Why is my green bean casserole so soupy?

The Casserole Is Too Soupy If you used frozen green beans, but didn't fully defrost and drain them prior to adding them to the casserole, that mistake will surely account for the excess water you're now experiencing.

Which is better in green bean casserole canned or frozen?

When I make green bean casserole, I skip canned beans all together. Frozen green beans are the best green beans to use for green bean casserole .

How do you keep green bean casserole from getting mushy?

Green Bean Casserole Tips Don't overcook the green beans: Remember when you are blanching the green beans that they will continue to cook and soften while baking in the oven with the rest of the casserole. So it's important to undercook them slightly during this first step so that they don't get mushy in the oven.

Should you cook onions before putting in casserole?

To prevent a soupy casserole, be sure to fully thaw any frozen vegetables in a colander over a bowl, and pat dry, squeeze excess moisture out of greens like spinach or chard, and quickly precook watery fresh vegetables like onions, mushrooms or squashes just until they release their moisture.

How do you make a casserole less soupy?

Experiment With Pasta Or Grains Just because your casserole is starting to look a bit soupy doesn't mean it's beyond saving. In fact, all you need to do is add some pasta noodles or grains to your base . This trick works for the simple reason that both types of ingredients soak up water as they cook.

How many cans of green beans equals 4 cups?

✿ 4 cups of green beans is about 1½ pounds fresh or 16 ounces frozen or 2 cans (15 ounces each) drained.

How do you thicken green bean casserole?

Before you add your topping, try to thicken the casserole with flour or cornstarch so the topping sits on top and doesn't sink to the bottom. If you're freeing up your oven by making your casserole in a slow cooker or a pressure cooker (like an Instant Pot), don't add your topping until it hits the serving dish.

Can you overcook green bean casserole?

Overcooking the beans won't just drain them of their appealing color, but it will also make them too soft and mushy, resulting in a less appetizing casserole .

How many days is green bean casserole good for?

Green Bean Casserole Leftovers Your creamy green bean casserole will last about four days in the fridge . The crunchy topping will get softer as time goes by; pop it into the oven to reheat to crisp it up a bit. While casseroles have a reputation for being freezer-friendly, green bean casseroles don't freeze so well.

What can I use instead of onion to green onion?

Scallion (Green Onion) In terms of flavor, these will be the most similar, but with an added element of freshness. A heartier recipe like these Cheddar-Onion Drop Biscuits would be great with scallions instead. To switch, 1 medium onion or 1 cup chopped onion is equal to about 6-8 green onions .

What kind of onion for casserole?

Yellow onions are perfect for stews, soups, barbecues, roasts and sauces. Avoid eating them raw as they have a strong flavour.

Can you boil onions instead of frying?

Onions are perfectly safe to boil . Even if you undercook or overcook them, they are still safe to consume, as long as they are fresh. While being healthier than fried onions, boiled onions cannot be the best option if what you are looking for is flavour and crispiness.

Homemade Fried Onion Topping Makes This Green Bean Casserole Better Than All the Rest (2024)

Holidays and Seasons
Fall
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving Side Dishes

Forget that soggy canned green bean casserole. This year, try our classic green bean casserole with fried onion topping, from scratch. Once you make this, you’ll never go back to the canned version.

Megan Keno

Megan founded her website The Country Clever in 2010 and wrote her first cookbook "Cast Iron Gourmet" in 2017.

Learn about Simply Recipes'Editorial Process

Updated October 24, 2023

15 Ratings

A Thanksgiving Menu for Small GatheringsFEATURED IN:

Our family, like every other family at Thanksgiving, is no stranger to green bean casserole, with its crunchy fried onion topping and rich, creamy filling. Truth be told, it’s one of my favorites, along with the jellied cranberry sauce.

But over the years, I have come to expect more from my green bean casserole than just opening up a few cans of beans, soup, and sprinkling on some prepared fried onions.

Here is my totally from-scratch version – you'll never look at green bean casserole the same way again.

Homemade Fried Onion Topping Makes This Green Bean Casserole Better Than All the Rest (3)

Homemade Fried Onion Topping – Better Than French's!

Frying your own onions gives them a crunchy texture that can’t be beaten by anything from a can. The onions are soaked in buttermilk and then coated with crispy panko crumbs, herbs, and flour before being fried to a golden crisp.

This said, if you'd like to give yourself a shortcut on this most-busiest of holidays, French's Fried Onions make a fine substitute. Trader Joe's also makes a brand that we really like!

Homemade Mushroom Cream Sauce – Better Than Canned!

I also make my own mushroom cream sauce. Button and Cremini mushrooms are always a good choice here, but try buttery Chantrelles if you want something a little more decadent. Mixing up the mushrooms is one way to give this dish a different flavor and make it stand out.

We don't suggest swapping this cream sauce for canned cream sauce. The casserole just isn't as good!

