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.
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.
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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.
Kat G says
This recipe is amazing! I added a little cayenne to it because my family likes spicy and they were looking for more... have to double the recipe next time. THANKS!
KS says
I added ground beef & used only 1 onion & 1 cup of white mushrooms. Turned out amazing!!
Kat says
What about canned green beans?
Roche Woodworth says
Hi Kat! It will probably be okay. I would just drain them well and then add them in at the same point of the recipe.
Cheryl says
Have you changed this recipe recently? It doesn't seem the same as the last time I made it.
Roche Woodworth says
Hi Cheryl - we’ve updated the post, but not the recipe itself. Not sure why it didn’t turn out the same for you, I’m sorry about that!
Mary kopf says
how many will it serve?
Roche Woodworth says
Hi Mary!:) I have this recipe to make 6 servings, but they are good sized portions. If you serve this with a meal that has one or two other side dishes, it could serve up to 8 even. Hope that helps!
Charles Broadwater says
You got to be kidding me..canned green beans..oh no no no
Yelba Heaton says
I added bacon and nutritional yeast plus slivered almonds, and believe it or not, I was out of mushrooms so I left them out and added extra onions! I also had some feta cheese that I needed to use, so I used feta plus cream cheese in sauce. The casserole did not last, and was totally devoured by the end of the night! Thank you!
Roche Woodworth says
Hi Yelba:) Glad you enjoyed the recipe and was able to tweak it to your tastes - Sounds delicious with your changes! Thank you for the feedback.
Mysti Rasmussen says
Made this today! Was so yummy!!! Thank you for the recipe!
Roche Woodworth says
Happy you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for the feedback!:)
Kris says
This was delicious but I only use 1/2 of an onion and next time i will use less stock as it was a little runny
Roche Woodworth says
Thank you for the feedback, Kris! Glad you enjoyed it!
Jennifer says
I'm a very reluctant (bad!) cook and was rushing around and REALLY didn't want to make this but because the recipe keeps reiterating that it's easy, I felt like I had to give it a go, to take to a dinner party. I'm so glad I did - it truly was so easy and so delicious, easily the star of the dinner party! I couldn't get enough of it! 🙂
Roche Woodworth says
So happy you enjoyed the recipe and that it is as easy as I claim (haha)! Thank you for the feedback!
Megan says
I'm sure you can sub the chicken stock for veg stock to make this vegetarian?
Roche Woodworth says
Hi Megan! Yes, you can certainly swap the chicken stock for vegetable stock. There is the case of the cream cheese though, so if you’re okay with dairy - then yes, swapping the stock will be just fine:)
Jill Roberts @ Wellnessgeeky.com says
This Keto Green Bean Casserole looks so zesty and tasty! Absolutely love your creative idea! Thanks for sharing!
Roche Woodworth says
Thank you Jill!
DS says
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. It's my first keto casserole and I'm impressed 😊! I modified with a little bit of bacon bits (homemade) and used both cheddar and mozzarella cheese. This recipe is definitely a keeper!
Roche Woodworth says
Thank you so much for the feedback - glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Vicki says
I put crumbled bacon on mine! So good. Thanks for this awesome recipe. I’m not a green bean casserole fan, but making it without cans of soup made it completely homemade.
Roche Woodworth says
Ahh crumbled bacon sounds like a great variation to the original recipe! Glad you enjoyed it 🙂 Homemade is best!
Marie says
Can I prepare ahead and add cheese right before putting in oven?
Roche Woodworth says
Hi Marie. Yes, this can be made ahead. I have given details on making ahead and freezing this recipe in the post if you want more details.
Mimi says
Super good! I didn't have cheddar cheese and used mozzarella instead. My husband loved it! I will add chicken to it next time for a complete meal in one pan. Thanks for the recipe! Can't wait to try more of your recipes.
Roche Woodworth says
Thank you so much for the feedback, Mimi! Glad it turned out good for you:)
Rachel says
Is the nutrition per serving?
Roche Woodworth says
Yes, all our nutrition labels are per serving 🙂
Janice says
What are brown onions?
John says
From the pictures I think they are also known as yellow onions, ie the common ones.
Roche Woodworth says
Yes, you are correct. They are also known as yellow onions. I will add that to the recipe card. Thank you!
Ann says
This is insanely delicious! The only changes I made was to use only one onion because that's all I had, and to replace the chicken stock with 1/2 teaspoon of organic chicken flavored Better Than Bullion - no water. Also I saved on cleanup by using a bag of fresh microwavable string beans and cut them after they cooked and cooled. Thank you for this amazing recipe! I love it when I can cook something keto for myself that everyone can enjoy! Empty casserole dish here tonight!!
Roche Woodworth says
Thanks for the feedback, Ann! Glad you enjoyed the recipe:)