How do you sell more Cream of Mushroom Soup? Create the Green Bean Casserole recipe. That’s exactly what Campbell’s Soup founder, Dorcas Reilly did in 1955.
The inspiration for the dish was to create a quick and easy recipe. The recipe had to include two things most Americans always had on hand. In the 1950s, that was green beans and Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom Soup.
The recipe was originally printed on Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom soup cans and was called “Green Bean Bake.”¹
To this day, green bean casserole is still the one of the most popular Thanksgiving side dishes.
Kosher condensed cream of mushroom soup has become more difficult to find. However, there are substitutes if you’re unable to find it at your local grocer. For the sake of keeping things kosher (and dairy-free), I’ve adapted this recipe from Chef Alton Brown to suit our needs.
Baking Green Bean Casserole
Instead of Campbell’s 2 ingredients, this recipe contains a few extra ingredients. You can use frozen or fresh green beans, though I prefer that latter. In addition to the green beans and condensed soup, I make my own flavorful roux with oil, mushrooms, flour and almond milk. The flavor is amazing. However, in the end, it’s all about the crispy onions. Make sure the reserve some to finish the casserole. After all, who doesn’t love fried?
Preparation time takes 10 minutes. Baking time takes another 20 minutes. So within 30 minutes, you’ll have an amazing side dish to serve for Thanksgiving. Yes, it’s pretty much that simple.
Serve it warm as a side with turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, candied yams and cranberry sauce. If you have any room left over, finish with pumpkin pie.
I hope you’ll enjoy this 65 year old, tried and true, traditional, Thanksgiving recipe. Hat tip to Campbell’s Soup founder.
Green Bean Casserole (Dairy-Free, From Scratch)
DESCRIPTION
INGREDIENTS
- 1 lb green beans (rinsed, trimmed, and cut into halves)
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 Tbsp vegan butter or olive oil
- 1 medium shallot (finely minced)
- 2 garlic cloves (minced)
- 1 cup finely chopped mushrooms
- 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup vegetable broth (store-bought or prepared with consommé)
- 1 cup unsweetened plain almond milk
- 1 1/2 cups French’s crispy fried onions (divided)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Blanch the green beans
- Set the oven to 400°F. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a rolling boil. Add the green beans and cook for 5 minutes. Drain immediately and plunge them into a bowl of ice water to halt the cooking. Drain once more and set aside.
- Build the base for the sauce
- While the beans cool, heat the vegan butter or olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot and garlic, season with salt and pepper, and sauté for 2–3 minutes until softened.
- Add mushrooms and cook
- Stir in the mushrooms along with another small pinch of salt and pepper. Cook for 3–4 minutes, allowing the mushrooms to brown lightly.
- Thicken the mixture
- Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir so everything is coated. Let it cook for about a minute. Slowly pour in the vegetable broth, whisking constantly to eliminate lumps.
- Add almond milk and simmer
- Pour in the almond milk and whisk again. Add a little more salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low and let it bubble gently for 5–7 minutes until noticeably thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Assemble the casserole
- Remove the skillet from the heat. Fold in the green beans and 1/3 of the fried onions (about 1/2 cup). Mix until everything is well coated.
- Bake
- Scatter the remaining fried onions over the top. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for about 15 minutes, or until the casserole is hot, bubbling, and slightly browned.
- Store leftovers
- Any leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for a few days.
Notes
NUTRITION
Check out my other Thanksgiving recipes here.
