Paula Deen’s green bean casserole is the best make-ahead side dish for Thanksgiving or Easter. It’s an easy recipe packed with flavor from the fresh green beans, mushrooms, onions, French-fried onions, cream of mushroom soup, and cheddar cheese.
Paula Deen’s Green Bean Casserole
Oh my goodness, Paula Deen’s old fashioned green bean casserole is seriously amazing!
Green beans and potatoes are always at the top of my list for must-have side dishes for Thanksgiving or Easter. This recipe definitely does not disappoint and would taste amazing with a Boneless Turkey Breast Roast, our Turkey Tenderloin Recipe, or this Copycat Honey Baked Ham.
The flavor combination of mushrooms and onions sauteed in butter, green beans cooked in chicken broth, crispy French-fried onions, creaminess from the cream of mushroom soup, and just a hint of seasonings is really next level delicious.
Once you bake it until the beans are tender, you top it off with plenty of cheddar cheese. The melted cheese is such a delicious topping and really does make this the best green bean casserole. The only thing that might make it more delicious is a bit of chopped bacon.
This Paula Deen dish was gobbled up at our dinner table, so I’d consider doubling the recipe if you’re on the fence about whether or not you’ll have enough servings. Even though the recipe card says 6 servings, 4 hungry people could easily go through it.
Ingredients
Chicken Broth: Boiling the green beans in chicken broth infuses them with a delicious flavor. If you don’t have chicken broth, you could substitute it with beef broth or vegetable broth. At the very least, use salted water so that the string beans are seasoned all the way through.
Green Beans: I think this recipe is best with fresh green beans, but you can use fresh, canned, or frozen.
Butter: Sauteing the onions and mushrooms in butter adds tons more flavor than if you were to use oil.
Onion: Sauteed onions add lots of flavor to this casserole. I especially love the flavor combination of sauteed onion with French-fried onion rings.
Mushrooms: Mushrooms add a delicious savory flavor to green bean casserole. I really think they bring the flavor to the next level. You can always leave them out if you’re not a huge fan of them.
Cream of Mushroom Soup: Cream of mushroom soup acts as a thickening agent in the casserole and saves you from having to make your own flavor base.
French-Fried Onions: French-fried onions add a delicious savory and buttery flavor throughout this dish.
Spices: A combination of salt, garlic powder, black pepper, and onion powder season this dish perfectly. Feel free to adjust the amounts to your taste.
Cheese: Freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese melts beautifully and adds so much flavor. If you don’t like sharp cheddar cheese, feel free to use mild cheddar cheese instead (or a combination of the two). It would also taste great with Swiss cheese instead of cheddar. I recommend using freshly grated cheese because it melts better and has a better texture.
How To Make Green Bean Casserole
Preheat the oven and grease your casserole dish. Wash and trim the green beans, then cover them with the chicken broth and boil them. (See the recipe card below for the full printable instructions.)
While the green beans are boiling, melt the butter in a nonstick skillet. Saute the onions and mushrooms in the melted butter.
Once the mushrooms are tender and the onions are translucent, mix in the cooked and drained green beans, French-fried onions, cream of mushroom soup, salt, garlic powder, pepper, and onion powder.
Mix everything together, then transfer it to the prepared casserole dish.
Bake the casserole in the preheated oven. When the casserole is nearly finished baking, add the shredded cheddar cheese.
Bake the green bean casserole until it’s hot and the cheese is melted. See the recipe card below for the full written instructions, including ingredient amounts, cooking times, and helpful tips, etc.
Is Green Bean Casserole Better With Canned Or Fresh Green Beans?
You can use either, it just depends on how soft you like your green beans in the casserole. Fresh green beans will have a tender but firm texture, but they require trimming and boiling. Canned green beans will have a softer texture, but they’re easier to use because you don’t have to boil them.
Can You Make Green Bean Casserole The Day Before You Cook It?
Definitely! This is a fantastic make-ahead Thanksgiving side dish. Here’s how you can make it up to 2 days in advance:
- Follow all of the ingredients for the green bean filling, except DO NOT mix in the French-fried onions.
