Green Bean Casserole Deluxe (2024)

The green bean casserole has become a traditional side dish for holiday dinners. It’s also delicious for any family dinner. Although the traditional green bean casserole is good, I like to make it even more festive for special occasions.

Making a Green Bean Casserole Special

My family enjoys it as much as everyone else, but I have a slightly different twist on it.

Even though I can’t tell much of a difference in the taste with this casserole all dressed up, it looks prettier. And it’s much more festive.

My secret? Pimentos.

Yes, pimentos. They add such a festive touch that lets you know how special this meal is.

You don’t have to use pimentos. If you have red bell peppers, you can chop them up and add them instead. The main point is to add color and a little extra flavor.

Holiday Green Bean Casserole

One of the reasons I added pimentos to the dish was to add some color for the celebration. I tried tomatoes, but it made the casserole too watery.

Since I just happened to have a jar of pimentos left from making pimento cheese with my granddaughters, I figured they’d work just fine. And to my delight, they did.

I love having this green bean dish when celebrating any holiday—especially Thanksgiving and Christmas. It would actually be sort of strange to not have it on the table during these celebrations.

Now that my daughters are grown and married, the three of us typically take turns making it. What’s amazing is that although we all use the same recipe, they come out different.

In addition to the food, it’s always fun to have a festive centerpiece on the table. For birthday parties, you can have something related to the guest of honor.

During the holidays, try making a centerpiece with items related to the special day. Here is one I made for fall.

This didn’t cost me much money. I purchased the wooden box at TJMaxx in the home decor section.

Everything else came from the Dollar Tree. After the holidays, you can use the same box and add different flowers for the season.

Everyday Green Bean Casserole

Even though this green bean casserole might be part of your holiday tradition, you can serve it any time. In fact, it’s so easy to throw together you can make it as often as you want.

All of the ingredients in this dish are things you can keep in your pantry. I like having some backup items for busy days.

When you make your everyday green bean casserole, you may leave out the pimentos. Or you can put them in.

This is your dinner, so it’s up to you. I just happen to like the color contrast between the green beans and the red pimentos.

Sometimes I purchase the larger can of crispy fried onions, so I have some left. If this happens to you, try making this mac and cheese casserole with the onions on top.

After you have them that way, you won’t want to leave them off. They’re that good.

Ingredients

As I already mentioned, these are ingredients you can keep in your pantry until you need them.

Here is what my version of this recipe calls for:

• Green beans
• Cream of mushroom soup (condensed)
• Crispy fried onions
• Worcestershire sauce
• Pimentos

You can use any style of green bean, but I prefer the ones labeled “French cut.” They are sliced in a way that brings out the flavors of the other ingredients. Plus I like the texture.

Normally I make this green bean casserole gluten free, but this time I didn’t. You can find gluten-free soup at a variety of stores, including Walmart. I’ve purchased the gluten-free crispy onions at Aldi.

Speaking of texture, there are other things you can add to this casserole. For example, slivered almonds and water chestnuts add crunch. Both of those are good.

I also enjoy adding extra mushrooms. But not everyone likes mushrooms as much as my husband and I do. So when I’m bringing this casserole to a potluck, I don’t add them.

How to Make a Green Bean Casserole

This recipe is so easy you’ll catch yourself making it often. And that’s okay. It’s delicious, nutritious, and filling. For that reason, you’re not likely to hear your family complain.

First, pour the drained green beans into a mixing bowl that’s large enough for all of the ingredients. I used a medium-size bowl that nests with a full set with a variety of sizes. Add all of the soup.

Next, add the 2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce. Mix well.

Add all but 1 tablespoon of the pimentos and half of the crispy fried onions. Fold them into the mixture.

Next, pour the mixture into a greased casserole dish or baking pan. Smooth the top to make it even.

Finally, sprinkle the remaining crispy fried onions over the top. Scatter the remaining pimentos around the top to give it some color.

Bake this pan of deliciousness until the mixture bubbles and the onions have turned a slightly darker golden brown.

Serve this dish hot.

Benefits of Green Beans

According to Healthline.net, green beans are good for you. They contain quite a few vitamins and minerals that keep your body running in top form.

In addition to that, they have no cholesterol by themselves. They are also loaded with fiber that helps lower your LDL.

Snack Table

Whether you’re having friends over to celebrate a holiday or you want to keep your family happy while dinner’s cooking, you can set up a snack table.

I like having this Greek yogurt onion dip with some veggies on the side. More good appetizers are these savory stuffed mushrooms and these crunchy roasted pecans.

Dessert

After any celebratory meal, it’s always nice to serve dessert. Some of our favorites include these delicious pumpkin bars, this delectable chocolate walnut pie, and this fun pineapple upside down cake.

More Delicious Recipes

If you’re serving this for any special occasion, also include some of this super easy-to-make cranberry sauce.

Here are more dishes we enjoy:

Lemon Roasted Asparagus – Easy to make and so delicious, this is a side dish you’ll want to try. We enjoy the fact that it has just the right amount of flavor that goes with any main dish.

Classic Mac and Cheese Casserole – Most people agree that mac and cheese is the ultimate comfort food. And this recipe takes it to new heights with all the flavor you can ask for.

Pineapple Baked Beans – Take your tastebuds on a tropical vacation with this delicious dish. It’s so easy but delivers a powerfully flavorful punch!

Colorful Green Bean Casserole

This green bean casserole deluxe is perfect for holiday dinners. But it’s also a great side dish year-round. It makes every meal feel like a special occasion.