Creamy Green Bean Casserole from Scratch - Sally's Baking Addiction (2024)

FAQs

How do you make green bean casserole not soggy? ›

If you are finding that your green bean casserole is soupy, be sure to drain the green beans really well after blanching so you aren't getting extra water in the casserole that way. Then make sure to thicken the sauce properly by letting the chicken broth and half-and-half simmer long enough to thicken.

How It Became a Holiday Staple. Green bean casserole was considered a perfect dish for holiday entertaining because it was simple, inexpensive, and could easily be made ahead of time. It became known as a "jiffy casserole" because it went from one bowl to one pan.

Green Bean Casserole was created by a Campbell Soup Company employee, Dorcas Reilly, at our Camden, New Jersey headquarters in 1955. She was one of the first full-time members of Campbell's Home Economics department—now known as the Campbell Test Kitchen, where I work.

In a large saucepan or stock pot, bring 4 quarts water and 1 tablespoon salt to boil. Meanwhile, set out a large bowl of ice water. To the pot of boiling water, add the green beans and boil until tender-crisp but still bright green, about 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to the ice bath to stop the cooking.

Green bean casserole should have a nice thick sauce that coats the green beans—it should not resemble soup. One common cause of a watery casserole is not adding enough thickener, such as flour or cornstarch, to your sauce.

The Casserole Is Too Soupy

Don't worry, there's a relatively easy and quick fix that will help soak up the excess liquid: Make a slurry of flour or cornstarch in liquid (broth or water) to help thicken it up and then cook it for a bit longer.

The recipe was created in 1955 by Dorcas Reilly at the Campbell Soup Company. As of 2020, Campbell's estimated it was served in 20 million Thanksgiving dinners in the US each year and that 40% of the company's cream of mushroom soup sales go into a version of the dish.

Phaseolus vulgaris

Often called green beans or snap beans in America, string beans are one of the most common garden vegetables in the United States. String beans come in many forms—some 130 in all—ranging from the petite, delicately flavored French variety called haricot verts to the broader, meaty Italian specimens.

Green Bean Casserole Leftovers

Your creamy green bean casserole will last about four days in the fridge. The crunchy topping will get softer as time goes by; pop it into the oven to reheat to crisp it up a bit. While casseroles have a reputation for being freezer-friendly, green bean casseroles don't freeze so well.

Of course, some people do eat Green Bean Casserole year-round, but if Campbells stats about the recipe are anything to go by, most people eat it on Thanksgiving.

Do most people like green bean casserole? ›

Instacart conducted a survey with The Harris Poll and found that a majority of Americans, 69%, secretly dislike some classic Thanksgiving food but eat it anyway because of tradition. The top offenders were: Canned cranberry sauce (29%) Green bean casserole (24%)

If you don't, the excess water from the beans can leak out into the casserole and make it thin and runny. If you sense it's a little watery, "add a thickener like roux or starch to absorb the additional liquid or cook a little longer," she says. That'll give it that rich, dense consistency you're looking for.

Using a high concentration of salt in the blanching water (2 tablespoons per quart of water) allows the green beans to tenderize rapidly, so their bright green color is preserved. The large amount of salt in the blanching water penetrates the beans' sturdy skins to season them more fully than smaller amounts would.

Are Green Beans Safe for Dogs? Chopped, steamed, raw, or canned—all types of green beans are safe for dogs to eat, as long as they are plain. Green beans themselves are not only safe for dogs, but veterinarians also recommend them as a healthy treat. Best of all, dogs seem to love them.

It's best to store your fresh green beans in the fridge, otherwise store green beans in the freezer if you want them to last longer. You can also store unwashed and unblanched green beans in the refrigerator for up to about seven days before you need to store your green beans in the freezer.

Just because your casserole is starting to look a bit soupy doesn't mean it's beyond saving. In fact, all you need to do is add some pasta noodles or grains to your base. This trick works for the simple reason that both types of ingredients soak up water as they cook.

To prevent a soggy top and a firm or crunchy bottom, it's important to use a shallow baking dish, to cook the casserole at the correct oven temperature and for the appropriate amount of time, and to be mindful of the amount of liquid used in the recipe.

Spread half of soup mixture over beans in dish. Top with remaining half of beans and soup mixture. BAKE uncovered 30 minutes.

While the beans are cooking, fill a large bowl with cold water and ice. As soon as the beans are done cooking, transfer them immediately to the ice bath to stop the cooking process and preserve their bright green color. Leave the beans in the bowl of ice water for a few minutes before removing them with tongs.