Traditional Green Bean Casserole Recipe for Christmas or Thanksgiving

In so many homes, the classic green bean casserole with cream of mushroom soup is a tradition to serve for both Thanksgiving & Christmas.

Creamy, crunchy, and full of green bean flavor. So simple to mix together, it can be prepared the day ahead.

However, this quick & easy casserole is perfect for any family gathering as it is loved by young & old alike.

Make this recipe the night before and keep it refrigerated to be baked on the day of your dinner.

This easy Campbell’s green bean casserole recipe uses just five simple ingredients, and it is one of the best make ahead Thanksgiving side dishes you can put on your holiday table.

Why You’ll Love This Easy Green Bean Casserole Recipe

• It is the classic Campbell’s green bean casserole the whole family knows and asks for.
• Just 5 pantry ingredients and about 10 minutes of mixing.
• Make it the night before, then bake it fresh the day of your dinner.
• Works with frozen, fresh, or canned green beans.
• Freezes beautifully, so you can make a double batch and save some for later. Everyone loves leftovers.

Buonpane Family Holiday Memories

Memories of the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays are the strongest memories that I have of my childhood.

One of my strongest memories at the dinner table for Thanksgiving is all the wonderful side dishes.

My beloved Aunt Lois made a fabulous Candied Sweet Potatoes with Marshmallows.

My mom made fluffy mashed potatoes and always the traditional green bean casserole recipe.

I don’t think I remember a Thanksgiving or Christmas when either my Mother or Aunt did not make this traditional dish.

I have discovered over the years that this is one of the recipes you can make the day before, put aluminum foil on the top, and put it in the refrigerator, ready to go on Thanksgiving Day.

It is also an easy recipe to put together right after you put the turkey in the oven, since it is a dump, stir, and go recipe.

Most Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners were at Aunt Lois’s house, my mother’s sister. My maternal grandmother lived with Aunt Lois, so it was a natural choice for all of us to travel to where my Grandmother lived.

Most of my Grandmother’s antiques and serving dishes, along with family knick-knacks and pictures, were there for all of us kids to admire and learn all the stories that go with family memorabilia.

This is where I learned so many of our family recipes and my love of cooking for family and friends.

Aunt Lois always told me that if you have a pot of coffee and a box of cake mix, you can make a party and entertain.

While we love to try new dishes and have everything fancy, hospitality and entertainment are about people, not how much money you spend on the food.

Such great advice she gave me as a young wife, that you do not have to have a lot to have a lot of family and friends over to your home.

I think for most of our family members, the crunchy French Fried Onion topping is what everybody loves. Thanksgiving dinner just wouldn’t be right without this traditional side dish.  

It has been a tradition to make this recipe with Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom Soup and French’s French Fried Onions. You can not have too many French Fried Onions in this recipe. No matter what else you add to this dish, the fried onions make the side dish.

History of Green Bean Casserole Using Cream of Mushroom Soup

Campbell’s tells us that this recipe was developed by Campbell’s in the 1950s for a newspaper article by Dorcas Reilly.  

Dorcas Reilly, who is credited with this recipe, submitted an original yellowed recipe card to the National Inventors Hall of Fame in Akron, Ohio, in 2002.

We all have a great debt of appreciation to Ms. Reilly for a tradition that will live on for years.

No matter where the recipe was created, families have been serving up this side dish for years and will for years to come.

Ingredients for Traditional Green Bean Casserole

• 1 can Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom Soup
• 1/2 cup milk, 1% or 2%
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce, this is the secret to the flavor
• A dash of pepper
• 1 bag (16 oz, about 4 cups) frozen green beans, thawed
• French’s French Fried Onions, about half of a 6 oz container (1 1/2 to 2 cups), half mixed in and half on top. Do not be shy with these.

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Equipment Needed

• A large mixing bowl
• A casserole dish
• Measuring cups and spoons

How to Make Green Bean Casserole with French Fried Onions

I recommend making this homemade green bean casserole with frozen green beans, since they are picked and frozen right at the peak of freshness.

