I Tried Campbell’s and French’s Iconic Green Bean Casserole Recipes—Here’s the Winner

Green bean casserole might be the most beloved “back-of-the-box” recipe of all time. This dish came into home kitchens in the 1960s when Campbell’s began printing the recipe on the back of soup cans. Originally created in 1955 as an everyday side dish by Dorcas Reilly, a test kitchen supervisor at Campbell’s, this casserole is now a staple of holiday tables across America. I’ve never known a Thanksgiving without it on the table. 

Some years I make a from-scratch green bean casserole I learned while working on the Food Network show Good Eats. I’ve been looking for an easier version, so I went back to green bean casserole’s roots and tried two classic recipes: Campbell’s original recipe as printed on the back of soup cans and French’s, which appears on the back of its famous fried onions carton.

Although the two recipes’ ingredients are quite similar, one recipe is superior and tastes truly nostalgic for me.

How To Make French’s Green Bean Casserole

This is the recipe you’ll find on the back of a container of French’s Crispy Fried Onions. A 10.5-ounce can of cream of mushroom soup is mixed with 2/3 of cup milk (you can use any kind), 2/3 cup of fried onions, and some ground black pepper in the casserole dish. Next, two cans of cut green beans are drained and folded into the soup mixture. 

The casserole bakes at 350°F for 30 minutes. The creamy casserole becomes thick and bubbly. Another 2/3 cup of fried onions are sprinkled on top and it returns to the oven for an additional five minutes.

How To Make Campbell’s Green Bean Casserole

Unlike French’s recipe, which calls for canned cut green beans, Campbell’s gives you options. You need four cups or about one and a half pounds of cut, cooked greens beans, which can be fresh, frozen, or canned. The recipe offers cooking instructions for preparing fresh green beans for the casserole.

I took a simple approach and microwave-steamed fresh green beans. Everything—the green beans, the can of cream of mushroom soup, milk, fried onions, and soy sauce gets mixed in a casserole dish. Compared to French’s recipe, Campbell’s specifically calls for a little less milk and recommends using 2%. A small amount of soy sauce is added as a seasoning. 

Like French’s recipe, Campbell’s green bean casserole is baked in a 350°F oven, but for 25 minutes instead of 30 minutes. Again, more fried onions go on top and the casserole goes back to the oven for five minutes. 

The Winner: Campbell’s Green Bean Casserole

Usually, when I try recipes side by side it’s easy to spot the winner. These two back-of-the-box recipes are so similar that I didn’t think I could choose a favorite. However, Campbell’s Green Bean Casserole comes out of the oven looking so much more vibrant. When my family tasted both recipes, Campbell’s came on top.

Thanks to the fresh, steamed green beans and a little less sauce—since it calls for less milk—this version lets the green beans and fried onions really shine. Even the fried onions in the Campbell’s recipe were crispier than French’s version. The latter had a more soupy texture. Plus, the canned green beans made the casserole mushy.

Campbell’s Green Bean Casserole is a classic for a reason—it tastes like it was made from scratch especially when you use blanched fresh green beans. It’s a smart shortcut recipe that’s worth making this Thanksgiving or for any weeknight dinner.