Easy Green Bean Casserole Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Are frozen or canned green beans better for casserole? ›

Green beans from a can have already been cooked to death right in the can and harbor plenty of sodium that could make your casserole too salty. Frozen French-cut green beans are a better option. They hold their texture better than canned, and you can cook them straight from their frozen state.

Green Bean Casserole from Scratch FAQs

Cover and freeze until you are ready to bake. You can bake start from frozen without adding the onions until the casserole has already baked for about 20 minutes. Should green bean casserole be soupy? No, your green bean casserole should not be soupy.

Mistake #5: A Runny Casserole

If you don't, the excess water from the beans can leak out into the casserole and make it thin and runny. If you sense it's a little watery, "add a thickener like roux or starch to absorb the additional liquid or cook a little longer," she says.

A green bean casserole makes the Thanksgiving holiday complete, and this version can be on the table in no time at all thanks to just four ingredients from your pantry or fridge: canned green beans, condensed mushroom soup, French-fried onions, and shredded Cheddar cheese.

Even if you are not concerned about sodium, in most cases it's a good idea to rinse canned beans. Rinsing beans can improve the flavor and texture of the final dish and can help cut down on how much gas they produce.

One common cause of a wet, soupy casserole is undercooking the vegetable ingredients on the stovetop. When you choose to use fresh green beans, onion, and mushrooms instead of canned, cook the veggies well before tossing them into the oven.

✿ 4 cups of green beans is about 1½ pounds fresh or 16 ounces frozen or 2 cans (15 ounces each) drained.

The Green Beans Are Mushy

Oftentimes, mushy green beans come down to one of two issues. The first is simply that you overcooked them, and they lost their shape and texture.

Fans love the dish in part because of how simple it is to throw together. It calls for ingredients that could be found in a typical home kitchen pantry: canned or fresh green beans, mushroom soup, milk, soy sauce and black pepper.

ON SERVING DAY: make the topping and bake

Allow the casserole to sit at room temperature for about an hour before it goes in the oven. If you're serving your green bean casserole as part of a traditional turkey dinner, the perfect time to bake it is while the turkey rests.

How to make green bean casserole thicker? ›

Start making a slurry, a tool for thickening sauces, by whisking a small amount of cornstarch or flour with water or broth. Whisk until there aren't visible lumps. It should be thick but drizzly in consistency. As you constantly stir, add small amounts of the slurry to the filling.

Stuffing, cornbread, and rice are also great options that will add some variety to your meal. If you're looking for something a little lighter, a shaved Brussels sprouts salad or roasted sweet potatoes might be just what you need. Another great option is to serve a protein alongside your green bean casserole.

Green Beans: Depends

Sure, frozen green beans may be higher in nutrients than canned, but we feel the optimal choice depends on how you're going to utilize them. If you're serving them solo, frozen green beans are the way to go. If they're being added to a cooked dish or casserole, canned green beans are just as handy.

They don't have any added sodium, and they're also cooked a lot less. As a result, they come out of the oven with the perfect balance of flavor and texture. If you find your green bean casserole is turning out salty and mushy, those canned green beans might be to blame.

This one is totally your personal preference. Some folks prefer the taste and texture of canned beans, while others prefer frozen ones. Personally? I prefer frozen green beans as I think they have a fresher taste, and less nutrient loss.

Frozen green beans are not as good as fresh, but they're miles better than canned ones and thus a decent compromise. The nice thing about frozen green beans is that they're quick frozen but not cooked, which means they retain their color—although their texture suffers a bit in the process of freezing and thawing.