No mushroom soup here — just real ingredients for a holiday classic. This green bean casserole skips the cream soup and uses a quick roux for a creamy, homemade sauce. Use fresh, frozen, or canned beans — whatever you have
Whether it’s Thanksgiving, Christmas, or just a comfort craving, this tastes like the holidays without the can, the chemicals, or the guilt.
Jump To (scroll for more)
- 💚 Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- 🥣 Ingredients
- 👨🍳 Quick Overview: Making Green Bean Casserole No Mushroom Soup
- 📆 How to Make Ahead (Holiday Timing Tips)
- 🔪 Green Bean Options
- 🥄 Sauce Variations and Add-Ins (No Cream Soup)
- 🧀 Cheese Options
- 🥣 Topping Options
- 📏 Scaling and Pan Size
- 🍽️ Serving Suggestions
- ❄️ Storage of Leftovers
- ❓ FAQs
- 📖The Recipe Card
Featured Comment by KrissyG :
"Great recipe! Thank you:)"
TL;DR (quick answers)
What it is: A classic holiday green bean casserole made without mushroom soup or any canned soup.
Why you’ll love it: Real ingredients, creamy homemade sauce, and that traditional flavor — no cans required.
How to make it: Make a quick roux for the sauce, mix with green beans, and bake with your favorite crunchy topping.
💚 Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Flexible — works with fresh, frozen, or canned green beans.
- Custom topping — Ritz crackers, Panko, or fried onions — your call.
- No cans, no shortcuts — a real homemade sauce made from butter, flour, and love.
- Easy prep — assemble ahead and bake when the turkey’s resting.
- Classic flavor — the same comforting taste, just fresher.
🥣 Ingredients
- Green beans — Fresh is best for flavor and texture, but frozen or canned work, too. Use straight-cut or French-style beans; just be sure to drain canned or thaw frozen before mixing.
- Butter + flour + onion — The base for a simple roux that replaces canned mushroom soup or any cream soup. Cook the onion in butter, then stir in flour to thicken.
- Sour cream — Adds tang and creaminess.
- Seasonings — Salt, black pepper, and a pinch of sugar round things out.
- Shredded cheese — Sharp cheddar is classic, but Swiss, Colby Jack, or Gruyère all work.
- Topping — Crushed Ritz crackers are my go-to, but Panko with Parmesan or the traditional French fried onions are great options.
✅ Note: Use the ingredients that fit your family traditions. Whether it’s cheddar vs. Swiss, Ritz vs. fried onions, or fresh vs. canned beans, this casserole works with what you like.
👨🍳 Quick Overview: Making Green Bean Casserole No Mushroom Soup
This section isn’t the full recipe — just a short overview. Keep reading for tips, bean options, and toppings, or jump to the recipe card.
1. Prepare the green beans
Fresh beans: Clean, trim, and cook until almost tender.
Canned beans: Drain well
Frozen beans: Thaw and drain
2. Making a roux
Cook chopped onion in butter until just starting to clear (2–3 minutes).
Stir in flour until smooth, then cook another 2–3 minutes until lightly browned. Remove from heat.
✅ Note: This quick roux is the base that replaces the canned soup and gives the casserole its creamy texture.
3. Combine and top
Mix in the seasonings, sour cream, shredded cheese, and green beans. Transfer to a casserole dish (refrigerate up to 3 days if making ahead).
Cover with more cheese and finish with your topping of choice.
4. Bake
Bake at 350°F convection (375°F conventional) for 35–40 minutes, until the top is golden and the casserole is bubbling.
📆 How to Make Ahead (Holiday Timing Tips)
Assemble the casserole without the topping. Cover tightly with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
When you’re ready to bake, rest uncovered at room temperature while the oven preheats, add the topping, and bake as directed until hot and bubbly.
✅ Pro Tip: Since this recipe skips the canned soup, the homemade sauce stays creamy and fresh even after a couple of days in the fridge. If the casserole looks a little thick after chilling, stir in a splash of milk before baking.
🔪 Green Bean Options
This casserole works with fresh, frozen, or canned green beans. Use straight-cut or French-style, whichever you prefer.
- Canned: Drain well before using.
- Frozen: Thaw and drain before adding to the casserole.
