This Green Bean Casserole is a wholesome, from-scratch version of the classic holiday side. It's made with fresh green beans, real cream sauce, sautéed mushrooms, and simple seasonings.
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A Quick Look at the Recipe
✅ Recipe Name: Green Bean Casserole
🕒 Ready In: ~30 minutes
👪 Serves: 6-8
🍽 Calories: ~150 calories per serving (estimated)
🥣 Main Ingredients: Fresh green beans, mushrooms, onions, garlic, cream cheese
📖 Dietary Info: Gluten-free, vegetarian option, wholesome ingredients (no canned soup)
👌 Difficulty: Easy - cook the veggies, make the sauce, bake until creamy and golden
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Instead of relying on condensed soup or fried onions, this updated version builds flavor naturally by cooking the vegetables first, making a quick homemade sauce, and baking everything until the green beans are tender and the cheese is golden. It has the same familiar comfort as the traditional recipe, but with a fresher taste and lighter, cleaner ingredient list.
If you enjoy real-ingredient dishes like Herb Roasted Turkey Breast, Roasted Acorn Squash, or our lighter, veggie-forward favorites such as Sweet Potato Soup, this green bean casserole fits right into that simple, wholesome style.
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Why You'll Love This Green Bean Casserole:
No canned soup: A creamy, flavorful homemade sauce made with real ingredients, no condensed soup needed.
Fresh and wholesome: Uses fresh green beans, mushrooms, and onions for a lighter take on the classic.
Rich and satisfying: Cream cheese and cheddar create a velvety, cheesy texture that's both comforting and indulgent.
Easy to make ahead: Perfect for prepping in advance and baking when ready.
A holiday favorite upgraded: Classic enough to fit on a Thanksgiving table, but elevated enough to impress guests.
Key Ingredients:
- fresh green beans. Trimmed and chopped into bite-sized pieces. Boil until just tender to maintain a slight bite.
- button mushrooms. Sliced thinly; their earthiness adds depth to the creamy base.
- chicken broth. Adds savory flavor and helps loosen the sauce. Vegetable broth works as a substitute.
- cream cheese. Creates a velvety, tangy sauce, use full-fat for the creamiest result.
- cheddar cheese. Melts over the top for a golden, gooey finish. Sharp cheddar is recommended.
Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this page for exact quantities.
Easy Substitutions & Variations
- Use frozen or canned green beans: Fresh green beans give the best texture, but frozen beans work well if thawed and patted dry. Canned beans can be used in a pinch, just drain them well and reduce the bake time so they don't become too soft.
- Swap the mushrooms: If you're not a fan of mushrooms, replace them with extra onions, shallots, or even diced zucchini.
- Lighter sauce option: You can use half-and-half or whole milk instead of cream cheese. The sauce will be slightly thinner but still rich after baking. If needed, simmer it a little longer on the stove to help it thicken before combining with the green beans.
- Add more flavor to the topping: A mix of breadcrumbs and grated Parmesan adds a golden, crisp finish. You can also use crushed crackers or panko for a lighter, extra-crunchy topping.
How to Make Green Bean Casserole:
- Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Boil the green beans until fork tender. About 10 minutes then drain and set aside. Sauté the onions, mushrooms and garlic until caramelized.
- Step 2: Season with salt, pepper and the nutmeg. Add the chicken stock and be sure to scrape all the bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Step 3: Add the cream cheese and let it melt into the mixture.
- Step 4: Stir in the cooked green beans until everything is well coated.
- Step 5: then transfer the mixture to a 9x13 casserole dish.
- Step 6: Sprinkle the cheddar over the top and bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly, about 15 minutes.
Recipe Notes & Tips:
- Add texture if desired: Sprinkle with crispy onions or breadcrumbs before baking for a crunchy topping.
- Caramelize the onions well: Take your time sautéing, golden, tender onions add a deep sweetness that balances the creamy sauce.
- Deglaze properly: Scrape up any browned bits when adding chicken stock, these add rich, savory flavor.
- Melt cream cheese fully: Let it soften into the sauce completely before adding green beans for a smooth texture.
- Combine before baking: Stir everything together before transferring to the casserole dish so every bite is evenly coated.
- Swap cheeses for variety: Try Gruyère, Fontina, or mozzarella for different flavor profiles.
- Bake uncovered: This allows the cheese topping to melt and lightly brown, watch closely toward the end to avoid burning.
How to Store:
Refrigerate: Let the casserole cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Freeze: Transfer to a freezer-safe container or wrap the dish tightly in foil and freeze for up to 2 months. For best results, freeze before baking and add cheese just before reheating.