Homemade Fried Onion Topping Makes This Green Bean Casserole Better Than All the Rest (5)

Homemade Fried Onion Topping Makes This Green Bean Casserole Better Than All the Rest (6)

A Make-Ahead Thanksgiving Dish

This dish can be made ahead of time and kept in the fridge until ready to heat. To keep the fried onions crispy, store them separately in an airtight container on the counter. Wait to top the casserole until just before baking.

It's hard to go back to the canned version after this!

Not Into Mushrooms? Skip them!

You can omit the mushrooms in this casserole if you want and just use the cream sauce. Skip Step 6 altogether. In Step 7, add the butter, garlic, and thyme that you would have used in Step 6 to sauté the mushrooms to a pot, add the flour, half and half, and broth and follow the directions to create the sauce.

If it's the texture, not the flavor, of mushrooms that's unappealing, use a stick blender to blend the mushrooms into the sauce.

If you do skip the mushrooms, add extra green beans.

Gluten Free Tweaks for Green Bean Casserole

Use gluten-free flour or cornstarch in place of all-purpose flour. If using cornstarch, reduce the amount to 1 1/2 tablespoons.
Purchase gluten-free French-fried onions or use gluten-free panko and gluten-free flour to make the onions.

A Vegan Green Bean Casserole?

While we've never tried to make this casserole vegan, one of our commenters has. If you follow commenter ABC's suggestions, keep in mind they have not been tested out.

Coconut milk plus 1 tablespoon of vinegar for the milk.
Vegan sour cream for the half-and-half.
Vegan Parmesan for the Parmesan.
Vegetable broth for the chicken broth.

Looking for More Thanksgiving Sides From Scratch? Here You Go!

Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows
Baked Acorn Squash with Butter and Brown Sugar
Slow Cooker Honey-Dijon Glazed Carrots
Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecans
Perfect Mashed Potatoes

From the Editors Of Simply Recipes

Green Bean Casserole from Scratch

Prep Time45 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Total Time65 mins

Servings8to 10 servings

Make-ahead: Store the fried onions in an airtight container at room temperature and refrigerate the prepared filling. Wait to top the casserole with the onions until just before baking. Cooking time may be slightly longer.

Ingredients

For the Crispy Onions:

1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons mixed dried herbs (parsley, dill, thyme, whatever you want!)
Kosher salt, for seasoning
Vegetable oil, for frying
See Also
Best Green Bean Casserole With Bacon - Lauren's Latest

For the casserole:

2 pounds green beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch lengths
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) regular salted butter
1 pound cremini or button mushrooms, trimmed and sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 to 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 1/4 cups half and half
1 1/4 cups low sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Method

Prepare the onions for frying:
In a bowl, combine the sliced red onions and the buttermilk. Toss to coat the onions, then place them in the fridge for at least 15 minutes.
In another small bowl, whisk together flour, panko, and dried mixed herbs.
Heat the oil for deep-frying:
Fill a Dutch oven or other deep pot with about 2 inches of vegetable oil, and heat to 375°F, or until shimmering but not smoking (lower the heat if you start to see wisps of smoke). To check that the oil is hot enough, toss in a pinch of panko mixture; if it starts to bubble and fry, you’re ready to go.
Set a baking sheet lined with paper towels near the stove to drain the fried onions.
Deep-fry the onions:
Working in handfuls, lift the onions from the buttermilk and toss them in the flour/panko mixture.
Gently lower the coated onions into the hot oil and fry until deep golden brown. Lift the onions from the oil with a heat-proof slotted spoon or tongs, and place on the paper towels to drain.
Preheat the oven and prepare a bowl:
Preheat the oven to 375°F and set a strainer over your sink and prepare a bowl with ice water.
Blanch the green beans:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the green beans and boil for 5 to 6 minutes until just tender, but still slightly crisp.
Drain and then shock the green beans in the bowl of cold water to stop the cooking process. When cool, drain again and set aside.
Cook the mushrooms:
Melt the butter in a large skillet and add in the mushrooms. Season with salt and cook until softened and tender. Add in the garlic and thyme.
Make the creamy sauce:
Sprinkle the flour over the mushrooms and stir until the mushrooms are coated. Stir in the half-and-half and the chicken broth.
Bring the mixture to a simmer and allow the sauce to thicken. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and green beans.
Assemble and bake the casserole:
Transfer the creamy green bean and mushroom mixture to a 3-quart or 9x13 casserole dish. Scatter the fried onions over top, and bake in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until the casserole is bubbling. Serve hot.
Did you love the recipe? Give us some stars and leave a comment below!

Thanksgiving Side Dishes
Comfort Food
Vegetable Casseroles
Green Beans
Christmas Side Dishes

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
268	Calories
12g	Fat
33g	Carbs
9g	Protein

Show Full Nutrition Label

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8to 10
Amount per serving
Calories	268
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 12g	15%
Saturated Fat 5g	23%
Cholesterol 18mg	6%
Sodium 291mg	13%
Total Carbohydrate 33g	12%
Dietary Fiber 5g	19%
Total Sugars 7g
Protein 9g
Vitamin C 12mg	61%
Calcium 172mg	13%
Iron 3mg	19%
Potassium 461mg	10%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.