If I am making this for Thanksgiving, I mix everything together the day before and put it in the casserole dish. I leave off the crunchy topping until I am ready to bake. This way, the side dish is ready early in the morning, to go in the oven an hour and a half before dinner needs to be done.

This classic side dish is so easy, we make it year round. It is wonderful with any chicken dish, and perfect to bring along for a summer picnic or backyard barbecue.

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Thaw the green beans. Put them in the fridge the night before, or thaw them in the microwave just enough so they are not frozen solid. If the beans are still cold when you mix, they can freeze the cream of mushroom soup and turn into a mess, so make sure they are fully thawed first.
3. Make the sauce. In a large bowl, mix the cream of mushroom soup, soy sauce, milk, and pepper until smooth and creamy.
4. Add the beans. Stir in the thawed green beans until they are fully coated in the creamy sauce.
5. Stir in the onions. Add French’s French Fried Onions right into the mixture, a little or a lot. Our family likes a lot.
6. Fill the dish. Spray your baking dish, add the green bean mixture, and top with as many extra fried onions as you want. The traditional recipe calls for just a third of a cup on top, but as you can see, we cover the whole casserole with the crunchy goodness.
7. Bake. Bake for 45 minutes, or up to 90 minutes if the casserole is cold from the fridge. Watch the topping near the end so it does not get too brown.

Making a double batch? Use a 13 x 9 glass dish. If it is cold from the fridge, it can take 60 to 90 minutes.

Pro tip: This tastes best made the night before. Just leave the topping off until you are ready to bake.

Remember, this is just 5 ingredients. The holidays are the perfect time to get the younger generation interested in cooking the family traditions.

So get the kids in the kitchen and use this recipe as a good starter for your little ones who want to cook with you.

Green Bean Casserole Variations

• Swap frozen green beans for fresh green beans, blanched first.
• Use canned green beans, drained very well, about 4 cups in place of the frozen bag.
• Stir in a cup of shredded cheddar for a cheesy green bean casserole.
• Use sautéed fresh mushrooms instead of canned soup for a from scratch twist.
• Add crispy bacon bits for extra crunch and flavor.
• Try cream of celery soup in place of cream of mushroom for a different taste.

Our Christmas Green Bean Casserole & Thanksgiving Traditions

Jim and I both love the Christmas season, the sounds, the smells, and the decorations.

In our family, Christmas preparation starts the week of Thanksgiving. (Note: as of 2025, we now start in late October when there are still warm days) We also tend to overdo it with the decorations and the presents. But that is the way we like it.

It just would not be Christmas if we did not have that wow factor.

We love to share old Christmas movies with our children and discover new movies.

Each year, as the kids were young, the Church Christmas Pageant was the main event. Joey and Katie always enjoyed participating, and Christene enjoyed the crafting fun that the Youth Director would have each year.

In our early married life, we would have Christmas morning in our home with the children, and my dad, Jim Kirchner, would stop at about 9:00 am to enjoy the opening of presents.

We all would then go to my husband’s parents for dinner and more presents, as my dad was always invited.

As our parents got older, my dad would come to our house for a noon meal and a present, and then go home for a rest.

Then Jim, the kids, and I would stop in on Grace and Guerin at Jim’s family home, where he grew up, for presents and conversation.

Now, as our family has expanded to Christene’s in-laws, we have a big three-day event here at our home, and it is more lively and exciting than ever before.

We currently have 2 granddaughters, and every Christmas afternoon we go to their house for a big Christmas present opening and dinner.

No matter how our family changes and grows, I love Thanksgiving and Christmas traditions.

Looking for more Thanksgiving side dishes and holiday recipes? Try our Perfect Flaky Pie Crust, our Saltine Cracker Turkey Stuffing, and our Raspberry Sherbet Party Punch for the rest of your holiday table.

Green Bean Casserole Frequently Asked Questions