Make the perfect holiday dish with this easy Green Bean Casserole with Cream Cheese! This rich, creamy, and flavorful casserole is the perfect side dish for any occasion. Serve it alongside your favorite main dish and you'll have a delicious and memorable meal that the whole family will love.
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💭 Why you'll love this recipe
- Creamy goodness. The addition of rich cream cheese to this classic casserole dish takes the traditional dish to a whole new level. And if you like creamy casseroles, check out this asparagus casserole too!
- Tastes like home. The comforting flavor of green bean casserole combined with cream cheese and creamy mushroom sauce will make you feel like you’re at grandma’s house for Sunday dinner.
- Quick and easy. The best part about this Thanksgiving favorite is how easy it is to make. All the ingredients you need are right in your kitchen. Simply mix together and throw in the oven for a perfect dish for the holiday season!
📋 Ingredients and notes
To make this easy green bean casserole recipe, you'll need condensed cream of mushroom soup, milk or plant milk, softened cream cheese, minced garlic gloves, green beans, fried onions, finely chopped scallions, and grated cheddar cheese. You can also add chopped nuts such as almonds or walnuts.
Notes and variations
- Green beans. For this recipe, I went with canned green beans; however, you could just as easily use fresh or frozen green beans if that's what you have on hand. Just make sure to thaw the frozen green beans so they don't get mushy when you bake them.
- Cream cheese. Go for full-fat cream cheese for the best flavor and texture. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can even mix in sour cream, heavy cream, some roasted garlic, or herbs to give your casserole more depth of flavor.
- Chopped nuts. To vary the flavor and add a crunchy texture, you can add chopped nuts such as almonds or walnuts.
- Add fresh mushrooms. Add chopped fresh mushrooms to make your dish more hearty! You can also swap canned soup with fresh soup if you wish.
- Choice of dish. I use a baking dish but you can also use a large skillet (oven-safe, of course!) I've made this in a cast iron skillet and it turns out great too!
📖 Make green bean casserole with cream cheese!
Preheat your oven to 350ºF.
Mix together the cream of mushroom soup, milk, cream cheese, and minced garlic in a medium size or large bowl.
Stir the mixture until everything is thoroughly combined. In case the cream cheese is not at room temperature, use a whisk to blend it in.
Drain the green beans and add to the cream cheese mixture, mixing gently.
Then, mix in ⅔ cup of fried onions.
Transfer the green bean mixture to a 1 ½-quart baking dish and bake it for 30 minutes. If you notice it browning too much too quickly, you can also cover with aluminum foil to allow it to bake without burning.
Once the 30 minutes are up, take the baking dish out of the oven and sprinkle the remaining crispy onions, hard cheese, and chopped nuts, on top of the mixture. Return the dish to the oven and bake for another 5 minutes, or until the onions and cheese mixture turns golden brown.
Finish by sprinkling scallions (and maybe more french-fried onions!) on top and serve. Your cheesy green bean casserole is ready! You can also sprinkle it with fresh parsley and parmesan cheese for more flavor!
👩🏽🍳Top tips for making the best green bean casserole with cream cheese
To create a cheesy green beans casserole, keep these essential tips in mind:
- Swap canned beans. You can use fresh and tender green beans instead of canned beans, but if you do this, trim off the ends and blanch them in boiling water for a few minutes before adding them.
- Get creative with crunchy toppings. Think beyond just the traditional french fried onions. Add fresh Panko breadcrumbs or roasted almonds / walnuts for a delicious crunchy topping as well.
- Make sure your sauce isn’t too runny. To make sure your sauce is thick and creamy, mix together cream cheese, butter, and a few tablespoons of all-purpose flour before adding it to your dish.
- Don’t forget the cheese. To add an extra layer of flavor and texture, sprinkle some shredded sharp cheddar on top before baking.