- Fresh (recommended): Best flavor and texture, but they must be precooked until just tender—not mushy. They’ll finish cooking in the oven. Always stop the cooking in an ice bath.
✅ Pro Tip: Fresh green bean season runs from June through October. Outside those months, good beans may be hard to find—and bad fresh beans aren’t worth your time.
Precooking Fresh Green Beans
Choose beans that are bright green, smooth-skinned, and firm, without swollen seeds or wrinkles. Cook until just tender, then immediately cool in an ice bath:
- Microwave: In a covered dish with a little water on the bottom, cook 4–6 minutes.
- Stovetop: Boil in salted water for 4–5 minutes.
✅ Pro Tip: Slightly undercook fresh beans—you want them crisp-tender. Overcooked beans will turn soft and mushy once baked.
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🥄 Sauce Variations and Add-Ins (No Cream Soup)
Most green bean casseroles start with canned cream soup, but this one builds flavor from scratch. You can change it up easily with these simple add-ins:
- Garlic — fresh or powdered for extra depth.
- Bacon — stir in chopped, cooked bacon for a smoky note.
- Mushrooms — sauté fresh mushrooms if you still want the flavor, without the canned soup.
- Extra cheese — make it richer and more indulgent.
✅ Pro Tip: These add-ins work with the homemade roux base and keep your casserole creamy — no cream soup needed.
🧀 Cheese Options
Cheese does double duty in this casserole—it’s mixed into the creamy sauce and sprinkled on top before the final bake. That’s what makes it extra rich and comforting.
- Sharp Cheddar — the classic choice, bold flavor that cuts through the sauce.
- Swiss or Gruyère — slightly nutty and smooth, perfect for a holiday upgrade.
- Colby Jack — milder and kid-friendly.
- Parmesan — mix a little into the sauce or topping for extra depth.
✅ Pro Tip: For best melt and flavor, shred your own cheese instead of using pre-shredded. The coating on bagged cheese keeps it from melting smoothly.
🥣 Topping Options
Toppings are where green bean casserole loyalties run deep—every family has a favorite. Before adding any topping, spread a layer of shredded cheese over the casserole. It melts into the sauce and gives the topping something to stick to.
- Crushed butter crackers (Ritz) — my go-to. Mix with melted butter for an easy, crunchy topping that’s a little richer than onions.
- French fried onions — the traditional choice. Skip the cracker topping and add 1 to 1½ cups of canned French fried onions for the last 5 minutes of baking so they don’t burn.
- Panko breadcrumbs — mix 1 cup with 2–3 tablespoons of melted butter. Add ¼ cup of grated Parmesan for a golden, cheesy crust. Sprinkle on before baking.
✅ Pro Tip: Don’t add toppings too early when making ahead—they’ll soak up moisture and lose their crunch. Always add them right before baking.
📏 Scaling and Pan Size
This casserole is written for 8 servings and fits perfectly in a 2½-quart baking dish. The topping amounts are set for this size.
- Full batch (8 servings): A 2½-quart dish is ideal. A 9×13 pan also works, but the casserole will be thinner—add about 50% more topping to cover the larger surface.
- Half batch (about 4 servings — perfect for two with leftovers): Fits a 1-quart dish, 8×8 square, 6×9, or 8–9-inch round. Cooking time will be about 10–15 minutes shorter—watch the topping color. Adjust topping as needed to fit the smaller area.
✅ Pro Tip: When scaling, follow the ingredient list, not the step-by-step instructions (those don’t auto-adjust).
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Serve with a classic Thanksgiving or Christmas feast.
- Roasted Turkey Breast — juicy and simple.
- Sausage Dressing — hearty and traditional.
- Sweet Potato Casserole — another holiday favorite.
👉 For a full menu, see the Thanksgiving Recipe Roundup.
❄️ Storage of Leftovers
- Refrigerate: Store airtight for 3–4 days. Reheat in the oven at 350°F until warmed through, or in the microwave for single servings.
- Freeze: Wrap tightly in an airtight container or freezer bag and freeze for 3–4 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
✅ Pro Tip: Toppings lose crispness in storage. If you plan to freeze, scrape off the topping first and add a fresh layer before reheating.
