Green Bean Casserole with Onion Rings

This savory Green Bean Casserole is made with a homemade creamy mushroom sauce and topped with crispy onion rings for a Thanksgiving side dish to remember!

Green Bean Casserole: a Thanksgiving Tradition

Do you cook the same things year after year for Thanksgiving or change it up? We have our standards like ground turkey and green beans, dressing, roasted vegetables, cranberry sauce, and green bean casserole, but sometimes I try making them in different ways.

I think this green bean casserole is going to be the winner for this year’s Turkey Day. The sauce is made from scratch instead of the good ol’ cream of mushroom soup version (although I love that classic one too!), and the crispy onion rings on top are way better than canned fried onions.

You could add diced chicken to this casserole to make it a full dinner, serve it as a side for a holiday meal, take it to a potluck, or just have it on the side any time of year. Whenever you decide to enjoy this green bean casserole, I hope your family loves it!

Using Canned vs Homemade Cream of Mushroom Soup

When making green bean casserole I would say people are pretty split as to if you should make it with canned cream of mushroom soup or make your own soup. Here are some of the pros and cons of canned and homemade to consider when deciding between the two.

At the end of the day I think the decision between using canned or homemade soup should really be based on two factors: time and personal taste preferences. When it comes to Thanksgiving so much is about tradition so keep that in mind. If your mother-in-law always makes green bean casserole with cream of mushroom soup, maybe you should do the same…

Why I love this Green Bean Casserole Recipe

For me, this green bean casserole is a must-make because it is perfect for Thanksgiving and for enjoying the rest of the year. The use of onion rings instead of French’s Crispy Fried Onions really improves and changes the dish. I think the onion rings almost make it into two sides. Because the onion rings are bigger and more flavorful they really stand out when topping the green bean casserole.

I also like to make my own cream of mushroom soup and use frozen green beans instead of canned. I find the frozen green beans have more texture but are still easy to use. My cream of mushroom soup recipe is easy and adds only a little bit of extra time, however, the additional flavor is well worth it.

Green Bean Casserole Tips and Tricks

When making green bean casserole with onion rings or with regular French’s Crispy Fried Onions, there are a few things I always like to keep in mind.

• Watch that it does not come out watery. You want to ensure your soup is nice and thick as the green beans will add some water. If you use milk your will want to add a little extra flour. If you use canned green beans make sure you drain them well. If you use fresh green beans I recommend quickly blanching or steaming them first.
• Do not skimp on the onion rings or fried onions. I believe you cannot have too many onion rings or crispy onions. They add a lot of texture and flavor and because the green beans tend to be on the soft side the extra crunch really enhances the dish.
• It’s ok to season the dish. When using canned soups or, in this case, making the soup from scratch, we sometimes are hesitant to add any extra salt and pepper. I always recommend tasting the soup before mixing in the green beans and not worrying if it is just the slightest bit salty as the frozen green beans will not be seasoned and will need some extra flavoring.
• Add a little extra flavor. I like to add a squeeze of lemon juice or a couple dashes of Tabasco. The lemon juice helps brighten up the dish, and the tabasco gives a little kick without making it spicy.

Green Bean Casserole with Onion Rings

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5 from 2 reviews

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This creamy green bean casserole is topped with onion rings instead of the traditional fried onions.

• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 4 1x

Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 cup finely chopped mushrooms
• 2 cloves garlic minced or crushed
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup half and half
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup shredded Italian blend cheese Swiss or monterey jack would also be great
• 16 ounces frozen French cut green beans (not canned!)
• 13 ounces frozen onion rings

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a 9 x 13″ baking dish with cooking spray.
2. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in mushrooms and garlic, and saute for about two minutes. Stir in flour until smooth. Stir in milk about ¼ c. at a time, stirring constantly to avoid lumps.
3. Add half and half, salt, and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer.
4. Stir in cheese until melted. Stir in frozen green beans, and transfer mixture to prepared baking dish.
5. Arrange onion rings over the top, and bake in preheated oven for 30-40 minutes.
6. Press onion rings down into the casserole a bit about halfway through baking.
7. Casserole is done when it is bubbly and onion rings are golden brown.

Notes

You can use all milk instead of milk and half and half if you prefer, but the sauce won’t be quite as rich.

• Author: Andi
• Prep Time: 10
• Cook Time: 30

How did rolling the clocks back go for you? I can tell you that the fall time change is pretty brutal when you have early birds. My boys were up at 4am that first day! At least I went to bed early the night before, so it wasn’t as bad as it sounds. I’m sure we’ll all adjust soon enough.

When you wake up early, it is nice to not have to wait until 7:30am for the sun to come up. It’s hard to spring out of bed when the sun won’t be shining for hours.

I actually really like this time change once we’re settled into it because the early sunset makes me finally feel like fall is here. The boys and I suddenly feel like we have a nightlife when it’s dark at 5pm since that’s about as late as we’re ever out. I’m also excited to think about the upcoming holidays, especially the Thanksgiving feast.

Want more green bean recipes? Give these a try!