Slow Cooker Green Bean Casserole
134 Comments Oct 13, 2020
Updated Mar 31, 2025
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Slow Cooker Green Bean Casserole is a staple for Thanksgiving and Christmas. My recipe follows the classic recipe but made in the slow cooker.
My family can not go without the Green Bean Casserole. It’s pretty much the best side dish for Thanksgiving or Christmas (well, besides the slow cooker mashed sweet potatoes and slow cooker stuffing).
This recipe for Slow Cooker Green Bean Casserole makes a ton. When I make this for Thanksgiving, it feeds about 15, with lots of leftovers. I think this recipe will serve up to 20 people.
How to make Green Bean Casserole in the Crock Pot:
My recipe is very close to the original green bean casserole recipe from Campbell’s but enough to feed a crowd. Though, I skip the soy sauce in my recipe.
- Green beans – I use canned
- 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. Be sure to see my tip on how to brown them.
- Seasonings – Just pepper and onion powder. No salt needed, the green beans and cream of mushroom soup have PLENTY of salt added.
How long do I cook?
- Place the lid on the slow cooker.
- Cook on HIGH for 2.5 hours without opening the lid during the cooking time.
How can I brown the French fried onions without an oven?
- 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.
- Sprinkle over the green bean casserole and serve!
Can I use fresh or frozen green beans instead of canned?
- Use 10 cups fresh (trimmed and cut) or frozen green beans instead of canned.
- Cook for 3.5 on high or until the green beans are tender.
What other green bean sides can I make in the slow cooker?
- Slow Cooker Cheesy Green Bean Casserole
- Slow Cooker Green Beans and Bacon
- Slow Cooker Green Beans and Potatoes
- Slow Cooker Bacon Green Bean Casserole
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 holiday side dishes we can’t live without:
- Slow Cooker Candied Yams
- Slow Cooker Cranberry Sauce
- Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes
- Slow Cooker Acorn Squash
- Slow Cooker Butternut Squash
- Slow Cooker Stuffing
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Slow Cooker Green Bean Casserole
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. 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 your slow cooker.
- In a medium-size bowl, whisk the cream of mushrooms soup, milk, black pepper, and onion powder until smooth.
- Pour the soup mixture over the beans. Add half (one canister) of the french friend 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.
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!
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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.