Homemade Green Bean Casserole without Condensed Soup Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the best substitute for cream of mushroom soup in green bean casserole? ›

Mushrooms: Instead of mushroom soup, use fresh button mushrooms instead. Broth: I use chicken broth because it's always in my fridge, but for a vegetarian green bean casserole, use vegetable broth. Cheese: Mom always added cheese, and I didn't know until a few years ago there is no cheese in the original.

The Casserole Is Too Soupy

If you used frozen green beans, but didn't fully defrost and drain them prior to adding them to the casserole, that mistake will surely account for the excess water you're now experiencing.

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.

Add a thickener

While your green bean casserole is on the stove, incorporate a thickener into the vegetables, such as cornstarch or flour. According to The Kitchn, you can combine cornstarch and a small amount of water or broth in a cup and stir until the lumps are gone, and it becomes a thick yet drizzly consistency.

These two products aren't identical, but they are very similar. Condensed cream of mushroom soup is a concentrated form of cream of mushroom soup. When you add a cup or two of liquid such as water, broth, or stock to condensed mushroom soup, it becomes cream of mushroom soup!

When I make green bean casserole, I skip canned beans all together. Frozen green beans are the best green beans to use for green bean casserole.

Using canned green beans

As canned beans are pre-cooked, it can make it easier to overcook them in your casserole which may impact the flavor, and they're more likely to lose their fresh coloring and turn a less appealing shade of gray-green.

Mistake #5: A Runny Casserole

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.

Fans love the dish in part because of how simple it is to throw together. It calls for ingredients that could be found in a typical home kitchen pantry: canned or fresh green beans, mushroom soup, milk, soy sauce and black pepper.

What to pair with green bean casserole? ›

Stuffing, cornbread, and rice are also great options that will add some variety to your meal. If you're looking for something a little lighter, a shaved Brussels sprouts salad or roasted sweet potatoes might be just what you need. Another great option is to serve a protein alongside your green bean casserole.

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.

✿ 4 cups of green beans is about 1½ pounds fresh or 16 ounces frozen or 2 cans (15 ounces each) drained.

Whole milk and light cream are the two components of half-and-half, so it's not that far off from the real deal. Use half-and-half as a 1:1 substitute for heavy cream. It can work nearly as well for bringing creamy texture and flavor to sauces, soups and stews, mashed potatoes, quiches, and casseroles.

The main difference is that cream of chicken is made of chicken stock, cream, and chicken meat, and cream of mushroom is a mix of mushrooms, cream, and garlic. This seems like an obvious answer, but it is the truth. They have very similar ingredients, with different main ingredients.

What are some herbs and spices that can be used to enhance canned cream of mushroom soup? There are several herbs and spices that can enhance the flavor of canned cream of mushroom soup. Popular options include thyme, rosemary, parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and paprika.

Cream of mushroom soup is a velouté (not a cream sauce); it is a thickened white stock that is finished with cream.