This green bean casserole is made with fresh green beans and cream of chicken soup instead of cream of mushroom. It's a simple twist on the classic holiday side dish everyone knows and loves.

The green bean casserole in a white casserole dish with a blue and white striped kitchen towel in the background.

Ingredients you'll need

The ingredients for the casserole arranged on a white table.

Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup - Using cream of chicken soup gives the casserole a different feel, but it's still familiar.
Milk - Use whole milk, we're already indulging with the rest of the ingredients so why not.
Low Sodium Soy Sauce - Will add a little zip to the cream sauce.
Black Pepper - To supply just a little spice.
Green Beans - Using fresh green beans gives this side dish a fresh take.
Crispy Fried Onions - Because it wouldn't be a green bean casserole without them.
See the recipe card for quantities and preparation.

How to make green bean casserole

Preheat oven to 350°F

Cook the green beans

Prepare the green beans by steaming or boiling them until they are crisp-tender. Try not to overcook them so they stay bright green and don't get mushy; we want them to have a little snap in the middle.

Steam-in-the-bag green beans can be found in the refrigerated section of the produce aisle. They usually come trimmed and washed already. Follow the package directions but use the lowest recommended time on the package. Steam the green beans in the microwave. Carefully open the bag as soon as they are done to release the steam. Take them out of the bag and set them on a plate or cutting board so they cool quickly and stop cooking.

If you are boiling the green beans: Snap off the stems and rinse the beans well. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the beans to the briskly boiling water and cook for 3-4 minutes. Drain them and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking.

When they are cool enough to handle cut any extra long green beans in half.

Put it together

Combine the condensed soup, milk, soy sauce and black pepper in a 1½ quart casserole. Use a fork or small whisk to stir vigorously until the sauce is smooth.

Add the green beans and ⅔ cup of the crispy fried onions to the cream sauce and stir well to combine.

Green beans to the left and crispy fried onions to the right in a casserole dish before being stirred.

The creamy sauce, green beans and crispy onions after stirring in a white casserole dish. There is a blue and white striped towel in the background.

Bake

Bake the casserole, uncovered, for 30 minutes until hot and bubbly on the edges.

Stir the creamy green beans well. Then, sprinkle the top with the remaining ⅔ cup crispy fried onions. Bake another 5-7 minutes or until onions are golden brown.

An image of the baked casserole on a white table with a blue and white striped towel in the background.

Recipe tips and notes

Don't overcook the green beans so they stay snappy.
Place the casserole dish on a baking sheet just in case it bubbles over.
Build the green bean casserole a few hours (and up to 1 day) ahead of time. Prepare it as instructed except for the crispy fried onion topping. Cover with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate. Take it out of the refrigerator for a short while before baking to let the chill out of the dish. Bake as instructed.

A close up image of a scoop of green bean casserole. There is a blue and white kitchen towel in the background.

This classic side dish is worth the extra few minutes of prep and makes a great addition to any holiday table. Serve it with mashed potatoes, hearty sausage stuffing, and a comforting sweet potato casserole for a festive meal.

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