Slow Cooker Green Bean Casserole
141 CommentsDec 03, 2025
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Slow Cooker Green Bean Casserole is a staple for the holidays! My version has everything creamy and decadent you expect and enough to feed the masses.
Featured Comment
Thank you for this! I am not a cook and have to bring something to a work potluck luncheon next week. This is one of my favorite holiday sides and works out great to be able to prepare and then keep it plugged in once at work.
– paula
Everyone has their favorite holiday side dish, and ours is slow cooker green bean casserole. My no-oven version is made with canned beans (what my family grew up on), it gets rave reviews. This recipe feeds about 20 (or less people and enough for leftovers). We make this casserole for Thanksgiving AND Christmas.
My recipe is very close to the original green bean casserole recipe from Campbell’s but enough to feed everyone. Though, I skip the soy sauce in my recipe.
Key Ingredients
Green beans – I used canned but there are substitutes below
Cream of mushroom soup – 3 cans in this recipe, this makes for a very saucy casserole
Milk – This helps thin out the soup
French Fried Onions – These are what make the dish, they add crunch and oniony flavor.
Seasonings – Just pepper and onion powder. No salt needed, the green beans and cream of mushroom soup have PLENTY of salt added.
How to make Green Bean Casserole in the Crock Pot
- Mix all the ingredients except half of the onions in a large bowl or right in the crockpot.
- Cook until hot and bubbly.
- Top with browned onions and serve.
Can I use fresh or frozen green beans instead of canned?
If you prefer fresh or frozen, you can use that instead, simply measure out 10 cups and cook the casserole for 3.5 hours on high or until the green beans are tender.
How can I brown the French fried onions?
Short on oven space or without one? Place the onions in a dry skillet set to medium-high heat on the stove-top. Use a spoon and stir around the onions, for about 3 minutes or until browned.
My Tips for the Best Green Bean Casserole
- Type of Beans: Use CUT GREEN beans NOT French Green beans for casserole that isn’t watery or mushy.
- Better Flavor: Rinse your green beans well, they will taste less tinny. I do this right in the can; drain the bean liquid, add water to the can and drain again by using the lid to hold the green beans in the can (drain well).
- Don’t Squash: Fold everything together gently. You don’t want to mash up those whole green beans.
- Toasty: Don’t skip on browning the onions for topping, they can taste stale if you don’t.
Variations:
Cheesy: Add 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese to the mix – SO GOOD!
Bacon: Cook up one pound of bacon and crumble into your casserole.
Soup Swap: Not everyone likes cream of mushroom; you can use cream of chicken, cream of celery, cream of onion or even cream of bacon!
Onion Swap: Instead of French Fried Onions, try adding cooked onion rings on top! You can find them near the frozen fries at the store.
Complete Your Holiday Meal
Holiday Sides:
Round out your plate with Slow Cooker Candied Yams, Slow Cooker Cranberry Sauce, and Slow Cooker Mashed Sweet Potatoes for a touch of sweetness and color.
Comforting Veggies:
Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes, Slow Cooker Acorn Squash, Slow Cooker Butternut Squash, and Brown Sugar Carrots add cozy, comforting flavors to any holiday meal.
Classic Stuffing Options:
Slow Cooker Stuffing and Slow Cooker Stove Top Stuffing keep things simple while delivering that traditional savory stuffing flavor everyone expects.
Main Dish Favorites:
Serve alongside Slow Cooker Turkey Breast, Holiday Ham, or Crockpot Spiral Ham to create a full holiday spread with almost no effort.
Slow Cooker Green Bean Casserole Recipe
How to Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 31.5 oz. cream of mushroom soup, (three – 10.5 oz cans)
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
- 1/8 tsp onion powder
- 145 oz. canned cut green beans, (Ten – 14.5-oz cans; drained)
- 12 oz. French's French Fried Onions, (Two – 6-oz canisters)
- non-stick cooking spray
Instructions
- Spray the slow cooker with the non-stick cooking spray if desired.
- Add the drained green beans to the slow cooker. In a medium bowl, whisk the cream of mushroom soup, milk, pepper, and onion powder until smooth, then pour the mixture over the beans.
- Add half (one canister) of the French Fried Onions. Stir gently.
- Place the lid and cook on HIGH for 2½ hours.
