Crinkled Cookbook logo

menu icon
subscribe
search icon
×

Modified: · Published: by · This post may contain affiliate links · this blog generates income from ads.

Elegant Green Bean Casserole

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Elegant Green Bean Casserole has all the flavors we love with traditional green bean casserole, but we use fresh green beans that are first sautéd in olive oil infused with garlic, with a splash of white wine and soy sauce. The final result provides a new "elegant" perspective on a family favorite side dish. Serve with Twice-Baked Mashed Potatoes for a stellar side dish menu.

Baked green bean casserole with a serving spoon.
After baking, the green beans should be softened enough to serve using a large spoon.
Jump to:

Why You'll Love this Green Bean Casserole

Elegant Green Bean Casserole is made with fresh green beans, which gives the classic casserole a vibrant, crisp flavor.

Some of my favorite main course recipes to serve with it are Rotisserie Chicken and Stuffing Casserole, No Ketchup Meatloaf or Baked Buttermilk Chicken Tenders.

But of course, green bean casserole is also a delicious side dish like Orange-Spiced Sweet Potato Casserole to serve at holiday meals.

Ingredients to Have on Hand

  • fresh green beans
  • canned water chestnuts
  • white wine, or a substitute
  • soy sauce
  • cream of mushroom soup
  • crispy fried onions

See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

The sauce surrounding each and every green bean is rich and creamy! Truly "elegant."

How to Prep the Fresh Green Beans

There's something impressive and elegant about having full-sized green beans on the plate.

I get it, sometimes the longer beans are a little tricky to work with while we are cooking. So here's what I do, when sautéing the beans in the first step of this recipe, it helps to use tongs to turn and coat the green beans in the olive oil.

Green beans and a knife on a cutting board.
Trim the fresh green beans if needed, but there's no need to cut them into small pieces.
Diced water chestnuts on a cutting board.
The water chestnuts are sliced from the can, but diced them before adding these to the green beans.

Note: Some of the links you find on this page are paid links, Amazon Associates. That means I make a small commission when you click and shop. Your cost is the same and I only link to products or ingredients that I use and enjoy.

First Sauté the Fresh Green Beans

It sounds like a super special way to cook, but to sauté something simply means to cook it quickly in hot oil or fat and that's exactly how this recipe starts. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a pan.

I love my Le Creuset pan for this recipe. It was a gift from my sister-in-law and it cooks ALL things beautifully! I highly recommend it.

Heat the oil until it starts to shimmer, then add a teaspoon of fresh garlic.

Green beans sautéing on the stove.
The fresh green beans cook for about 10 minutes on the stovetop.

Pro Tip: Cook and stir the garlic for about a minute, then add the green beans and use tongs to turn them while they cook.

Recipe FAQs

Can I use canned or frozen green beans instead of fresh ones?

I don't recommend making the switch to canned green beans. The distinctive tenderness we find with canned green beans will give this recipe a much different presentation and the cooking time on the stove will be lessened.

Frozen green beans are likely a better substitute, but I haven't made this recipe using frozen green beans so can't vouch for that option. I prefer the freshness of the green beans we buy from the produce section of the grocery store or from our favorite farmers' market.

Can this be prepped a day ahead?

Yes, this can be assembled a day in advance and refrigerated until baking. Saute the green beans and combine the ingredients in the same order as listed in the recipe, then cover and refrigerate until you are ready to bake. Hold off on adding the top layer of crispy fried onions until you bake the casserole and increase the baking time by 10 additional minutes.

Green beans, water chestnuts and fried onions in a pan on the stove.
Add just one cup of fried onions while the green beans are on the stove, the remaining one cup will be added later.

Variations and Substitutions

I usually have plenty of white wine in the house so the two tablespoons needed for this recipe, basically a splash of wine, are easy to come by.

But I totally understand that you may not want to buy an entire bottle of wine, just to use two tablespoons.

If that's the case, I like the substitutions mapped about by Kraft Heinz - as a general rule, chicken or vegetable broth makes a nice substitute for white wine in cooking.

Use One Can of Soup

All you need is a 10.5-ounce can of condensed cream of mushroom soup. Open it up and pour the contents over the sautéd green beans. No water or milk is needed.

The white wine and soy sauce both provide plenty of liquid and amazing flavor to this recipe.

A serving of casserole on a plate.
The sauce surrounding each and every green bean is rich and creamy. Truly "elegant."

