This Cheesy Green Bean Casserole is sure to become your new favorite recipe! We updated this classic Thanksgiving side dish with a scratch made cheese sauce that’s so cozy and comforting. Serve this casserole bubbling from the oven, topped with crispy fried onions and it’ll be gone in seconds.
Why You’ll Love This Cheesy Green Bean Casserole
Classic Green Bean Casserole has stood the test of time for many reasons. It’s a delicious, comforting vegetable side dish that can be made ahead of time for busy holidays or parties. We’ve updated this recipe a bit to use a sauce made from scratch, and a few handfuls of cheese just to take this casserole up a notch.
But we also want to keep this green bean casserole from tasting too much different from the classic version, so we kept the canned french green beans and canned sliced mushrooms. We just know you’re going to love it, so please let us know if you do.
Ingredients You Need
- Canned French Green Beans: French style green beans are the classic type used in this casserole. You can also use regular cut green beans, or a mixture of both.
- Canned Mushrooms: Canned mushrooms work really well in this recipe, just make sure to rinse them well like the green beans to get rid of any tinny flavor.
- Gruyere and White Cheddar Cheese: We like a combination of both. Gruyere is a little more expensive than cheddar but if your budget allows, try the gruyere in this casserole. It adds such a delicious nutty flavor that I know you’re going to love.
- Heavy Cream: No substitutions here, heavy cream is a must for making the sauce super thick and creamy.
- Chicken Stock: Use the best flavored stock or broth that you can find to make the flavor of this cheese sauce the best.
- Crispy Fried Onions: Store bought fried onions make the perfect topping for this cheesy, cream casserole.
How To Make
Step by step photos here with instructions. For the complete recipe, head to the recipe card at the end of the post.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Add butter to a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 3 minutes to soften. Add garlic and then cook a minute longer. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute.
- Pour in the chicken broth, while whisking until smooth. Bring to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes to thicken. Stir in the cream, bring to a simmer again for 2-3 minutes to thicken.
- Whisk gruyere and cheddar cheese into the sauce until smooth, then season with salt and pepper.
- Stir in the green beans and mushrooms. Spray a 9″ x 13″ baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and then pour in the green bean and mushroom filling. Top with the remaining cheese and bake.
- Bake for 20 minutes until the filling is bubbling. Remove the casserole from the oven, top with fried onions and then bake for another 5 minutes.
Can I Make This Side Dish Recipe Ahead Of Time?
Yes you can, and you should. If you’re making this casserole for Thanksgiving or any dinner party – or just dinner…you should do what you can ahead of time if you can.
Take the casserole out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking to take the chill off, then follow the rest of the instructions in the recipe card.
For Best Results
- Make sure to bring the chicken broth and heavy cream to a simmer after each addition. The sauce will only thicken properly if the sauce comes to a bubble.
- Rinse and drain the canned green beans and mushrooms well. You want to remove as much of the tinned flavor as you can by rinsing. Also, make sure to drain the vegetables well because any excess water will thin out the sauce.
- If you’re making this green bean casserole ahead of time, make sure that you leave off the fried onions as they only go on for the last 5 minutes of baking.
Looking For More Side Dish Recipes?
- The BEST Sausage Stuffing!
- Perfectly Smooth Mashed Potatoes
- Creamed Spaghetti Squash with Bacon and Gruyere
- Grandma’s Best Stuffed Artichokes
- Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes
Cheesy Green Bean Casserole
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeWe’ve made the classic Green Bean Casserole even better! Our cheesy version is absolute perfection. No canned soups, the cheese sauce is made from scratch but it couldn’t be easier. This is your new go-to recipe, guaranteed!
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup diced onion
- 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
- 4 tablespoons flour
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup shredded gruyere cheese, divided
- 1 cup shredded white cheddar cheese, divided
- 4 cans (14.5 oz. each) french green beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 cans (8 oz.) sliced mushrooms, rinsed and drained
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Fresh ground black pepper to taste
- 2 cups crispy fried onions (store bought)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Add the butter to a large skillet over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, add the onion and cook for 3 minutes to soften. Add the garlic to the pan and then cook a minute longer. Whisk in the flour until well blended and then cook for 1 minute.
- Pour in the chicken broth, while whisking until smooth. Bring to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes to thicken. Stir in the cream, bring to a simmer again for 2 minutes to thicken.
- Whisk 1/2 cup of gruyere and 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese into the sauce until smooth, then season with salt and pepper.
- Add the green beans and mushrooms to the sauce and stir to combine. Spray a 9″ x 13″ baking dish (2 quart capacity) with non-stick cooking spray and then pour in the green bean and mushroom filling. Top with the remaining 1/2 cup of gruyere and 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese.
- Bake for 20 minutes until the filling is bubbling and warmed through. Remove the casserole from the oven, top with the fried onions and then bake for another 5 minutes.
- Let the casserole rest for at least 5 minutes before serving to let the sauce thicken.
Recipe Notes
Store: Transfer any leftovers to an air tight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
Reheat: Reheat leftovers in the microwave or in a 350 degree oven until just warmed through.
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
We made this last Thanksgiving and will be making it again this year! Delicious!
We’re so glad you like it! Thanks Tricia!