- Brown the remaining canister of French fried onions in a skillet on the stove top. Set the skillet to medium high heat, stir the onions around until brown (about 3 minutes).
- Sprinkle the onions over and serve. (If you are traveling, you can brown your onions at home then add them to the slow cooker right before serving).
Sarah’s Notes
- Use 10 cups fresh (trimmed and cut) or frozen green beans instead of canned.
- Cook for 3.5 hours on high or until the green beans are tender.
- Remove the slow cooker insert from the heating element and place it in the oven WITHOUT the lid.
- Cook for 10 minutes at 350°F or until the onions are browned.
- OR place the onions in a small dish in the oven for 10 minutes or until browned, then sprinkle over the casserole.
Nutrition
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
How long can I keep this on the warm setting after cooking?
You can keep this on the warm setting for 3 hours. Though keep an eye on it and make sure the edges aren’t scorching, stir or turn off if the edges are getting too hot.
More Green Bean Sides to Choose from
If you’re looking for different green bean sides to round out your meal, try Slow Cooker Cheesy Green Bean Casserole, Slow Cooker Green Beans and Bacon, Slow Cooker Green Beans and Potatoes, or Bacon Green Bean Casserole.
So we are camping this year for Thanksgiving and its why I searched for a crock pot recipe, has anyone done this without final step of putting it in oven with the onions? I myself think the onions are great with out being cooked. what are your thoughts?
A new thing I just started doing is browning them in a skillet right before serving.
Great idea, Sarah Olson! I think I’ll do that for my hub’s office Christmas Dinner. He signed me up for green beans, and I refuse to make plain old beans.
I need to travel about 1hr and 45 min to our Thanksgiving Day destination. Do you think this would still cook well if I got everything in the crock pot-traveled with it and then turned it on?
Yes! I plan to do the same. I’m going to make mine the night before and put in the fridge until we travel. Nothing is that perishable.
What can I do if I only have a 4 quart crock pot?
I would cut the recipe in half? The measurements don’t need to be exact, it always turns out no matter what measurements I use.
I don’t like cream of mushroom soup, so I found a recipe that substitutes sour cream. Work that work with the crockpot? Or would i need to add more milk?
I’m allergic to mushrooms, can I substitute the cream of mushrooms for cream of celery.
Yes, I think that would work great.
I’ve also heard of cream of bacon soup being used instead too
Instead of putting the crockpot insert into the oven to brown the french fried onions I would put them in a separate pan in the oven, and after browning… then sprinkle them onto the casserole in the crockpot. Less chance of causing the insert to crack by placing it into the oven.
Great tip! Thank you!
I’ve made this the past two years for Thanksgiving and it’s always a hit! I make it just like the recipe says! Sooo amazing!!
Sarah, I did have one question… This year we are traveling quite a ways for Thanksgiving and was thinking to avoid getting up super early to make this. Could I just let it cook in the crockpot overnight on low?
I think that would be too much time. Maybe 5 hours on low would be the most it should go.
Has anyone used frozen green beans?
I have cooked this casserole for many years and in many ways.(I’m 65 and have been cooking since I was 13.) Lately, I use fresh sliced mushrooms sautéed with sliced green onions (white and green parts) and do not use the fried onion rings-too much fat!. Sometimes all sautéed with bacon. You could use leeks or shallots and I always add some fresh chopped garlic because we love garlic at my house. I also use some panko bread crumbs mixed with grated parmesan cheese and a little melted butter for the topping. Instead of milk I use reduced salt chicken broth. I prefer to use fresh green beans that are parboiled for a tender crisp stage and then mix up all the other ingredients first and gently fold in the beans so they don’t get broken. In a pinch, I use canned beans, but drain them well to remove some of the salt. You can also just cover the top with your favorite cheese. I have used frozen green beans but they have to at least be unthawed in the microwave first. I usually use the oven but I am going to use the crock pot this Turkey Day!
Great additions Jo! Cheese and garlic sound so good!
I’m so glad I have found your site…love reading and sharing recipes that are good, but simple to make! I do have one issue….I don’t know if it is the font you have chosen to use or the color of your sites print….but it is very straining on the eye….suggestions that would help me to improve this?
The only thing I can think of is if you can get the print of your browser to show larger. For mine on internet explorer I can adjust it on the top right tab to 125% and that helps.