19 Ways to Make a Really Delicious Green Bean Casserole

Whether you’re keeping things traditional or trying something new, you’re guaranteed to find something you love.

August 30, 2022

By: Food Network Kitchen

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A Must on Every Table

Warm, creamy and satisfying — green bean casserole is a Thanksgiving classic for a reason! Good-for-you green beans get a major makeover with the addition of rich, savory sauce and a crowd-pleasing crunchy topping, making them an essential part of every holiday feast. No matter which Thanksgiving sides you’re planning to accompany your turkey this year, you’ll want to make sure that one of these casseroles makes its way to your table. Wondering which one to choose? You’ll find a little something for everyone in this roundup (including a version that’s completely vegan — and one that you can make in your multicooker) but you can’t go wrong with one of Food Network Kitchen’s best recipes. A traditional green bean casserole gets extra umami with the addition of dried shiitake mushrooms. Once rehydrated, they turn soft and earthy, and their soaking liquid adds oomph to the sauce as well.

Get the Recipe: The Best Green Bean Casserole

Instant Pot Green Bean Casserole

This easy casserole is the perfect fix for that holiday oven traffic jam. It gets you all the flavors of a traditional baked casserole in half the time.

Get the Recipe: Instant Pot Green Bean Casserole

Green Bean and Potato Casserole

Those of you who mix all your Thanksgiving dishes together once they hit your plate already know, but we'll go ahead and explain it for everyone else: Potatoes and green beans are simply better together. And when they're topped with melty cheese, crumbled bacon and crispy fried onions, they're out-of-this-world delicious.

Get the Recipe: Green Bean and Potato Casserole

Vegan Green Bean Casserole

Green bean casserole is a true fall comfort dish; its creamy sauce, tender green beans and crunchy onion topping will have everyone coming back for seconds. We substituted a few vegan ingredients, such as unsweetened almond milk and vegan sour cream, for an equally comforting side dish that all can enjoy. Assemble the entire casserole in a large oven-proof skillet for easy cooking and minimal cleanup.

Get the Recipe: Vegan Green Bean Casserole

Make-Ahead Green Bean Casserole

Dedicate just a little bit of your freezer space to this crowd-pleasing casserole and save yourself some time at your next holiday meal. Make the green bean-and-mushroom favorite (no canned soup required), then freeze and forget it. To serve, just reheat (from frozen) and top with crunchy fried onions.

Get the Recipe: Make-Ahead Green Bean Casserole

Classic Green Bean Casserole

You'll find everything you know and love about green bean casserole in this bubbling dish, but the panko-breaded, fried red onions definitely put it a step above the rest.

Get the Recipe: Classic Green Bean Casserole

Fried Green Bean Casserole

Though the traditional green bean casserole is always delicious, go ahead and change it up a bit. This battered and fried variation comes together quickly thanks to the use of prepared pancake mix. Drizzle an addictively creamy gravy over the crispy vegetables after they come out of the fryer and watch this dish disappear in no time.

Get the Recipe: Fried Green Bean Casserole

Green Bean and Tomato Casserole

Canned cherry tomatoes and chopped fresh rosemary bring a level of flavor to green bean casserole that no one will expect, but everyone will love.

Get the Recipe: Green Bean and Tomato Casserole

Best Ever Green Bean Casserole

Alton Brown does more with his golden-brown onion topping than just put it on top of his casserole — he also tosses about a quarter of it with his green bean! Talk about flavor in every bite.

Get the Recipe: Best Ever Green Bean Casserole

Green Bean Casserole

Tyler skips the canned soup and makes the sauce for his crowd-pleasing casserole from scratch, using heavy cream and a blend of sliced mushrooms. The resulting dish has all the flavor you’d expect from the traditional version — and more!

Get the Recipe: Green Bean Casserole

Small-Batch Green Bean Casserole

A pie plate is the perfect vessel for a scaled-down version of green bean casserole. The shallow dish guarantees a properly balanced ratio of bean to topping in every serving. In this version, the classic layer of fried onions takes a turn, thanks to the addition of saltines and butter. That and a simple sauce made from sauteed mushrooms mean your guests may proclaim this the best green bean casserole. Ever.

Get the Recipe: Small-Batch Green Bean Casserole

Tex-Mex Green Bean Casserole

Kick things up with poblano chile peppers, a pinch of cayenne pepper and ancho chile powder in this 5-star side. Top the dish with ground tortilla chips and crumbled Cotija cheese and you'll forget all about breadcrumbs.

Get the Recipe: Tex-Mex Green Bean Casserole

Green Bean Casserole

Ree Drummond's secrets to setting your casserole apart from the rest? A homemade Cheddar cheese sauce, a little cayenne pepper and fresh green beans.

Get the Recipe: Green Bean Casserole

Slow-Cooker Green Bean Casserole

Whip up this comforting side dish with a couple of supermarket shortcuts: Pre-sliced mushrooms and canned french-fried onions will help you save on prep time.

Get the Recipe: Slow-Cooker Green Bean Casserole

Green Bean Casserole With Crispy Shallots

Lightening up a traditional Thanksgiving dish without losing all the flavor might sound impossible, but Ellie Krieger's version makes it happen. Use low-fat milk and less than a half-cup of Parmesan for creamy results that won't break the calorie bank.

Get the Recipe: Green Bean Casserole With Crispy Shallots

Green Bean and Pearl Onion Casserole

Onion and mushroom lovers, unite! Tyler Florence's green bean casserole features pearl onions and a chopped shallot on the inside, and thinly sliced fried shallots cover the top. The assorted mushrooms add a variety of flavor to his "mushroom soup" that coats all the vegetables.

Get the Recipe: Green Bean and Pearl Onion Casserole

Stovetop Green Bean Casserole

Add an extra sour cream to your Thanksgiving grocery list. Once you see how incredibly rich it makes Alex Guarnaschelli's green bean casserole, you'll never stick to heavy cream alone again.

Get the Recipe: Stovetop Green Bean Casserole

Homemade Green Bean Casserole

Buttery sauteed mushrooms complement the blanched fresh green beans, which stay slightly firm even after baking, in this casserole.

Get the Recipe: Homemade Green Bean Casserole

Slimmed Green Bean Casserole

Our slimmed down version of this classic offers the creamy mushroom flavor, the sweet tang of onions, and the crunch you expect from Green Bean Casserole, with 60 percent less calories and 80 percent less fat.

Get the Recipe: Green Bean Casserole - Slimmed