Classic green bean casserole with fried onion topping, from scratch! Easy to make ahead. So much better than canned!

Photography Credit: Megan Keno

Our family, like every other family at Thanksgiving, is no stranger to green bean casserole, with its crunchy fried onion topping and rich, creamy filling. Truth be told, it’s one of my favorites, along with the jellied cranberry sauce.

But over the years, I have come to expect more from my green bean casserole than just opening up a few cans of beans, soup, and sprinkling on some prepared fried onions.

Here is my totally from-scratch version – you’ll never look at green bean casserole the same way again.

Video! How to Make Green Bean Casserole

Homemade Fried Onion Topping — Better than French’s!

Frying your own onions gives them a crunchy texture that can’t be beat by anything from a can. The onions are soaked in buttermilk and then coated with crispy Panko crumbs, herbs, and flour before being fried to a golden crisp.

This said, if you’d like to give yourself a short-cut on this most-busiest of holidays, French’s Fried Onions make a fine substitute. Trader Joe’s also makes a brand that we really like!

Homemade Mushroom Cream Sauce — Better than Canned!

I also make my own mushroom cream sauce. Button and Crimini mushrooms are always a good choice here, but try buttery Chantrelles if you want something a little more decadent. Mixing up the mushrooms is one way to give this dish a different flavor and make it stand out.

We don’t suggest swapping this cream sauce for canned cream sauce. The casserole just isn’t as good!

A Make-Ahead Thanksgiving Dish

This dish can be made ahead of time and kept in the fridge until ready to heat. To keep the fried onions crispy, store them separately in an airtight container on the counter. Wait to top the casserole until just before baking .

It’s hard to go back to the canned version after this!

Looking for more Thanksgiving Sides from Scratch? Here you go!