Green Bean Casserole With Ritz (Printer-friendly)

Creamy green beans topped with buttery Ritz crackers for a comforting side dish.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 ½ lbs fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
02 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Sauce & Dairy

04 - 1 can (10.5 oz) condensed cream of mushroom soup
05 - 1 cup whole milk
06 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
07 - ½ cup sour cream

→ Seasoning

08 - ½ teaspoon salt
09 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper
10 - ½ teaspoon dried thyme

→ Topping

11 - 1 ½ cups Ritz crackers, crushed
12 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

# How-To Guide:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter or cooking spray.
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add green beans and cook 4–5 minutes until just tender-crisp. Drain immediately and rinse under cold water to stop cooking process. Skip this step if using canned beans.
03 - In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon butter. Add chopped onion and sauté until softened and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook 1 minute more until fragrant.
04 - In a large bowl, combine cooked green beans, sautéed onion and garlic, cream of mushroom soup, whole milk, shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, salt, black pepper, and dried thyme. Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly coated.
05 - Spread the green bean mixture evenly in the prepared baking dish, smoothing the top with a spatula.
06 - In a small bowl, combine crushed Ritz crackers with remaining melted butter. Toss until crackers are evenly moistened.
07 - Sprinkle cracker mixture evenly over the casserole. Bake for 30–35 minutes until sauce is bubbly around edges and topping is golden brown.
08 - Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes before serving to allow casserole to set for easier scooping.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The Ritz cracker topping creates this incredible buttery crunch that everyone fights over
  • It comes together in under an hour but tastes like you spent all day on it
  • You can make it ahead of time and just bake it when you are ready
02 -
  • Blanching the green beans first keeps them from becoming mushy in the oven
  • Letting the casserole rest for those 5 minutes makes serving so much easier
  • The topping will soften as it sits, so add it right before baking for maximum crunch
03 -
  • Fresh green beans really do make a huge difference here
  • Let the casserole bubble for at least 5 minutes before taking it out
  • Double the topping if your family fights over the crispy parts like mine does

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