Campbell’s Green Bean Casserole (The Classic Holiday Recipe)

Campbell’s green bean casserole is the six-ingredient holiday side almost everyone grew up with: tender green beans in a creamy mushroom sauce, finished with a crunchy layer of fried onions. You stir everything together in one dish, bake it at 350°F for 25 minutes, add the rest of the onions and bake 5 minutes more.

It’s my go-to holiday side because it’s cheap, fast and fits in the oven next to the turkey. Below I’ll show you the classic recipe, how to use fresh beans instead of canned, how to make it a day ahead without soggy onions, and a few easy upgrades.

Green bean casserole at a glance

Prep time	10 minutes
Bake time	30 minutes
Oven temperature	350°F (175°C)
Dish size	1½-quart baking dish
Serves	6
Make ahead	Up to 1 day (onions added just before baking)

Why this recipe works

• Pantry ingredients. Canned soup, green beans and fried onions keep for months, so you can shop early.
• One bowl, one dish. You mix it right in the baking dish, so there’s almost no cleanup.
• Onions added in two stages. Half go inside for flavor and half go on top at the end, so the topping stays crunchy instead of soggy.
• A splash of soy sauce. It’s part of the original recipe and adds savory depth without tasting like soy sauce.

Ingredients

• 1 can (10.5 oz) Campbell’s condensed cream of mushroom soup
• ½ cup milk
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
• 4 cups cooked cut green beans (about two 14.5 oz cans, drained, or 1½ lb fresh)
• 1⅓ cups French fried onions, divided

Ingredient notes

• Green beans: canned, frozen or fresh all work. Canned gives the softest, most classic texture; fresh gives a brighter color and a little more bite.
• Soup: regular or reduced-sodium cream of mushroom both work. Cream of chicken or cream of celery makes a milder casserole.
• Milk: any milk works. Half-and-half makes it richer; unsweetened oat or soy milk works for dairy-free.
• Fried onions: French’s is the classic brand. Store-brand crispy onions work the same way.

How to make Campbell’s green bean casserole

1. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Mix the sauce. In a 1½-quart baking dish, stir together the soup, milk, soy sauce and pepper until smooth.
3. Add the beans and onions. Stir in the green beans and ⅔ cup of the fried onions until everything is coated.
4. Bake. Bake uncovered for 25 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling around the edges.
5. Top and finish. Stir, sprinkle the remaining ⅔ cup onions over the top and bake 5 minutes more, until the onions are golden.
6. Rest and serve. Let it stand for 5 minutes so the sauce thickens slightly, then serve warm.

My tip: drain the beans really well and pat them dry if they’re canned or frozen. Extra water is the main reason a green bean casserole turns runny, and it’s the one step people tend to rush.

How to use fresh or frozen green beans

• Fresh: trim 1½ lb green beans and cut them into 1–2 inch pieces. Boil them in salted water for 4–5 minutes until just tender, drain, then plunge them into ice water for a minute to keep them bright green. Drain and pat dry before mixing.
• Frozen: thaw a 16 oz bag of cut green beans completely, then drain and pat dry. No need to boil them first.
• Canned: two 14.5 oz cans of cut green beans, drained well.

Make-ahead and Thanksgiving timing

You can assemble the casserole a day ahead, which frees up time on the big day.

1. Mix everything except the fried onions in the baking dish, cover it and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
2. On the day, take it out of the fridge while the oven heats.
3. Bake for 30–35 minutes (a little longer because it starts cold), stir, add all the onions on top and bake 5 minutes more.

If your oven is full of roast turkey, bake the casserole while the turkey rests. It needs about 35 minutes, which lines up with the turkey’s 20–30 minute rest plus carving time.

Easy variations

• Cheesy: stir ½ cup shredded cheddar or Gruyère into the sauce, and sprinkle another ¼ cup on top with the onions.
• Bacon: add 4 slices of cooked, crumbled bacon to the mixture.
• Mushroom lover’s: sauté 8 oz sliced mushrooms in butter until browned and stir them in.
• A little heat: add a few dashes of hot sauce or ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes.
• Bigger crowd: double everything and bake in a 3-quart dish for about 30 minutes, then 5 minutes with the topping.
• Vegan: try our vegan green bean casserole, made with a homemade mushroom sauce instead of canned soup.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Watery casserole: the beans weren’t drained well enough. Drain and pat them dry.
• Soggy topping: all the onions went in at the start. Keep half for the last 5 minutes.
• Burnt onions: they sat in the oven too long. Watch them closely; they go from golden to dark quickly.
• Too salty: regular soup plus salted canned beans can add up. Use reduced-sodium soup or no-salt-added beans if you’re sensitive to salt, and skip any extra salt.

Storage, freezing and reheating

• Fridge: cool leftovers, cover and refrigerate within 2 hours. They keep for 3–4 days.
• Freezer: freeze the casserole without the onion topping for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight.
• Reheat: bake covered at 350°F for 15–20 minutes until hot, then uncover, add a handful of fresh fried onions and bake 5 minutes more. Single servings reheat in the microwave in 1–2 minutes, though the onions will soften.

What to serve with green bean casserole

• The main: our easy roast turkey with garlic herb butter
• Stuffing: one of our Stove Top stuffing recipes
• Potatoes: mashed potatoes, then our leftover mashed potato recipes the next day
• Something tart: homemade cranberry sauce
• Bread: soft sourdough dinner rolls
• Dessert: a classic Libby’s pumpkin pie

Frequently asked questions

Who created Campbell’s green bean casserole? Dorcas Reilly developed it in Campbell’s test kitchen in 1955 as an easy dish built from ingredients most home cooks already had. You can still find the original Campbell’s recipe on their site, and it’s been a holiday staple ever since.

Can I make green bean casserole the day before? Yes. Assemble it without the fried onions, cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Bake for 30–35 minutes, then add the onions for the last 5 minutes.

Should green bean casserole be covered when baking? No. Bake it uncovered so the sauce thickens and the onions crisp. Cover it only when reheating leftovers.

Can I use cream of chicken instead of cream of mushroom? Yes. It makes a milder, slightly richer casserole. Cream of celery works too.

How do I keep green bean casserole from being runny? Drain the beans very well, pat them dry, and let the casserole rest 5 minutes after baking so the sauce sets.

Can I double the recipe? Yes. Double every ingredient and bake in a 3-quart dish for about 30 minutes, then 5 minutes more with the onions on top.

Can I freeze green bean casserole? Yes, without the onion topping, for up to 3 months. Add fresh onions when you reheat it.

Final tip

Keep a little extra bag of fried onions on hand. They’re the part everyone fights over, and a fresh handful on top makes leftovers taste just-baked. Scroll down for the printable recipe card.

If you make this green bean casserole for your holiday table, I’d love to hear how it went. Leave a comment or a star rating on the recipe card, and tell me which twist you tried. Happy cooking!