Cheesy Green Bean Casserole (Cream Cheese, Make-Ahead)

A thick, creamy, cheesy layer of green beans under a golden crown of crispy fried onions: this is the green bean casserole that disappears first from the holiday table. It starts with the classic combination everyone knows, canned green beans, cream of mushroom soup and French fried onions, then makes it richer with cream cheese, butter and plenty of sharp cheddar. Everything is stirred together in one bowl, spread in a dish and baked until bubbling.

It is a true pantry recipe, which makes it ideal for Thanksgiving, when oven space and time are both short. The canned green beans are already cooked, so the casserole only needs to bake until it is hot through, and the onions go on near the end so they stay crunchy. If you prefer fresh or frozen green beans, there are instructions for those too.

Ingredients

• 4 cans (14.5 oz / 411 g each) cut green beans, drained well – about 6 cups.
• 2 cans (10.5 oz / 298 g each) condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted.
• 4 oz (115 g) cream cheese, softened – makes the sauce thick and silky.
• 2 tbsp (30 g) butter, softened.
• 2 cups (8 oz / 225 g) shredded sharp cheddar, divided – 1 1/2 cups for the sauce, 1/2 cup for the top.
• 1 tsp onion powder and 1/2 tsp garlic powder.
• 1/2 tsp black pepper and salt to taste – start with a pinch, since the soup and cheese are already salty.
• 1 can (6 oz / 170 g) French fried onions, about 2 2/3 cups.

How to Make It

1. Heat the oven and drain the beans – 5 minutes

Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease the baking dish. Pour the green beans into a colander and let them drain well, shaking a few times. The beans should look dry, with no liquid pooling at the bottom of the colander. Extra water thins the sauce.

2. Make the creamy base – 5 minutes

In a large bowl, beat the cream of mushroom soup, softened cream cheese and butter with a sturdy spatula until smooth. Stir in 1 1/2 cups of cheddar, the onion powder, garlic powder and pepper. The mixture should be thick, pale and even, with no lumps of cream cheese.

3. Fold in the green beans – 3 minutes

Add the drained green beans and fold until every bean is coated. Taste a bean with some sauce and add salt only if needed. Fold gently so the beans keep their shape.

4. Spread in the dish – 2 minutes

Spread the mixture into the baking dish in an even layer, pushing it all the way to the edges. An even layer heats evenly, so the center is hot by the time the edges bubble.

5. Bake – 350°F (175°C), 25 to 30 minutes

Bake uncovered until the casserole is hot all the way through. It is ready for the topping when the edges are bubbling and the center is steaming hot.

6. Add the topping – 10 minutes

Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of cheddar over the top, then scatter the fried onions evenly. Return to the oven for 8 to 10 minutes. The onions should be a deep golden brown and the cheese underneath melted. Watch closely in the last few minutes; fried onions go from golden to dark quickly.

7. Rest – 5 minutes

Let the casserole stand for 5 minutes before serving so the sauce thickens slightly.

Using Fresh or Frozen Green Beans

Canned green beans are fully cooked, so they only need to heat through. Fresh and frozen beans need a little more attention to end up tender rather than squeaky.

For fresh green beans, use about 2 lb (900 g), trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces. Boil them in salted water for about 3 minutes, then drain and plunge them into ice water to stop the cooking. That short boil, called blanching, is the same step used before freezing vegetables; Utah State University Extension’s vegetable freezing guide gives 3 minutes as the blanching time for green beans. Drain them well and pat them dry before mixing them into the sauce.

For frozen cut green beans, use two 16-oz (450 g) bags. Thaw them completely, drain and press out as much water as you can with a clean towel. Frozen beans release more liquid than canned ones, so add 5 to 10 minutes to the first bake if the center is not bubbling yet.

Make It Ahead for the Holidays

This casserole is easy to prepare in advance, which frees up time and oven space on the big day.

• Up to 1 day ahead: assemble the casserole through step 4, cover tightly and refrigerate. Do not add the cheese topping or onions.
• To bake from the fridge: let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes while the oven heats, then bake 35 to 40 minutes before adding the topping.
• Keep the onions crisp: always add them at the end. Onions added before baking turn soft and can burn during the long bake.
• Sharing the oven: it bakes at 350°F like many holiday sides, so it can share the oven with a casserole such as stuffing.

Storage and Reheating

Refrigerate leftovers, covered, for up to 3 days. Reheat portions in the microwave or the whole dish in a 350°F oven, covered with foil, for about 20 minutes. The onions soften in the fridge; a handful of fresh fried onions on top before reheating brings back the crunch. Freezing is not recommended, since the cream cheese sauce can turn grainy once thawed.

To build a full holiday table, serve it with the cheesy broccoli cauliflower casserole and crispy honey roasted sweet potatoes. For a smaller gathering, the chicken and stuffing casserole brings all the Thanksgiving flavors to one pan, and the steak loaded baked potatoes make a hearty main. Find more ideas among the dinner recipes.

Cheesy Green Bean Casserole

A creamy, cheesy green bean casserole with cream cheese, sharp cheddar and crispy fried onions, made from pantry staples and easy to prepare a day ahead.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 55 minutes mins

Servings: 12 servings

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Calories: 270

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

For the casserole

• 4 cans cut green beans 14.5 oz / 411 g each, drained well
• 2 cans condensed cream of mushroom soup 10.5 oz / 298 g each, undiluted
• 4 oz cream cheese 115 g, softened
• 2 tbsp butter 30 g, softened
• 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• salt to taste

For the topping

• 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar
• 1 can French fried onions 6 oz / 170 g, about 2 2/3 cups

Method

 

1. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9x13-inch baking dish. Drain the green beans well in a colander.
2. In a large bowl, beat the cream of mushroom soup, cream cheese and butter until smooth. Stir in 1 1/2 cups of cheddar, the onion powder, garlic powder and pepper.
3. Fold in the green beans until coated. Taste and add salt only if needed.
4. Spread the mixture evenly in the baking dish.
5. Bake uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes, until the edges are bubbling and the center is hot.
6. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of cheddar and the fried onions. Bake 8 to 10 minutes more, until the onions are deep golden brown.
7. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

Make ahead: assemble through step 4 up to 1 day ahead, cover and refrigerate. Let it sit 30 minutes at room temperature, bake 35 to 40 minutes, then add the topping.

Fresh green beans: use about 2 lb (900 g), cut and blanched for 3 minutes, then drained and dried. Frozen: two 16-oz bags, thawed and squeezed dry; add 5 to 10 minutes to the first bake.

Storage: refrigerate covered for up to 3 days; reheat covered at 350°F for about 20 minutes. Freezing is not recommended.

Swaps: cream of chicken or cream of celery soup instead of mushroom; Monterey Jack or a Mexican blend instead of cheddar.

Nutrition is an estimate based on standard ingredient values, not a laboratory analysis.