Green bean casserole without fried onions keeps that flavorful crunch while ditching the French onions from a can. Instead, this casserole is topped with Ritz crackers for a buttery crunch!

Green Bean Casserole in a round casserole dish with a serving spoon inside

Green bean casserole without fried onions is delicious enough for your holiday table but easy enough to serve all year long.

When I was a kid, I couldn’t wait until my mother popped open the can of French fried onions. I would sneak a handful before she added them to the top of the casserole dish.

Then I had kids…

And they promptly flicked off my favorite part and ate their green bean casserole without French fried onions — so we needed a new plan. I tried bread crumbs, but the dish just didn’t taste rich enough or have that crunchy texture I loved.

So green bean casserole with Ritz crackers was the way to go! Not just any crackers…it had to be buttery, salty, crunchy Ritz crackers. They make the best topping if you are going to eat green bean casserole without onion on top.

Ingredients to make Green Bean Casserole in small white bowls

How To Make Green Bean Casserole Without Fried Onions

A full printable version of this recipe with ingredient measurements is available at the bottom of this post.

STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 350F degrees.

STEP TWO: Drain and add green beans, condensed soup, pepper, ½ cup cheese, and ⅔ of the bacon in a large mixing bowl. Mix well and transfer to a circular or 11 X 8 baking dish.

Green Bean Casserole ingredients in a bowl with ritz cracker crumbs in a bowl on the side

Ingredients mixed in a bowl with a spoon inside it and a bowl of ritz cracker crumbs to the side

STEP THREE: Bake the bean mixture for 30 minutes, uncovered, until bubbly.

STEP FOUR: Sprinkle with the remaining cheese, bacon, and cracker crumbs. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the top is golden brown.

Bacon and cheese added onto the top of the green bean casserole

What to Serve With Green Bean Casserole Without Fried Onions

Variations for Making an Easy Green Bean Casserole

Use fresh green beans instead of canned green beans. You can also use frozen green beans. So go crazy! Just make sure you cook the green beans first and drain off any water to avoid a watery casserole.
Make it extra creamy. Try half cheese and half sour cream in this recipe! It makes a super creamy, tasty dish, even without French onions!
Add chopped mushrooms. Button, crimini, portobello — change up the type of mushrooms you use to give this green bean casserole without fried onions lots of texture and hearty flavor.

Green Bean Casserole with ritz crackers on top in a round casserole dish

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Tips for Making the Best Green Bean Casserole with No Onions

Traditional green bean casserole uses canned green beans, canned soup, and crispy onions. The trick is to add loads of texture and crunch with other ingredients!

Reimagine green bean casserole without onion, using freshly grated cheese for flavor and crispy bacon for texture. A Ritz cracker topping provides all the crunch you’ll need, and chopped mushrooms make the dish extra hearty.

Don’t be scared to go without French fried onions! This easy green bean casserole is really flavorful thanks to Ritz crackers as your onion substitute.

Bowl of ritz cracker green bean casserole with a fork inside and casserole dish in the corner

How to Store Green Bean Casserole with Ritz Crackers

Store your leftover green bean casserole with no onions for 3-5 days in your refrigerator in an airtight container.

You can reheat it in the oven at 350F degrees (uncovered) for 15-20 minutes or until the sauce is bubbly. The topping will likely get mushy if you reheat it in the microwave.

White round casserole dish with half of the green bean casserole gone and a serving spoon taking a scoop

Can I Make Green Bean Casserole Ahead of Time?

Absolutely! Mix up your casserole and stick it in the fridge until you are ready to bake. Just don’t add the toppings until you are ready to put it in the oven.

Green bean casserole without onions does not hold up very well to freezing. Thankfully, the dish comes together in just a few minutes, so there is little need to make it so far ahead that you’d want to store it in the freezer.

Bowl of green bean casserole with a fork inside

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