If you love green bean casserole but aren’t crazy about mushrooms, this green bean casserole without mushroom soup is definitely for you. It has everything you love about this classic American dish without the parts you don’t.
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This green bean casserole no mushrooms recipe is perfect for your next family or neighborhood get-together. It is easy enough to make for a weeknight dinner and delicious enough to impress any crowd.
I love to make this green bean casserole without cream of mushroom soup in the late summer, right around harvest time. I highly recommend fresh, locally grown, and/or recently harvested green beans if at all possible.
Seasonal vegetables will always offer the most flavor and nutrients.
Don’t worry, though! This green bean casserole without mushroom soup is perfect year-round. We have you covered if you are working with canned or frozen green beans.
That’s right — this recipe is simple, easy, and versatile. You’ll come back to it again and again.
Here’s what I’m going to teach you in this post:
- Everything you need to make this green bean casserole no mushrooms recipe.
- Detailed instructions for making green bean casserole without cream of mushroom soup.
- Easy variations when preparing this green bean casserole without mushroom soup.
All it takes to make this classic comforting casserole is a few simple ingredients and a bit of time. Roll up your sleeves and get ready to make some roux!
How to Make Green Bean Casserole Without Mushroom Soup
A full printable version of this recipe with ingredient measurements is available at the bottom of this post.
STEP ONE: Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F and grease a 9X13 baking dish with butter or cooking spray.
STEP TWO: Heat a large skillet over medium heat, then add the olive oil, the green beans, and a pinch of salt. Cook beans until they turn bright green and begin to soften, usually about 5 minutes. Transfer to the baking dish.
STEP THREE: Use the same skillet over medium heat to melt the butter and cook the garlic until fragrant, about one minute. Add the flour to the skillet, whisking until a paste is formed and continuing to cook for an additional minute.
STEP FOUR: Slowly add the chicken stock, whisking constantly until no lumps remain. Next, whisk in the heavy cream until combined. Cook the sauce until thick and bubbly, stirring constantly, for about 2-3 minutes. Add in the cream cheese and stir until fully melted.
STEP FIVE: Add the red pepper flakes, thyme, nutmeg, lemon juice, and stir until combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour the sauce mixture over the green beans and toss to evenly combine.
STEP SIX: Bake the casserole for 8-10 minutes before adding the fried onions and baking for an additional 8-10 minutes. Your casserole is ready when the onions are golden brown, and the beans are tender.
Can You Use Frozen Green Beans Instead of Fresh?
I highly recommend fresh green beans if available, but this recipe can easily be adapted to canned or frozen green beans.
- Canned: You’ll want 3 cans (14.5 oz) total for green bean casserole without cream of mushroom soup. Be sure to drain them thoroughly, then add them straight to the baking dish without cooking first.
- Frozen: For frozen green beans, 3 (10 oz) bags should do the trick. Omit step 2 and increase your baking time to 15-17 minutes before you add the fried onions.
How Do You Make Green Bean Casserole Less Watery?
The roux is the secret key to thickness in this green bean casserole without mushroom soup. It is made from all-purpose flour, a natural thickener.
If you find that your sauce is coming out too runny, be sure that you are using enough flour and add more if needed. Cornstarch is another thickener you can use if you are in a bind.
Variations on Green Bean Casserole Without Mushroom Soup
It is simple and easy to make this green bean casserole no mushrooms recipe exactly how you’ll like it. Use these simple guidelines for help:
- Cheese – Add 1 ½ cups of fontina, swiss, gruyere, cheddar, or your favorite cheese while adding the cream cheese.
- Bacon – Crisp up 6 slices and set them aside. Use the bacon grease in the skillet instead of the olive oil to sautee your green beans. Chop up the bacon and add it to the top of the casserole along with your onions.
- Oil – Feel free to use your favorite neutral-flavored cooking oil instead of olive oil.
- Toppings – Fried onions are best, but if you don’t have any on hand, you can use cornflakes or crushed butter crackers to top off your casserole.
How Do I Store Leftover Green Bean Casserole?
Leftover casserole can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Other Green Bean Recipes You’ll Love:
- Air Fryer Green Bean Fries
- Green Beans Almondine
- Sausage Green Bean Potato Casserole
- Green Bean Casserole with Cream Cheese
- Green Bean Tater Tot Casserole
- Air Fryer Sausage, Gnocchi, and Green Beans
- Green Bean Casserole with Ritz Crackers
Green Bean Casserole Without Mushroom Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 ½ pounds fresh green beans ends trimmed and cut into 2” pieces
- 4 tablespoons ½ stick butter
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 2 cups chicken stock
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened and cubed
- ½ lemon juiced
- ½ teaspoon fresh thyme minced
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg optional
- 1 ½ cups fried onions
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375F and grease a 9×13 pan with butter or nonstick cooking spray.
- Add the olive oil to a large skillet set over medium heat. When the oil is warm, add the green beans and a pinch of salt.
- Cook the beans for 5 minutes, or until they are just beginning to soften and turn bright green. Transfer the beans to the prepared baking dish.
- In the same skillet (no need to wash it), melt the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook it for 1 minute, or just until fragrant. Next, add the flour and whisk until it forms a paste. Continue to cook the roux for an additional minute.
- Next, slowly add the chicken stock, whisking constantly as you pour. Whisk until no lumps of roux remain. Next, add the heavy cream and whisk to combine.
- Cook the sauce for 2-3 minutes, stirring often, or until it is thick and bubbling.
- Next, add the cream cheese and stir until the cream cheese is fully melted.
- Finally, add the lemon juice, thyme, red pepper flakes, and nutmeg. Whisk to combine. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Pour the sauce over the green beans and gently toss to combine.
- Bake the casserole for 10 minutes. Then sprinkle over the fried onions and bake for another 8-10 minutes, or until the onions are golden brown and the beans are just tender.
Video
Nutrition
This nutrition information is based on the exact products I used in this recipe. Brands and sizes of products could alter exact nutrition and should always be calculated independently.
Hi,
To use 3 pounds green beans, do I need to double the sauce or maybe 1.5 times the sauce ?
Also I cooked 2 lb fresh green beans in the pan for 15 min. Then baked according to instructions. Baked again 20 min longer.The green beans was NOT cooked at all. Maybe I should have steamed it?
Hi Farrah, the green beans will do most of their cooking on the stove, so it’s important to ensure they are softening before being baked in the oven. Green beans can take longer to cook in a pan if they are very crowded. You can steam them, but I like the taste of them better when they are sauteed on the stove. I would use a larger pan or even cook them in batches.
3 pounds of green beans would be doubling the recipe, so I would just double everything else in the recipe as well. It will take longer to bake in the oven as there is more food.
This recipe is amazing. Thank you.
Can you assemble this casserole one day ahead and bake the next day?
Hi Farrah, I have not made this one ahead of time as of yet, but I would cook the sauce and beans and keep them separate and add them together right before baking. It will take longer to cook from refrigerated since everything is colder.
Hands down the flippin best green bean casserole without mushroom soup I have ever made. It was a hit, no leftovers, not even for me! I used the can bed beans, I’ll try fresh again very soon.
Smooth, creamy, de- lish!
Thank you!
I’m so glad you loved it, Lisa! I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!
My family loved these green beans. It was a nice change from using the canned mushroom soup. I’ll never go back. I fried sliced shallots to top it off. Delicious!
So glad you liked them, Michelle!