Reheat: Warm in a 350ºF oven until heated through and the cheese is bubbly.
Green Bean Casserole FAQs:
Yes. Frozen green beans work well, just thaw them completely and pat them dry so the casserole doesn't become watery. Canned green beans can also be used, but since they're already soft, shorten the bake time to prevent them from overcooking.
Make sure the green beans are dry before adding them, sauté the mushrooms long enough for their moisture to cook off, and simmer the sauce until it's noticeably thickened. If using frozen or canned beans, draining and drying them well is especially important.
Yes. Assemble the casserole up to a day in advance, cover it tightly, and refrigerate. Add the topping just before baking. When baking from cold, you may need 5-10 extra minutes to heat it through.
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Green Bean Casserole
Ingredients
- 3 cups fresh green beans, chopped
- 1 ½ cups button mushrooms, sliced
- 2 onions, sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- ½ cup chicken stock
- ½ cup cheddar cheese, shredded
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Bring a pot of well-salted water to a boil and cook the green beans until fork-tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- While the green beans cook, heat a skillet over medium heat. Sauté the onions, mushrooms, and garlic until soft and caramelized. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
- Pour in the chicken stock, stirring and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Add the cream cheese and let it melt into the mixture. Taste and adjust the salt as needed.
- Stir in the cooked green beans until everything is well coated, then transfer the mixture to a casserole dish.
- Sprinkle the cheddar over the top and bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly, about 10 minutes.
Video
Nutrition
Notes
- Add texture if desired: Sprinkle with crispy onions or breadcrumbs before baking for a crunchy topping.
- Caramelize the onions well: Take your time sautéing, golden, tender onions add a deep sweetness that balances the creamy sauce.
- Deglaze properly: Scrape up any browned bits when adding chicken stock, these add rich, savory flavor.
- Melt cream cheese fully: Let it soften into the sauce completely before adding green beans for a smooth texture.
- Combine before baking: Stir everything together before transferring to the casserole dish so every bite is evenly coated.
- Swap cheeses for variety: Try Gruyère, Fontina, or mozzarella for different flavor profiles.
- Bake uncovered: This allows the cheese topping to melt and lightly brown, watch closely toward the end to avoid burning.
Kae says
I make this every year and it's always so good
Michelle Wintrow says
I made this a few years back when I was doing full time Keto. My daughter loved the freshness so much, it's our go-to gb casserole. She requested it for Memorial Day today, while her boyfriend's over 😉. For Thanksgiving, we do throw French fried onions on it as a splurge, since I don't really Keto any more. 100% scrumptious!!
Cora-Lee Cyr says
This was delicious! I didn’t have fresh mushrooms so I just used 2 cans of mushrooms and it tasted wonderful! Will definitely be making this again!
Patti says
This recipe is delicious!
Judy says
I was told to bring "something Keto" for me to eat if I didn't like her menu for a family gathering! When I asked what the menu was there seemed to be a veggie gap. This casserole not only filled that gap, but people went back for seconds! I'm so glad I doubled the recipe! Yes, no canned green beans or mushrooms for this dish. So good.
Bronwin says
Just made this and it was delicious
Liesa says
Yummmm! I made this for Easter because several family members are on the keto diet. I tweaked it a little bit by adding a teaspoon of Worcestershire, only one onion, two cloves of garlic and topped it with bacon. It was fabulous. I’m eating the leftovers right now.!!
Agnes Eichman says
Delicious. I did cut down on the salt a bit as we use very little. Thank you
Erica W says
This was so good! I made it for thanksgiving and it was a big hit. I will be making this again
Sarah J says
Amazing! My husband and I both agreed this is better than the classic version. I’d prefer this even if we weren’t doing keto. And it’s one of those rare recipes I didn’t feel like I needed to change anything.
Roché Woodworth says
Thank you so much for the kind review! I’m happy you enjoyed the recipe 😁
Carol says
Love this recipe. I only used a medium sized onion but the flavor is still so tasty!
Patti says
This was delicious! It's the first time I am growing green beans this year and I have a ton of them. Usually, I just saute them with butter, salt and pepper and they turn out pretty good. This recipe, however; kicks it up a notch with the cream cheese, cheddar, onion,mushrooms (Iused can) and the 1/4 tsp of nutmeg! Thank you so much for sharing 🥰
Dan says
I'm not allowed to come to Thanksgiving Dinner without this dish.
Beeb Ashcroft says
I just wanted to say that I made this for a previous Thanksgiving, and it was SO good that I'm coming back to follow the recipe again for this year's keto Thanksgiving feast! Thank you for sharing such a delicious recipe! 🙂