Easy Green Bean Casserole Without Cream Soup

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Easy green bean casserole with a creamy homemade sauce and a crispy cracker topping. Perfect as a flavorful holiday side dish!

Thanksgiving and Christmas are two holidays I love to go all out on and enjoy a big homemade dinner with lots of side dishes. One of our favorites is this easy green bean casserole.

It’s loaded with flavor with tender green beans coated in a creamy homemade sour cream sauce. But it needs no cream of mushroom soup, just simple pantry staples.

It’s perfect to serve with ground pork stuffing, garlic mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, and this easy cranberry pear sauce.

Ingredient Notes

For the full ingredient list see the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Green Beans: Frozen green beans are convenient and always ready to use. Fresh or canned green beans also work, offering flexibility. They provide the base texture and flavor for the casserole.

Sour Cream: Adds creaminess and tang, creating a rich, smooth sauce that ties the dish together.

Butter: Enhances the flavor while helping to make the roux, which thickens the sauce.

All-Purpose Flour: Thickens the sauce for the perfect consistency, making the casserole hearty and satisfying.

Cheddar Cheese: Adds sharp, savory flavor to both the sauce and the topping. Also creates a golden, melty finish.

Easy Green Bean Casserole Without Cream Soup

Add the frozen green beans to a large pot and cover with water. Bring them to a boil and cook for 5 minutes.

While the beans are cooking, melt two tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat, when melted, add the chopped onion and cook until tender.

Add the flour and stir to coat the onions, keep stirring until smooth, and cook for 1 minute.

Next, stir in the sour cream, 1 cup of cheddar cheese, salt, garlic, and sugar.

Then drain the green beans and add them, stirring to coat them in the sauce well.

Pour the mixture into a 9×13 baking dish and sprinkle the remaining cheddar cheese over top of the casserole.

Melt another tablespoon of butter and add the cracker crumbs. Toss to coat the crackers in butter and then sprinkle the mixture overtop of the casserole.

Bake in a preheated oven for 30 minutes until the topping is a nice golden brown and the cheese is bubbly.

Substitutions

Fresh Beans: If you decide to substitute fresh green beans for frozen, it’s important to precook the beans. First, wash the beans and cut them into pieces your desired size. I like to do 2-inch sections.

Add the beans to a large pot and cover them with water. Boil for 5-8 minutes or until the beans are tender but still crisp. If you choose to steam the beans instead, it can take 15 to 20 minutes to cook.

Canned Beans: Yes, you can use canned beans if you have them on hand. Both cut green beans and French beans will work well. You will need five to six 15 oz cans of green beans. To use canned beans, just open and drain the beans before adding them to the sauce.

Make A Head Instructions

Since holidays are a busy time, it’s always helpful when you can make things ahead of time. Thankfully, this recipe is easy to prep ahead of time.

1. Assemble your casserole: Follow all the steps in the recipe, but stop before adding the cracker topping. Prepare the buttery cracker topping and place it in an airtight container.

2. Refrigerate: Cover the casserole with foil or plastic wrap and place it and the topping in the fridge up to 24 hours ahead of time.

3. Bake: When you are ready to bake the casserole, get your oven preheating to 350F. Remove the casserole from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes while your oven heats up. Then add the topping and bake. You may need to add an extra 5 to 10 minutes to the baking time for the dish to heat all the way through.

Storage And Reheating Tips

Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap or foil or transfer to an airtight container and store in your fridge for up to 4 days.

To reheat small portions, microwave them for 30-second intervals, stirring between heatings. For larger portions, cover the baking dish with foil and reheat it at 350F for 20 minutes or until heated through.

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