❓ FAQs
Canned beans are already soft and can get mushy when baked longer. Frozen beans are picked fresh, blanched, and flash-frozen, so they hold texture better—just thaw and drain before use.
For the best flavor, use fresh beans when they’re in season. Precook them until crisp-tender, then cool in an ice bath before adding.
Most green bean casseroles start with a can of cream soup—usually mushroom, sometimes celery or chicken. This recipe skips them all and their long list of additives. Instead, you’ll make a quick roux with butter, onion, flour, sour cream, and cheese for a fresher, creamier sauce with real flavor and no canned aftertaste.
Yes. Assemble the casserole without the topping, cover tightly, and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Add the topping and bake as directed when ready to serve. If the sauce looks thick after chilling, stir in a splash of milk before baking.
📖The Recipe Card
Green Bean Casserole No Mushroom Soup
Video Slideshow
Ingredients
- 2 pounds green beans - canned, frozen, or fresh
- 1 small onion
- 3 tablespoons butter - divided
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 cups shredded cheese - of choice (cheddar recommended)
- 12 butter crackers (Ritz) - crushed
Step-by-Step Instructions
Preheat the Oven
- Preheat the oven to 350° convection or 375° conventional.
Prepare the Green Beans
- Fresh green beans: Clean, trim, and precook them until slightly tender. On a stovetop, boil water with a teaspoon or two of salt. In a microwave, cover a dish with water on the bottom. Cook for 4–5 minutes, then stop the cooking in an ice bath to prevent overcooking.Canned green beans: Drain well.Frozen green beans: Thaw and drain.
Make the Roux
- Chop the onion. In a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook 2–3 minutes until just clearing.
- Stir in flour until smooth and cook 2 minutes, stirring, until lightly browned. Remove from heat.
Combine and top
- Stir in 1 teaspoon of salt, ½ teaspoon of black pepper, 1 teaspoon of sugar, and 1 cup of sour cream. Mix well. Add about 2 pounds of green beans and 1 cup of shredded cheese of your choice. Cheddar cheese is commonly used.
- Transfer mixture to a 2½-quart casserole dish. (At this point, you can cover and refrigerate up to 3 days. Add topping just before baking.)
- Crush 12 Ritz crackers to make ½ cup of crumbs. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in the microwave, then mix it with the crushed crackers. (Option: substitute 1 cup French-fried onions, added in the last 5 minutes of baking.)
- Top casserole with the remaining 1 cup cheese, then sprinkle with topping of choice
Bake
- Bake at 350°F convection (375°F conventional) for 35–40 minutes, until the top is golden and the casserole is bubbling.
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips
- Test run first: Don’t make any new-to-you recipe for the first time on Thanksgiving—try it once ahead.
- Scaling down: Easy to cut in half for 4 servings. Use a 1-quart dish and reduce baking time by 10–15 minutes.
- Green bean choices: Fresh has the best texture and flavor (when in season, June–October). Frozen is the second best. Canned is softer, but it works fine—about 3 cans are needed for 2 pounds after draining.
- Cheese picks: Cheddar is classic, Swiss is excellent, Gruyère feels special. Shred your own for the best melt.
- Topping picks: Ritz cracker crumbs are my favorite. Or skip and add canned French fried onions in the last 5 minutes. The breadcrumb topping option is available in the post.
- Make ahead: Assemble without topping, cover, and refrigerate 1–3 days. Add topping just before baking.
- Leftovers: Refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat in oven or microwave.
Your Own Private Notes
To adjust the recipe size:
You can adjust the number of servings above; however, only the amount in the ingredient list is adjusted, not the instructions.
Nutrition Estimate (may vary)
Adapted from Allrecipe's Grandma's Green Bean Casserole.
Originally Published November 21, 2015. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
Liz Elam says
Wonderful alternative to the standard recipe.I had trouble with a too thick sauce so added enough milk to make it creamy. Did anyone have trouble cleaning the pan once the sauce was made…Swiss cheese mess?
Lauren says
I’ve been searching other green bean casserole recipes, I really want to try this one! What do you think about substituting the sour cream for cream cheese?!
DrDan says
Hi Lauren,
Welcome to the blog.
When creating a recipe post, I usually read many recipes. There were a few that used cream cheese. I don't remember now which but they are out there.
