Now you can enjoy a great green bean casserole without the mandatory cream of mushroom soup.
With the holidays approaching, one of the mandatory dishes is a green bean casserole. Now understand I hate cooking with cans of soup. Just a general principle I follow if possible. So I went on the hunt for a substitute without the can of soup.
Adapted from Allrecipe’s Grandma’s Green Bean Casserole, I made a few adjustments after reading the comments. I went with swiss cheese instead of cheddar. I used fresh green beans when canned were recommended along with a few other modifications.
Rating
It’s a nice 4. Grandpa and wifo had two servings each.
Molly and Lilly are enjoying the first snow of the season.
Notes:
First the beans. I blanched fresh beans to the point of just shy of done then the ice bath to stop the cooking. I suspect the recommend three cans drained or two pounds of frozen should be fine. But fresh is always better.
Second the cheese. I was just in the mood for Swiss cheese, but a nice sharp cheddar would be good.
Third the topping. I went with the suggested topping of crushed butter crackers (Ritz) mixed with butter but if you want the traditional can of onion rings that should work fine. Leave off the crackers, cook as directed but add the onion rings for the last five minutes of cooking.
Preheat oven to 350 convection or 375 conventional. Your green beans can be fresh but blanched to almost done, three cans drained or 2 pounds frozen.
Chop one small onion. Add two tablespoons butter to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until clearing some, about 2-3 minutes.
Stir in two tablespoons flour until smooth and cook for one minute. Remove from heat.
Add one teaspoon salt, one teaspoon sugar, and one cup sour cream. Mix well. Stir in about two pounds of green beans and one cup of shredded cheese of your choice. I used swiss, but cheddar would be a good choice also.
Transfer the bean mixture to a 2 1/2 quart casserole dish. Top with the remaining 1 cup of cheese.
Crush 12 Ritz crackers to make 1/2 cup of crumbs. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a microwave and then mix the butter with the crushed crackers.
Sprinkle over the casserole.
Bake for about 35-40 minutes until the top is golden and casserole is bubbly.
- 2 pounds green beans
- 1 onion small
- 3 tablespoons butter divided
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 cups shredded cheese of choice
- 12 butter crackers Ritz crushed
- Preheat oven to 350 convection or 375 conventional. Your green beans can be fresh but blanched to almost done, three cans drained or 2 pounds frozen.
- Chop one small onion.
- Add two tablespoons butter to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until clearing some, about 2-3 minutes.
- Stir in two tablespoons flour until smooth and cook for one minute. Remove from heat.
- Add one teaspoon salt, one teaspoon sugar, and one cup sour cream. Mix well.
- Stir in about two pounds of green beans and one cup of shredded cheese of your choice. I used swiss but cheddar would be a good choice also.
- Transfer the bean mixture to a 2 1/2 quart casserole dish. Top with the remaining one cup of cheese.
- Crush 12 Ritz crackers to make 1/2 cup of crumbs. Melt one tablespoon butter in a microwave and then mix the butter with the crushed crackers. Sprinkle over the casserole.
- Bake for about 35-40 minutes until the top is golden and casserole is bubbly.
First the beans. I blanched fresh beans to the point of just shy of done then the ice bath to stop the cooking. I suspect the recommend 3 cans drained or two pounds of frozen should be fine. But fresh is always better. Second the cheese. I was just in the mood for Swiss cheese but a nice sharp cheddar would be good.Third the topping. I went with the suggested topping of crushed butter crackers (Ritz) mixed with butter but if you really want the traditional can of onion rings that should work fine. Leave off the crackers, cook as directed but add the onion rings for the last five minutes of cooking.
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All nutritional information are estimates and may vary from your actual results. This is home cooking, and there are many variables. To taste ingredients such as salt will be my estimate of the average used.
If you like this recipe or find it useful, the pleasure of a nice 4 or 5 rating would be greatly appreciated. Rating is done by clicking on the stars above.
Updated
June 8, 2016
Hi All, I’m DrDan and welcome to 101 Cooking for Two. We present some of the best recipes with easy to follow step by step photo instructions to make your everyday cooking needs easier.
Tracey
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
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
DrDan
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
Virginia
Wish nutrition info. was included. Am trying this today using frozen beans.
DrDan
I don’t do nutrition info due to the many variables. But if you want an estimate then check at https://www.caloriecount.com/cc/recipe_analysis.php.
About the frozen beans. I suspect some texture issues with the things I have done before with frozen beans. But give it a try and report if you would please.
DrDan
KrissyG
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
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
Thank you, Dan! We’ll go with fresh green beans… making this week. :)