recipe for green bean casserole doesn’t use cream of mushroom soup (even though a vast majority of recipes out there do call for it). I think soup can be a good way to make it creamy, but I’m not a huge fan of using it myself, so I make a creamy base using milk and sour cream that is divine in this casserole.
Can I mix up green bean casserole the night before?
You sure can! Just make the casserole as the instructions call for below, and then let it cool completely before covering it tightly with a lid or plastic wrap overnight. You can make it up to 3 days ahead, and you can also freeze it for up to 3 months.
How do you reheat green bean casserole?
Reheat green bean casserole in a 350 degree F. oven for about 20 minutes, or until heated through.
How to make green bean casserole:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Drain and rinse the canned green beans.
- Melt butter in medium saucepan. Add the onion and garlic, and stir to combine.
- Add the flour, and cook for another minute.
- Whisk in salt and then the milk, and cook until the mixture thickens.
- Remove from the heat, and stir in the sour cream.
- Add the green beans to the pan, and stir to combine.
- Place the green bean mixture in the bottom of the 2.5-quart baking dish.
- Add the cracker crumbs and melted butter to a small bowl, and stir to combine.
- Sprinkle the cracker crumbs over the green bean mixture.
- Bake for 30 minutes.
- Serve hot.
Grandma’s Green Bean Casserole
Ingredients
- 3 cans green beans, (14.5 ounce)
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1/3 cup white onion, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 cup cracker crumbs, (we like to use butter round crackers)
- 1 tablespoon melted butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Drain and rinse the canned green beans, and set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, melt the butter. When it is melted, add the onion and garlic, and stir to combine. Cook for 1 minute.
- Add the flour, and cook for another minute, stirring often.
- Whisk in salt and then the milk, and cook for one more minute until the mixture thickens.
- Remove from the heat, and stir in the sour cream.
- Add the rinsed green beans to the pan, and gently stir to combine.
- Place the green bean mixture in the bottom of the 2.5-quart baking dish (this can be a 9-inch square, a 9-inch round, or other similar-sized oval dishes).
- Add the cracker crumbs and melted butter to a small bowl, and stir to combine.
- Sprinkle the cracker crumbs over the green bean mixture.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until the mixture is hot and the cracker crumbs are golden-brown.
- Serve hot.
Nutrition
Side dish recipes for your turkey dinner:
- Whipped Sweet Potato Casserole
- Simple and Juicy Oven Roasted Turkey Breast
- Simple Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Cauliflower
- Simple Maple Roasted Butternut Squash
- Deli-Style Broccoli Salad
- Easy Apple Cabbage Salad with Pecans
Green bean casserole is a holiday favorite that’s warming to the soul and beyond easy to make on the day of a gathering or ahead of time.