👩🏽🍳Troubleshooting FAQs
To prevent your green bean casserole from becoming a sloppy mess, avoid overcooking the dish. Furthermore, adding cheese or breadcrumbs on top will help keep it dry and crispy. For optimal results, bake in an appropriately-sized shallow baking dish so that heat can spread throughout evenly while allowing sufficient room for moisture to evaporate.
To thicken your green bean casserole, you could try adding a bit of flour or cornstarch to the mixture. You could also add some breadcrumbs or shredded cheese to the top of the casserole before baking it — that'll give you a crispy, crunchy topping.
🍴 Serving and storage suggestions
There are many ways to enjoy this classic green bean casserole with cream cheese. One option is to serve it as a side dish with a classic main dish (like with this vegan turkey roast or whole cauliflower). The creamy, savory flavors of the casserole complement the richness of many main dishes making it a popular choice for a holiday meal.
Another idea is to serve the casserole as a vegetarian main course (you could add a can of white beans along with the green beans if you wish), along with a side salad, mashed potatoes, or some crusty bread.
If you have leftovers from this delicious recipe, you can store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can also freeze for up to 2 weeks.
Allow casserole to cool to room temperature, cover or wrap with plastic wrap and foil, and freeze.
To reheat, remove foil / wrap (if relevant) and place the casserole in the oven for about 15 minutes. The cream cheese will help keep the dish moist and flavorful, so you can enjoy it all over again!
Check out these Thanksgiving recipes for other recipes your family will love:
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📖 Recipe
Green Bean Casserole with Cream Cheese
Ingredients
- 10.5 oz condensed cream of mushroom soup, one can
- ½ cup milk, substitute almond milk
- 8 oz Cream cheese, softened
- 2 medium garlic cloves, minced
- 33 oz green beans, 3 cans
- 6 oz fried onions
- ¼ cup scallions, finely chopped
- ½ cup hard cheese, grated
- ⅓ cup walnuts, chopped, optional
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350ºF.
- Mix together cream of mushroom soup, milk, cream cheese and minced garlic in a medium size bowl. Stir the mixture until everything is thoroughly combined. In case the cream cheese is not softened, use a whisk to blend it in.
- Drain the green beans and add to the cream cheese mixture, mixing gently. Then, mix in ⅔ cup of fried onions.
- Transfer the green bean mixture to a 1 ½ -quart baking dish and bake it for 30 minutes.
- Once the 30 minutes are up, take the baking dish out of the oven and sprinkle the remaining fried onions, hard cheese and chopped nuts, on top of the mixture. Return the dish to the oven and bake for another 5 minutes, or until the onions and cheese mixture turn golden in color.
- Finish by sprinkling scallions on top and serve.
Notes
- Swap canned beans. You can use fresh and tender green beans instead of canned beans, but if you do this, trim off the ends and blanch them in boiling water for a few minutes before adding them.
- Get creative with crunchy toppings. Think beyond just the traditional french fried onions. Add fresh Panko breadcrumbs or roasted almonds / walnuts for a delicious crunchy topping as well.
- Make sure your sauce isn’t too runny. To make sure your sauce is thick and creamy, mix together cream cheese, butter, and a few tablespoons of all-purpose flour before adding it to your dish.
Brought this green bean casserole to a potluck and it was a crowd favorite! It was bursting with flavors, so rich and creamy.
Oh wow, I felt super nostalgic in a great way making this recipe . . .I loved your cream cheese addition. That was a pure gold upgrade, making it this way forever now. THanks!
This casserole hit the spot! I don't normally like green beans but this changed my mind, haha. Perfectly creamy!
I have never tried cream cheese in green bean casserole before... I can confidently now say that I will never make it another way. The level of creaminess and tang was unbelievable. I couldn't stop eating it. This recipe is a keeper, everyone in the family LOVED it!
This green bean casserole was amazing. So flavorful and creamy with a touch of the tang from the cream cheese. Waaaay better than any I've had before. Can I also just say that your photos are gorgeous?!