This Green Bean Casserole features green beans tossed in a creamy mushroom sauce and topped with crispy onions. A blend of half and half and cream cheese makes the mushroom sauce extra creamy, and by using fresh green beans instead of canned we prevent the casserole from turning to mush. This totally homemade version has everything you love about the classic Thanksgiving side dish, just in a fresher package!
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There’s No Canned Soup Here!
This creamy green bean casserole recipe is even BETTER than the classic because it’s 100% made from scratch. No canned soups or vegetables here!
This is by far the best green bean casserole that I’ve ever made. Since it uses fresh green beans, they stay slightly crisp after baking and don’t turn to mush. Canned green beans also tend to be overly salty, in my opinion, whereas fresh green beans absorb all the flavor while keeping their texture. And to make the mushroom sauce extra creamy, I added a little cream cheese.
You can prep this green bean casserole ahead of time and just pop it in the oven on the big day. I love when I can prep my holiday sides ahead of time! It saves time and stress on the big day.
Grab These Ingredients
You can find the full list of ingredients, quantities & method in the recipe card at the end of the page.
- Fresh green beans. I like regular green beans vs the French green beans because they’re thicker and hold up to baking better.
- Mushrooms. I love cremini or baby portobello mushrooms because they have tons of flavor. You can use white button mushrooms also. Don’t use canned.
- Butter. Butter makes everything better!
- Shallots and garlic. Shallots give a subtle onion flavor and garlic is a must!
- Flour. Flour helps thicken the soup so that your casserole ends up creamy and not watery.
- Broth. I usually use homemade chicken broth, but you can use vegetable broth to keep this side dish vegetarian.
- Worcestershire. A bit of Worcestershire adds umami and savory notes to our creamy mushroom sauce.
- Cream cheese. Whisking in some cream cheese makes the sauce extra creamy and thick. This is totally the secret ingredient!
- Half and half. Adding half and half also makes the creamy mushroom sauce rich.
- Parmesan. It never hurts to add some cheese!
- Crispy onions. It’s not a green bean casserole without a crispy onion topping! Use your favorite brand; mine is always the crispy onions from Trader Joe’s.
Want to use frozen green beans? Go ahead! Just be sure to defrost and drain them before using. However, I don’t recommend using canned.
Tools Needed
How to Make Green Bean Casserole Without Canned Soup
- Blanch the green beans. By briefly submerging the green beans in boiling water, we’re able to preserve their gorgeous green hue and reduce the bake time (which in turn helps the beans maintain their crisp-tender texture!).
- Cook the mushrooms and aromatics. We don’t want the mushroom sauce to become watery, so it’s important that you cook the mushrooms until they’re golden brown and have released the bulk of their excess moisture. Ditto when sautéing the shallot and garlic.
- Make the roux. Add the flour to the pot and stir it often to coat the veggies and cook off its raw flavor. Then, stir in the cream cheese, broth, and half and half in stages, whisking all the while. Season the sauce with Worcestershire and a pinch of nutmeg.
- Add the mushrooms and green beans. Stir the pot really well to coat everything evenly in the cream sauce. Don’t forget to sprinkle in the Parmesan, too! Your casserole filling is good to go once the cheese has melted.
- Bake until bubbling. Cover the casserole dish with foil for the first 30 minutes of baking, then remove the foil and bake for another 15 minutes. Covering the casserole for part of the bake time traps enough steam to soften the green beans without making them mushy. Add the crispy onions in the final 5 minutes of baking.
- Rest for 20 minutes. The mushroom sauce will thicken as it rests, so don’t panic if your casserole looks a little loose when you first pull it out.
Make Ahead Instructions
Cream cheese green bean casserole is a great make-ahead dish for Thanksgiving! It’s easy to prep and advance and pop in the oven on the big day.
- To prepare: This casserole can be prepped up to 2 days in advance and kept covered in the refrigerator. Blanch the green beans and make the creamy mushroom sauce. Let the mushroom sauce cool for 30 minutes before adding the green beans. Pour into a greased 9×13-inch pan and cool to room temperature. Cover with foil and refrigerate.
- To bake: Bake covered at 350ºF for 30 minutes, then increase the temp to 400ºF and bake uncovered for 15 minutes. Add the crispy onions and bake for 5 minutes more.
What to Serve with Green Bean Casserole
This is such a versatile side dish! Some of my favorite recipes to enjoy with it:
If you do give this recipe a try, be sure to let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. Be sure to subscribe to my weekly newsletter and never miss a new recipe! You can also snap a photo & tag@JENNYGOYCOCHEA on Instagram. I LOVE hearing about & seeing your SMF creations!
More Must-Have Holiday Side Dishes
- Loaded Corn Casserole
- Brandied Cranberry Sauce
- Mascarpone Mashed Potatoes
- Bacon Cornbread Stuffing
- Honey Pumpkin Dinner Rolls
- Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese
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Homemade Green Bean Casserole
Video
Ingredients
- 24 oz fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 3" pieces
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
- 12 oz cremini mushrooms, chopped
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 small shallots, thinly sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup half and half
- 1 pinch ground nutmeg
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 1 cup crispy fried onions
- kosher salt, to taste
- freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat an oven to 375ºF. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Blanch the green beans. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the green beans and cook for 3-5 minutes, until the green beans are bright green and no longer raw-tasting. Drain through a colander and set aside.
- Brown the mushrooms. In a pot or dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the chopped mushrooms to the pot. Sprinkle with a bit of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes or until the mushrooms are browned. Remove from the pot and set aside.
- Sauté the aromatics. Reduce the heat to medium and add the butter to the pot. Add the sliced shallot and garlic to the pot and cook for 2-3 minutes, until soft.
- Make the roux. Sprinkle the flour over the top and stir well to combine. Cook for 2-3 minutes stirring constantly. Add the cream cheese and stir until it's melted.
- Finish the mushroom sauce. Add the broth to the pot and bring to a simmer. Add the Worcestershire sauce and the half and half and bring to a simmer. Stir in the mushrooms, then sprinkle in the nutmeg and parmesan and stir until melted. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Once the sauce is thick, stir in the blanched green beans.
- Bake. Pour the green beans and sauce into the prepared baking dish and cover with foil. Bake, covered, for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15 minutes. Sprinkle the crispy onions over the top and bake for 5 minutes more. Cool for 20 minutes before serving.
Storage Instructions
- To store: Let the casserole cool to room temperature. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, microwave at intervals until warmed through or in a dish in the oven until steaming. I don't recommend freezing this dish.
Rate & Review This Recipe
Fan-freaking-tastic but…the mushrooms feel so left out! ??. Added em at the same time as the beans. Perfect. Thank you!
That works! they’re actually added back into the sauce when you add the parm, but adding them with the green beans works just fine!
This green bean casserole feels like pure comfort.. it’s simple, and the kind of dish everyone goes back for seconds of. Love how cozy and classic it is.
Thanks for sharing it.