- Store the uncooked casserole covered with plastic wrap in the refrigerator. Store the French-fried onions and the shredded cheddar cheese in their own separate containers.
- 20-30 minutes before you’re ready to bake it, remove it from the fridge and let it rest while you preheat the oven.
- Just before placing it in the oven, mix in the French-fried onions, and then proceed with the rest of the instructions.
How Much Seasoning Should You Add?
Since the cream of mushroom soup already adds so much flavor, you don’t need to add a ton of seasonings. I love adding just a bit of salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Feel free to adjust the amounts to your taste preference though. Other delicious spice additions are thyme, paprika, and even cayenne if you like a little heat.
How To Make Green Bean Casserole In The Crock Pot
If you’d rather make this recipe in the slow cooker, I’d recommend doubling the recipe and using 3 cans of canned green beans (drained).
- Follow the instructions to make the filling (except skip boiling the beans and skip mixing in the French-fried onions).
- Cook the casserole in the Crockpot on LOW for 2-3 hours or on HIGH for 1 hour.
- Add the cheese, and cook until the cheese has melted.
- Sprinkle the French-fried onions on top just before serving.
Keep In Touch
I’d love to hear what you thought of this recipe in the comments or on Instagram! @KeyToMyLime #KeyToMyLime
Casserole Recipes
While you’re here, check out the rest of our casseroles. Some of my favorite holiday casseroles to serve as sides are:
Green Bean Recipes
If you’re looking for more Thanksgiving recipes, be sure to check out all of our side dishes! Some reader favorites are:
Paula Deen’s Green Bean Casserole Recipe
Paula Deen’s green bean casserole is the best make-ahead side dish for Thanksgiving or Easter. It’s an easy recipe that’s packed with flavor.
Ingredients
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups green beans (washed and ends trimmed, roughly 3/4 pound)*
- 1/3 stick butter
- 1/2 medium yellow onion (1/2 cup, diced)
- 1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
- 1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
- 1 (2.8 ounce) can French-fried onions
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 cup freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese**
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F (176C). Use cooking spray to lightly grease a 1 1/2 quart (6 cup) oven safe baking dish, and set aside.
- To a medium saucepan, add the trimmed green beans. Pour the chicken broth over the green beans, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, turn the heat down to medium and boil for 10 minutes, then drain.
- While the green beans are boiling, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the butter to the pan. Once the butter has melted, add in the diced onions and sliced mushrooms. Saute until the onions are translucent and the mushrooms have softened (about 5 minutes).
- Add the drained green beans, cream of mushroom soup, French-fried onions, salt, garlic powder, pepper, and onion powder to the skillet. Mix thoroughly. Transfer to the prepared baking dish. Bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.
- Remove the casserole dish from the oven and evenly sprinkle the grated cheddar cheese over the green beans. Place the casserole dish back into the oven for an additional 5-10 minutes (until the casserole is hot and the cheese has melted).
Notes
*You can substitute fresh green beans with frozen green beans or canned green beans. To use frozen green beans, boil two cups of the green beans in chicken broth for 5-8 minutes, then proceed with the recipe. To use canned beans, use 1-2 (14.5 ounce) cans. 1 can of green beans will have anywhere from 1 1/2 - 1 3/4 cups of green beans in it, so I normally use 1 1/2 cans of green beans for this recipe. Drain them and skip the boiling step, then proceed with the rest of the recipe.
**I recommend using freshly grated cheese because it melts better. Pre-grated cheeses are coated in an anti-caking agent that stops them from melting smoothly.
***If you’d rather cook this in the slow cooker, see the written post above for the instructions.
Nutrition Information:
Serving Size:
1/6Amount Per Serving: Calories: 269Total Fat: 21.3gCarbohydrates: 14.6gFiber: 1.2gSugar: 2.8gProtein: 7.9g
Nutrition information isn’t always accurate.
If you’re looking for a delicious and easy string bean casserole to make for the holidays, try this Paula Deen green bean casserole recipe!
