Paula Deen Green Bean Casserole is the Southern take on the holiday classic: fresh green beans simmered in chicken broth, stirred together with butter-sautéed mushrooms and onion, cream of mushroom soup and a whole can of French-fried onions, then baked under a layer of melted sharp cheddar. It serves 6 and is ready in about 45 minutes.
How to make it: Boil the green beans in chicken broth for 10 minutes and drain. Sauté onion and mushrooms in butter, stir in the beans, soup, fried onions and seasonings, and spread it in a 1 1/2-quart dish. Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes, sprinkle with cheddar, and bake 5 to 10 minutes more.
Why You’ll Love It
- Fresh green beans: no cans of beans, and they cook in broth, not plain water.
- Real mushrooms and onion: sautéed in butter on top of the canned soup.
- Cheddar on top: a melted cheese layer instead of the usual pile of fried onions.
- Holiday friendly: a Thanksgiving and Easter side that serves 6.
Ingredient Notes
Fresh green beans and chicken broth: Two cups of trimmed green beans, about 3/4 pound, cooked in 3 cups of chicken broth. Cut whole beans into bite-size pieces.
Butter, onion and mushrooms: A third of a stick of butter, half a medium yellow onion (about 1/2 cup diced) and 1/2 cup of sliced fresh mushrooms. Add more mushrooms if you love them.
Cream of mushroom soup: One 10.5-ounce can of condensed soup, used straight from the can.
French-fried onions: One 2.8-ounce can, stirred into the casserole.
Seasoning: The original calls for a pinch of Paula Deen’s House Seasoning. Here it is measured out: 1/4 teaspoon each of fine sea salt and garlic powder, and 1/8 teaspoon each of black pepper and onion powder.
Sharp cheddar: One cup, freshly grated, for the top.
Ingredients
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups fresh green beans, washed and ends trimmed (about 3/4 pound)
- 1/3 stick butter
- 1/2 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1/2 cup)
- 1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
- 1 can (10.5 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup
- 1 can (2.8 ounces) French-fried onions
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 cup freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese
How to Make Southern Green Bean Casserole
1. Heat the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 1 1/2-quart (6-cup) baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Cook the green beans. Put the green beans in a medium saucepan, pour the chicken broth over them and bring to a boil. Once boiling, turn the heat to medium, boil for 10 minutes, then drain.
3. Sauté the onion and mushrooms. While the beans cook, melt the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and mushrooms and sauté until the onion is translucent and the mushrooms have softened, about 5 minutes.
4. Mix. Add the drained green beans, cream of mushroom soup, French-fried onions, salt, garlic powder, pepper and onion powder to the skillet and mix thoroughly. Transfer to the baking dish.
5. Bake. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes.
6. Add the cheese. Sprinkle the cheddar evenly over the top and bake 5 to 10 minutes more, until the casserole is hot (165°F in the center) and the cheese has melted.
What Makes Paula Deen’s Version Different
Three things set this casserole apart.
The beans cook in broth. The fresh green beans boil in chicken broth for 10 minutes before they go into the casserole. That par-cooks them and gives them the flavor of the broth. Drain them well; if you want to stop the cooking right away, cool them in a bowl of ice water and drain again in a colander.
A fresh mushroom base. Diced onion and sliced fresh mushrooms cook in butter until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. The soup, beans and seasonings are stirred into that same skillet.
Onions in, cheese on top. The whole can of French-fried onions is mixed into the casserole, and the top gets a cup of sharp cheddar for the last 5 to 10 minutes of baking.
Tips for Success
- Grate your own cheddar: the recipe calls for freshly grated sharp cheddar.
- Cut the beans small: bite-size or 2-inch pieces are easy to eat.
- Add the cheese late: bake the casserole 20 minutes first, then add the cheddar and bake until just melted.
- Use the right dish: a 1 1/2-quart (6-cup) dish, or an 8×8-inch pan.
Variations
- More mushrooms: double the fresh mushrooms.
- Simple seasoning: use a pinch each of salt, black pepper and garlic powder, or a pinch of Paula Deen’s House Seasoning.
Storage & Reheating
USDA FSIS says to refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow, covered containers and eat them within 3 to 4 days. Reheat to 165°F. FSIS lists cream sauces among foods that do not freeze well, so this casserole is best kept in the refrigerator rather than the freezer.
What to Serve With It
It belongs on the holiday table next to the turkey or ham and Paula Deen’s Southern cornbread dressing, with easy creamy corn casserole as a second side. For weeknight green beans, try smothered green beans, smothered green beans with potatoes or Texas Roadhouse copycat green beans, and for another Paula Deen favorite, Paula Deen’s crockpot potato soup.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is in Paula Deen’s green bean casserole?
Fresh green beans cooked in chicken broth, butter, onion, fresh mushrooms, cream of mushroom soup, French-fried onions, seasoning and sharp cheddar on top.
How is it different from a regular green bean casserole?
The beans are fresh and simmered in chicken broth, there are sautéed fresh mushrooms and onion, the fried onions are stirred in, and cheddar goes on top.
How many does it serve?
Six, from a 1 1/2-quart dish.
What is House Seasoning?
Paula Deen’s own seasoning blend, which the original recipe uses by the pinch. This recipe replaces it with measured salt, garlic powder, black pepper and onion powder.
Final Notes
Simmer the beans in broth, build the base in the skillet, and save the cheddar for the end. If you make it, tell me how it turned out in the comments.
Paula Deen Green Bean Casserole
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Ingredients
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups fresh green beans washed and ends trimmed, about 3/4 pound
- 1/3 stick butter
- 1/2 medium yellow onion diced, about 1/2 cup
- 1/2 cup fresh mushrooms sliced
- 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup 10.5 ounces
- 1 can French-fried onions 2.8 ounces
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese freshly grated
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 1 1/2-quart (6-cup) baking dish with cooking spray.
- Put the green beans in a medium saucepan, pour the chicken broth over them and bring to a boil. Once boiling, turn the heat to medium, boil for 10 minutes, then drain.
- While the beans cook, melt the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and mushrooms and sauté until the onion is translucent and the mushrooms have softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add the drained green beans, cream of mushroom soup, French-fried onions, salt, garlic powder, pepper and onion powder to the skillet and mix thoroughly. Transfer to the baking dish.
- Bake uncovered for 20 minutes.
- Sprinkle the cheddar evenly over the top and bake 5 to 10 minutes more, until the casserole is hot (165°F in the center) and the cheese has melted.
