Upgrade your traditional holiday side dish with this quick and easy cheesy green bean casserole recipe! Made with a creamy green bean filling and topped with a crisp, cheesy breadcrumb topping, it’s crispy, savory, and made with a hint of spice.
Table of Contents
- What Is Cheesy Green Bean Casserole?
- Ingredients You’ll Need
- Skip the Canned Soup, and Make Homemade Cheesy Green Bean Casserole Instead!
- Make Ahead and Storage Options
- Common Questions About This Easy Cheesy Green Bean Casserole Recipe
- More Side Dish Recipes for the Holidays
- Cheesy Green Bean Casserole Recipe Recipe
What Is Cheesy Green Bean Casserole?
Love it or hate it, no Thanksgiving table is complete without a dish of green bean casserole, right?! If you’re anything like us, it’s a staple for your holiday menu.
However, our recipe is a bit different from the rest. You see, most recipes feature pre-made, canned ingredients all piled together, but not our cheesy green bean casserole recipe!
Instead, we use fresh produce and a homemade roux to create a savory flavor with tons of ooey gooey cheese. As a result, it’s twice as tasty and completely addicting.
And while it might sound complicated, it’s actually super simple to make! One bite and your whole family will be begging you for the recipe!
Ingredients You’ll Need
This easy green bean casserole recipe features many of the same ingredients you’d expect to see in a classic green bean casserole with just a few additions for even more flavor! Here’s what you’ll need:
- Fresh Green Beans – We love the vibrant color and fresh flavor of fresh green beans. However, canned green beans or frozen varieties will also work if you can’t find them. Just be sure to thaw them first!
- Aromatics – Onions are garlic create the base of the roux, adding a rich, savory, slightly sweet taste.
- Mushrooms – These fold into the roux, emulating cream of mushroom soup found in most recipes.
- Butter – We recommend using unsalted butter, but salted butter also works. Just adjust the amount of extra salt used to suit your flavor preferences.
- Flour
- Milk – We use whole milk for an extra rich flavor and an ultra creamy consistency, but any milk you have on hand will work.
- Pimentos – A variety of chili peppers that is sweeter and more flavorful than bell peppers, pimentos add a pop of color and a vibrant taste, unlike any green bean casserole you’ve had before!
- Cheese – A combination of shredded pepper jack and cheddar cheese adds a gooey element that takes this recipe to the next level.
- Breadcrumbs – We use classic panko breadcrumbs in place of fried onions for added crunch that’s super filling.
- Seasonings – Salt, black pepper, and thyme help enhance the rest of the ingredients, adding depth and savoriness that will keep you coming back for seconds and thirds.
Skip the Canned Soup, and Make Homemade Cheesy Green Bean Casserole Instead!
This recipe comes together with minimal prep time and a cook time of about 45 minutes. It does require a few extra steps when compared to traditional recipes, but it’s so worth the effort!
- Prepare. Preheat the oven, and grease a baking dish with cooking oil spray.
- Boil the Green Beans. Fill a large, deep pot with water, and add a sprinkle of salt. Bring the liquid to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the green beans, and allow them to blanch for just a few minutes. Remove and drain the veggies, and immediately transfer them to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. Then, drain and set them aside.
- Sauté. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic, and sauté just until fragrant. Add the mushrooms, and allow them to soften. Stir in the flour, and cook for an additional few minutes. Be careful not to let the mixture burn!
- Thicken. Add the milk to the skillet, and cook, stirring consistently, to thicken the roux.
- Add the Cheese. Remove the skillet from the heat, and add the pimentos, pepper jack, salt, pepper, and thyme, stirring to combine.
- Layer the Ingredients. Arrange the green beans in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Pour half the roux mixture on top, spreading it out evenly. Next, sprinkle the cheddar cheese over the roux followed by the breadcrumbs.
- Bake. Transfer the cheesy green bean casserole to the oven, and bake just until the top is bubbly and the panko is golden brown.