Having said that. I'm not a fan of cream cheese in casseroles or things like chili or southwest recipes. And my wife (who liked this recipe) will ask what I did and then not eat it. So, it is a matter of individual taste.
Dan
Heather says
Two tablespoons of butter dried up in 2 seconds and left my flour in crumbles? There's no way that's all the liquid that can be used.
DrDan says
Hi Heather,
Sorry, it didn't work well for you. The usual ratio of flour to fat for a roux is 1:1 and that is what this is. You can increase the butter (double) if you wish.
My best guess of what happened to you is the butter used was your issue. The butter should be real butter with full fat. Many butter substitutes are whipped or have a lower amount of fat.
Dan
Elisabeth Wasslen says
I would love to try this, but cannot do dairy. Can I just ask, what kind of soup were you using in the original recipe? I am a big vegetable lover, and so is my family, and I think we would all enjoy this. Thank you in advance.
DrDan says
Hi Elisabeth,
Welcome to the blog.
If you are lactose intolerant, I know there is lactose-free sour cream available. I hear there are dairy free versions but I have never seen them. Of course, there are dairy free subs for butter and cheeses.
The original recipes for this use Campbell's Cream of Mushroom soup which does have milk products. I don't know of substitutes that are dairy free unless you want to make your own.
This recipe is just so dairy heavy, it seems hard for you to do. Can I interest you in bacon? I have an excellent green bean bacon recipe that we use for special meals. https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/baked-bacon-green-beans/
Sorry I'm not more help.
Dan
Elisabeth Wasslen says
Thank you. I so much appreciate your help. Usually I use unsweetened coconut beverage and coconut yoghurt, e.g. I am also allergic to wheat, egg white and soy so I am always looking for good things I can eat. Actually I can eat very old cheddar cheese without consequence. I will definitely try the green beans with bacon. Looks so good to me.
Sandra says
Another winner. I used Swiss cheese and Ritz crackers. Yummy. The second day it had thickened up a bit so I would suggest a thinner sauce if making ahead
DrDan says
Thanks Sandra, I have never done this one "make ahead" so great tip.
Dan
DrDan says
Hi Krissy,
No, I have not. But I would expect a little downgrade with frozen. I have tried both in other recipes and the texture and flavor seems to suffer just a little.
Dan
KrissyG says
Thank you, Dan! We'll go with fresh green beans... making this week. :)
KrissyG says
Great recipe! Thank you:)
Wondering if anyone has tried frozen green beans yet... We'd love to know of/about the taste, texture, etc.
DrDan says
Thanks for the notes and rating. We had it for Thanksgivings and I used cheddar. Good but I like the Swiss cheese a little more.
Dan
Tracey says
Hi, Dan.
Did a "trial" run of this yesterday making sure it was at least liked by all (I was going for loved by all but a solid like would have made it tested and family approved). I, as well could never wrap my head around the other GB Casserole and can't even swallow whatever those things called onions were/are. So when I saw this it was a must try mainly for my husband who has missed this dish he grew up on solely because I would not make it (and I didn't grow up on it my grandparents refused to make it thank goodness!). Just for FYI I used fresh green beans.
Well the votes are in. Two liked it and two loved it! Sold! I gave some to my empty nester next door neighbors and one said this is pretty good the other said I love this version!
Thank you for an alternative to that other stuff. This dish will be on our holiday dinner table tomorrow.
Tracey
PS... I'm sure it's user error but once again can not get the stars to work. Would you so kindly give it 5 stars for me if you can?
Tracey says
Just an update... one of the nurses my husband has worked with for years got sick and went home. We know them well so I sent over two dinners for them. Thought nothing more about it until the phone rang and Chris (the hubby) said two things. One was to let me know that the macaroni and cheese I made was out of this world (funny thing about that was it was a last minute add on for the kids. Simplistic made on the stove top with 4 ingredients. I had never made it before, but it will be made again. A LOT!). The other comment was on your GB casserole! He said that if he had to choose between the meat and one of those dishes he would no doubt have had a vegetarian dinner! Ha! Just thought I'd let you know how much it was enjoyed along with my "not on the menu Mac and cheese"! Haha
Hope you had a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving day and meal.
Tracey