The holidays just wouldn’t be the same without the traditional green bean casserole. This particular recipe uses shoestring onion rings, which really packs a punch of flavor.
Green bean casserole was innovated by Dorcas Reilly of the Campbell Soup Company back in 1955. This traditional casserole consists of green beans, cream of mushroom soup, and french fried onions.
While our recipe calls for fresh green beans, canned green beans (drained, of course), french-style green beans, or frozen green beans all work just as well. The fresh green beans have a crisper texture. If you opt to use canned green beans, start with a lesser amount of salt and adjust to your taste preferences.
Traditional Green Bean Casserole
You’ll Need:
1 lb fresh green beans (about 4 cups)
1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup of milk
1 tsp soy sauce
French fried Shoestring onions (homemade is best, recipe at the bottom, but you can use canned if you’d like)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp white ground pepper
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Place green beans, soup, milk, and soy sauce in a large microwave-safe bowl. Mix well and heat in the microwave on HIGH until warm (3 to 5 minutes). Season with salt and pepper, stir, taste, and adjust seasoning as needed.
Transfer green bean mixture to a casserole dish and sprinkle with shoestring onions. Bake in a preheated 350°F oven until the cheese melts and the onions just begin to brown.
Green Bean Casserole Variations
Here are a few of our favorite variations, to use add one or more to the above recipe.
- 12 ounces of Bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup of sliced, fresh mushrooms (any type that you love!)
- 1 tsp of Worcestershire sauce (omit the soy sauce!)
- Creamy Green Bean Casserole: add 4 ounces of cream cheese (mix this with the condensed soup before mixing with the beans)
Homemade Shoestring Onion Rings
Let’s be honest, the shoestring onions are the star of the dish, imparting crunch and a burst of flavor. While you can definitely use canned in a pinch, these fried opinion bits are the bomb!
Directions for Shoestring Onion Rings:
- Peel a yellow onion and slice it on the 1/8 inch setting of a mandoline slicer.
- Whisk together 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 cup cornmeal, and a tsp of salt in a pie plate.
- Working in batches, toss some of the onion rings into the flour mixture, breaking them up into thin rings as you drop them in.
- Heat a couple of inches of vegetable oil* in a pan to about 325-350 degrees.
- Drop a handful of rings into the oil and fry until golden brown, less than a minute.
- Remove them from the oil and drain on a paper towel. Repeat until all the onion is cooked.