More Sides to Enjoy

Elegant Green Bean Casserole is made from scratch and is a family favorite. It's perfect for holidays, or any time you want an impressive side dish. Here are some of my other favorite sides.

Dinner Recipes

If you tried this Elegant Green Bean Casserole or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below.

Recipe

Baked green bean casserole with a serving spoon.

Elegant Green Bean Casserole

All the flavors we love with traditional green bean casserole, but these fresh green beans are sautéd in olive oil infused with garlic, white wine and soy sauce. Serve with Crusted Chicken Romano and Country Potatoes for a delicious meal or with Butternut Squash Casserole to enjoy a classic holiday flavor combination.
4.99 from 175 votes
Print Rate Pin Recipe
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 6 as a side dish
Calories: 404kcal
Author: Melinda O'Malley Keckler

Ingredients 

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 4 - 5 cups green beans - fresh, about a pound and a half
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • 2 tablespoons white wine
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 8 ounce can - sliced water chestnuts, drained and chopped
  • 1 10.5 ounce can cream of mushroom soup
  • 2 cups crispy fried onions - divided

Instructions

Sauté Green Beans

  • Preheat oven to 350° F
  • Add olive oil to a skillet or oven-safe Dutch oven and heat until the oil begins to shimmer. Add minced garlic and cook until the garlic becomes fragrant, about 1 minute.
  • Rinse and trim the green beans and add to the skillet or Dutch oven. Season with salt and pepper and add the white wine and soy sauce. Cook over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes or until the green beans begin to soften a little.

Combine Ingredients

  • Remove from the heat and add water chestnuts, cream of mushroom soup and 1 cup of the crispy fried onions. Stir to combine.

Bake and Serve

  • If using a skillet to cook the beans, pour the ingredients into a greased, glass 13" x 9" baking dish.
    If using an oven-proof Dutch oven, the green bean mixture can stay in the same pan.
    Top with the remaining 1 cup of crispy fried onions and bake uncovered for 30 minutes, or until bubbling around the edges.

Notes

All you need is a 10.5-ounce can of condensed cream of mushroom soup. Open it up and pour the contents over the sautéd green beans. No water or milk is needed. The white wine and soy sauce both provide plenty of liquid and amazing flavor to this recipe. For a great side dish combination, serve this with Homemade Creamed Corn or Sweet Corn Pasta Salad.
Calories: 404kcalCarbohydrates: 20gProtein: 3gFat: 35gSaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 528mgPotassium: 355mgFiber: 4gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 1139IUVitamin C: 20mgCalcium: 61mgIron: 2mg

Please note, the nutrition details are estimated using a food database, so they’re just a rough estimate not an exact science.

Did you try this recipe? Leave a comment below or @crinkledcookbook on Instagram, snap a photo and tag it #crinkledcookbook

More Savory & Delicious Sides

Reader Interactions

Comments

    4.99 from 175 votes (173 ratings without comment)

    Leave a Reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  1. Jennifer Wicker says

    Can this be made ahead?

    Reply

    • Melinda O'Malley Keckler says

      Hi Jennifer, Yes this can be assembled a day in advance. Saute the green beans and combine the ingredients in the same order as listed in the recipe, then cover and refrigerate until you are ready to bake. The only adjustments, I recommend holding off on adding the top layer of crispy fried onions until you bake the casserole and increasing the baking time by 10 *additional* minutes.

      Reply

  2. Deborah Mason says

    Would like to.bring to a Thanksgiving hosted by a relative. Could I sauté at home then finish in the oven when I arrive at my destination? Also, can this be made vegan or vegetarian?

    Reply

    • Melinda O'Malley Keckler says

      Hi Deborah, I LOVE your question... so I prepared this again with that step in mind. I sautéd the green beans with the garlic, soy sauce and white wine, then refrigerated and waited about 2 hours until assembling everything in a baking dish. Bottom line, if you assemble this after sautéing, please increase the baking time about 10 additional minutes in the oven to give the green beans enough time to soften. I think the dish is vegetarian as-is. 🙂 Let me know how this turns out for you!!

      Reply

  3. Julie Jeftich says

    Definitely going to try this love the fact that fresh green beans are used.The wine and soy sauce also caught my eye.

    Reply

  4. Julie Rosenthal says

    5 stars
    OOOOH! This looks amazing!

    Reply

  5. Natalie says

    5 stars
    I love added wine and soy sauce. Yum! Sounds so delicious. I will make this for my family for sure. Such a perfect easy dinner recipe.

    Reply