This easy Make Ahead Green Bean Casserole can be baked from frozen, and taken out the day of! With a sauce made from scratch with no canned soup- this fresh to frozen casserole is a great way to make a classic favorite ahead of time!
JUMP TO RECIPEEasy Make Ahead Green Bean Casserole!
This Make Ahead Green Bean Casserole is an easy and stress-free way to make sure you've got one delicious homemade side dish checked off your Holiday menu!
My Make Ahead Casserole features a tasty homemade sauce infused with plenty of fresh mushrooms (no canned soup!), and a classic crispy onion topping, and uses quickly blanched fresh or frozen green beans! You can put the whole dish together in just under 30 minutes, then pop it in the freezer (or fridge) until you're ready to enjoy!
Freeze the whole green bean casserole ahead of time (up to 3 weeks), or store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days ahead!
This recipe for Make Ahead Green Bean Casserole was designed to make in advance, so you can take one thing off your list on Turkey Day! It's just as great as classic green bean casserole, and it freezes well for a few weeks in advance, and can also be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days ahead instead!
Why it works
This casserole works because it contains minimal dairy, helping it to not break when baked. You can cook it right from the freezer, with a bit longer bake time, and none of the fuss!
Can you use fresh green beans instead of frozen?
Yes! If using fresh, just be sure to trim them first. You may also want to keep an eye on the beans when boiling, and reduce the cook time if needed. They may take a bit less time than the frozen variety. Both will be briefly boiled, then transferred to an ice bath to retain their vibrant green color. Be sure to remove any excess liquid when adding to the sauce and assembling the casserole.
Can you use canned green beans
You can! Just be sure to use more of them, and drain them well. I would recommend 2-3 cans (such as Del Monte) for 1 lb fresh or frozen. You could use cut or French cut, according to your preference.
What goes into the casserole?
To make this easy and freezer friendly Green Bean Casserole, you'll need:
1 lb frozen green beans (or fresh) petite green beans. You can use either! Just be sure to briefly cook them, and set them in an ice bath to cool (this will help them keep a bright green color). Remove all excess liquid before folding into the sauce for the casserole.
Butter, to start the sauce and cook down the ingredients. This will also give the flour something to cling to an help thicken the sauce.
An onion. You'll chop and saute the onion in butter to start the sauce, giving it a subtle sweetness and depth of flavor.
Fresh button mushrooms, sliced thinly. Button mushrooms have a nice mild and earthy flavor, which intensifies when cooked, giving them a slightly nutty flavor. They are retain their shape well, making them great for freezing.
A couple cloves of garlic, to give the sauce a well rounded, savory flavor.
Some all-purpose flour, to help thicken the sauce.
A can of chicken broth. The chicken broth adds a nice rich flavor to the sauce.
Some half and half. This helps keep the dairy light and minimal, making this dish easier to freeze and reheat without breaking.
Worcestershire sauce and soy sauce, for some extra umami.
French's fried onions/crispy fried onions. Without these- is it even a Green Bean Casserole?!
Substitutions and Variations
Make this recipe dairy free by substituting the butter for vegan butter or coconut oil, and using coconut milk in place of the half and half.
Do a gluten free version by using a cornstarch slurry to thicken (rather than the flour). To make a slurry, combine equal parts cornstarch and water until well combined with no lumps, and stir into the sauce at the very end to thicken. Most commercial French fried onions are not gluten-free, so you could make your own Gluten Free French Fried Onions, or purchase a store bought variety of a Gluten Free variety.
Make a totally homemade version and make your own fried shallots for the topping instead! If doing this, I recommend making them the day you intend to bake the casserole.
Keep it classic, and use a can of cream of mushroom soup in your sauce! If using this method, remove the half an half from the recipe, and swap with the canned soup.
Make a cheesy version! Add some sharp white cheddar cheese to the top, and stir a bit of parmesan cheese into the sauce!
Baking
This casserole is a breeze to bake right away, or from the fridge or freezer!
Baking from frozen
To bake the casserole from frozen:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Take dish out of freezer while oven is preheating.
- Uncover and remove plastic wrap. Rewrap dish with new foil.
- Bake covered for 1 hour. Some dishes may retain cold more than others, so if it looks a bit firm, give it about 15 more minutes.
- Uncover, and stir well.