Make Ahead and Storage Options
This cheesy green bean casserole is a great option to make ahead of time so you can get out of the kitchen and enjoy your holidays!
- Make Ahead: Prepare the recipe as the recipe card states, leaving off the breadcrumbs. Then, cover your dish, and keep it stored in the fridge for up to two days. When you’re ready to bake, sprinkle the breadcrumbs on top, and follow the instructions as normal.
- To Store: Transfer leftovers to an airtight container, and keep them stored in the fridge for up to four days.
- To Reheat: To warm leftovers, heat them in the microwave at intervals of 30 seconds. Or, pop the dish back in the oven until your desired temperature is reached.
- To Freeze: If you want to freeze your casserole, it’s best to do so before baking. Simply assemble the dish as usual, leaving off the breadcrumbs. Then, cover it with plastic wrap and aluminum foil, and keep it stored in the freezer for up to two to three months. When you’re ready to serve, thaw your casserole in the fridge overnight, and bake as normal.
Common Questions About This Easy Cheesy Green Bean Casserole Recipe
In general, frozen green beans are better than canned ones, because they’re frozen at the peak of ripeness. This means they’re typically more flavorful and contain more nutrients, too!
If your casserole turns out soggy, it’s most likely because the roux was not allowed enough time to simmer and thicken or the cornstarch wasn’t added.
Cornstarch slurry, like we use in this recipe, is the best way to prevent your casserole from becoming runny.
We haven’t tested it, but many people love to use cheddar cheese soup in place of cream of mushroom soup!
Yes! Just be careful not to overheat it, or it will curdle.
We don’t cover ours, but if you notice the top browning before the center is cooked, cover your casserole with aluminum foil, and continue baking.
Yes, just use a smaller baking dish, and adjust the baking time as needed!
More Side Dish Recipes for the Holidays
Looking for more recipes to add to your holiday table? We’ve got you covered with the family-friendly recipes below!
- Creamy Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes
- One Pot Mac and Cheese
- Garlic Parmesan Dinner Rolls
- Fall Harvest Salad
Cheesy Green Bean Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 pounds green beans ends cut off
- 8 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 4 cloves minced garlic
- 1 cup button mushrooms, chopped
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups warm whole milk
- 4 ounces pimentos
- 8 ounces Pepper Jack cheese freshly grated
- 1 teaspoon sea salt more or less to taste
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper more or less to taste
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 cup Cheddar cheese freshly grated
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 13×9 baking dish, and set aside.
- Fill a deep pot with water and salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and add the green beans. Blanch for 4-5 minutes. Remove the green beans immediately, and transfer them to a bowl of ice water. Drain and set aside.2 pounds green beans
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add onions and garlic, and sautè for 1-2 minutes or until fragrant. Add the mushrooms, and continue to sauté for an additional 1-2 minutes. Add the flour, stirring for 1-2 minutes in order to cook. Be careful not to burn!8 Tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 medium onion, chopped, 4 cloves minced garlic, 1 cup button mushrooms, chopped, 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- In the skillet, add the milk, stirring until the roux thickens. Remove the mixture from heat, and add the pimentos, Pepper Jack cheese, salt, pepper, and thyme.3 cups warm whole milk, 4 ounces pimentos, 8 ounces Pepper Jack cheese, 1 teaspoon sea salt, 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- Add the green beans to the prepared baking dish. Pour half the roux mixture on top, and stir to combine. Top the mixture with the remaining roux followed by the Cheddar cheese and Panko breadcrumbs.1 cup Cheddar cheese, 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- Bake 30-35 minutes or until the casserole is bubbly and the Panko is golden brown.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Video
Equipment
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Have you tried this broccoli instead of green beans?
We haven’t but think it would be great! We’d love to know how it goes if you try it out.
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
How many people does this recipe serve?
This serves 8!
Fixed the green bean casserole for Thanksgiving, the whole family loved it! Thanks Food Dolls for the recipe ♥️
Yay! Glad it was a hit! xo, Alia & Radwa