Green bean casserole
Common food
Photo: Wikipedia
Green bean casserole is a savory, creamy baked dish where tender green beans are bound in a rich, often mushroom-based sauce and topped with a crispy, golden-brown layer of fried onions. It offers a comforting contrast of textures: the soft, yielding beans against the crunchy topping, all enveloped in a savory, umami-rich sauce. Nutritionally, it provides a good source of fiber and plant-based protein while being relatively low in calories per serving.
Calorie split: 14% protein · 50% carbs · 36% fat
↓ Full nutrition💚 Why it's loved
People love it for its deeply comforting, savory flavor profile and the satisfying textural contrast between the creamy interior and crispy topping. It's a cultural staple at American holiday gatherings, especially Thanksgiving, evoking nostalgia and tradition.
⚠️ Watch-outs & how to enjoy it better
The dish can be high in sodium and saturated fat from the condensed soup and fried onions, which may concern those monitoring heart health or blood pressure. To counteract this, use low-sodium soup, make a homemade sauce with fresh mushrooms, and top with baked, not fried, onion strings. Those watching blood sugar should be mindful of the carb content from the sauce and topping, and pairing it with a lean protein can help balance the meal.
Key benefits
- High in dietary fiber for digestive health
- Good source of plant-based protein
- Rich in vitamins like Vitamin C and K
- Low in calories per 100g
- Contains antioxidants from green beans
🍽️ Popular dishes
🌍 Where it's eaten
💡 Did you know?
The iconic recipe was created in 1955 by Dorcas Reilly, a home economist at the Campbell Soup Company, as a way to promote two of their products: cream of mushroom soup and crispy fried onions.
Full nutrition (USDA data · scales with serving)
| Water | 87.5 g |
| Energy | 56.0 kcal |
| Protein | 2.0 g |
| Total lipid (fat) | 2.2 g |
| Carbohydrate, by difference | 7.0 g |
| Fiber, total dietary | 1.9 g |
| Total Sugars | 2.0 g |
| Calcium, Ca | 42.0 mg |
| Iron, Fe | 0.43 mg |
| Magnesium, Mg | 18.0 mg |
| Phosphorus, P | 43.0 mg |
| Potassium, K | 203 mg |
| Sodium, Na | 316 mg |
| Zinc, Zn | 0.28 mg |
| Copper, Cu | 0.06 mg |
| Selenium, Se | 1.5 ug |
| Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid | 5.8 mg |
| Thiamin | 0.04 mg |
| Riboflavin | 0.08 mg |
| Niacin | 0.52 mg |
| Vitamin B-6 | 0.07 mg |
| Folate, total | 17.0 ug |
| Folic acid | 0.00 ug |
| Folate, food | 17.0 ug |
| Folate, DFE | 17.0 ug |
| Choline, total | 13.3 mg |
| Vitamin B-12 | 0.04 ug |
| Vitamin B-12, added | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin A, RAE | 26.0 ug |
| Retinol | 8.0 ug |
| Carotene, beta | 203 ug |
| Carotene, alpha | 37.0 ug |
| Cryptoxanthin, beta | 0.00 ug |
| Lycopene | 0.00 ug |
| Lutein + zeaxanthin | 343 ug |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.40 mg |
| Vitamin E, added | 0.00 mg |
| Vitamin D (D2 + D3) | 0.20 ug |
| Vitamin K (phylloquinone) | 31.3 ug |
| Alcohol, ethyl | 0.00 g |
| Caffeine | 0.00 mg |
| Theobromine | 0.00 mg |
Fat & fatty acid profile (per 100g)
| Fatty acids, total saturated | 0.51 g |
| SFA 4:0 | 0.01 g |
| SFA 6:0 | 0.01 g |
| SFA 8:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 10:0 | 0.01 g |
| SFA 12:0 | 0.01 g |
| SFA 14:0 | 0.04 g |
| SFA 16:0 | 0.30 g |
| SFA 18:0 | 0.11 g |
| Fatty acids, total monounsaturated | 0.47 g |
| MUFA 16:1 | 0.01 g |
| MUFA 18:1 | 0.46 g |
| MUFA 20:1 | 0.01 g |
| MUFA 22:1 | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated | 1.1 g |
| PUFA 18:2 | 0.90 g |
| PUFA 18:3 | 0.15 g |
| PUFA 18:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:5 n-3 (EPA) | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:5 n-3 (DPA) | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:6 n-3 (DHA) | 0.00 g |
| Cholesterol | 1.0 mg |
Amino acid profile (per 100g)
Estimated from Beans, snap, green, canned, no salt added, solids and liquids — USDA does not publish this profile for Green bean casserole.
| Tryptophan | 0.01 g |
| Threonine | 0.04 g |
| Isoleucine | 0.03 g |
| Leucine | 0.05 g |
| Lysine | 0.04 g |
| Methionine | 0.01 g |
| Cystine | 0.01 g |
| Phenylalanine | 0.03 g |
| Tyrosine | 0.02 g |
| Valine | 0.04 g |
| Arginine | 0.03 g |
| Histidine | 0.01 g |
| Alanine | 0.04 g |
| Aspartic acid | 0.11 g |
| Glutamic acid | 0.08 g |
| Glycine | 0.03 g |
| Proline | 0.03 g |
| Serine | 0.04 g |
FAQ
Can I make green bean casserole from scratch?
Yes! Sauté fresh mushrooms and onions, make a roux with butter and flour, stir in milk or broth for a homemade cream sauce, blanch fresh green beans, combine, and top with homemade crispy fried onions or panko breadcrumbs.
Is green bean casserole gluten-free?
The traditional version is not, as the condensed soup and fried onion topping often contain wheat flour. To make it gluten-free, use certified gluten-free soup and breadcrumbs or gluten-free fried onions for the topping.
What can I use instead of canned green beans?
Fresh or frozen green beans are excellent substitutes. For fresh beans, trim the ends, blanch them in boiling water for 3-5 minutes until crisp-tender, then shock in ice water before adding to the casserole. Frozen beans can be thawed and drained.
Nutrient density (calculated · NRF9.3)
Nutrient Rich Foods index: beneficial nutrients (protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals) minus saturated fat, added sugar & sodium, per 100 kcal.
NRF9.3 index — Fulgoni, Keast & Drewnowski, 2009. Computed from USDA nutrients.
Weight-loss friendliness (composite index)
Energy density 0.56 kcal/g · 14% calories from protein · 1.9 g fiber · 2.0 g sugar per 100 g.
Composite of energy density (Rolls et al., 1999), protein & fiber satiety, minus sugar. A calculated heuristic — ranks satiety-per-calorie, not a clinical measure.
Dietary load (calculated from USDA values)
Potential renal acid load. Positive = acid-forming, negative = alkaline-forming.
Sodium-to-potassium ratio: 1.56 (lower is better — aim for ≤ 1)
Sodium:potassium per WHO potassium guidance. Computed from USDA nutrients.