- Top with even layer of crispy onions and bake for 30 minutes, uncovered, until onions are browned, and casserole is bubbly.
Baking the Green Bean Casserole right away
To bake the casserole right away, or from the fridge:
If you are not freezing the casserole- bake for 20 minutes covered, and 25-30 uncovered. If it was previously refrigerated, leave it out while the oven preheats.
Making the casserole for a crowd
If you want to double this recipe, you could expand to a larger baking dish, or make 2 and freeze/store them separately. If making a double batch and cooking from frozen- you'll want to adjust the cooking time. Approximately 1 hour 15 minutes covered and 40 minutes uncovered. A bigger batch frozen would benefit from sitting on the counter for about an hour prior to baking as well.
How long does green bean casserole last in fridge?
You can prepare this Make Ahead Green Bean Casserole up to 3 days ahead of time for storing in the refrigerator. Once it has been baked, it will last up to 3 days in the fridge in an airtight container, too!
Make Ahead Green Bean Casserole Recipe
Equipment
- 9"x6" (roughly) sized metal or ceramic baking dish
- plastic wrap
- aluminum foil
Ingredients
- 1 lb frozen (or fresh) petite green beans, trim ends, if fresh
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 1 medium Onion, diced
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 8 oz fresh button mushrooms, sliced thinly
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 2 tablespoon all-purpose Flour
- 1 14.5 oz can chicken broth
- ½ cup half and half
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 ½ cups French fried onions/ crispy onions
Instructions
- Prepping the Casserole: 1. In a medium saucepan, boil green beans for 4-5 minutes, then transfer to an ice bath to cool. Drain well, removing any excess liquid. 2. In a deep sauté pan, melt butter over medium heat. 3. Add onions, and season with salt and pepper. 4. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2-3 minutes. 5. Add mushrooms, and cook, stirring occasionally 5-6 minutes. 6. Add garlic until just fragrant, 1 minute. 7. Add flour and stir well. 8. Whisk in chicken broth, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, and half and half. 9. Cook 6-8 minutes until thick, stirring occasionally. 10. Fold in drained green beans, and cook 2-3 minutes more. 11. Transfer to greased ceramic or metal baking dish (about 9”x6”), and allow to cool completely to room temperature. 12. Cover with a layer of plastic wrap, then with aluminum foil. 13. Freeze for up to 2 weeks.To Bake: 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Take dish out of freezer while oven is preheating. 2. Uncover and remove plastic wrap. Rewrap dish with new foil. 3. Bake covered for 1 hour. 4. Uncover, and stir well. 5. Top with even layer of crispy onions and bake for 30 minutes, uncovered, until onions are browned, and casserole is bubbly. If Cooking right away: 1. If you are not freezing the casserole- bake for 20 minutes covered, and 25-30 uncovered.
Looking for more great sides?
My Stuffed Pattypan Squash with Rainbow Chard, Walnuts & Goat Cheese is a bite sized show shopping side dish with great flavor!
Roasted Carrots and Parsnips with Honey-Thyme Butter is a great way to give root veggies a big flavor boost!
My set-it-and-forget it Crockpot Stuffing is a great classic side you can make mostly hands off for Thanksgiving!
A smoky and savory version of sweet potatoes, my Scalloped Sweet Potatoes with Smoked Gouda and Rosemary is a flavorful way to switch things up from the usual classic Sweet Potato Casserole!
Decadent and creamy, my Browned Butter Boursin Mashed Potatoes are flavored with nutty browned butter and tangy and tasty Boursin cheese!
Made this Make Ahead Green Bean Casserole recipe? Leave a review and rating below!
© Jawns I Cooked. All images & content are the sole property of Jawns I Cooked. Please ask permission prior to using my photos. If you would like to share one of my recipes, please link back to this post and re-write the instructions in your own words.
Karen C Bragg says
I love green bean casserole but am not thrilled with making it with cream of mushroom soup. The flavor here is so much better. I added a tsp. of dried thyme while sauteing the onions and mushrooms. I do think it may take more than 2 TBS. of flour to thicken the sauce. It's a bit runny but still tastes wonderful. I also love that it can be made ahead of time. The flavors develope even more when made ahead.
Sharon Farnell says
Thanks for the feedback, Karen! Glad you enjoyed the recipe!