Green Bean Casserole With Ritz Crackers (Printable)
Tender green beans in creamy mushroom sauce topped with buttery Ritz cracker crumbs for a crispy golden finish.
# What goes in:
→ Vegetables
01 - 1.5 pounds fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces (or substitute with 2 cans [14.5 oz each] of cut green beans, drained)
→ Sauce
02 - 1 (10.5 oz) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
03 - 0.5 cup whole milk
04 - 0.5 cup sour cream
05 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
06 - 0.5 teaspoon onion powder
07 - 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
08 - 0.25 teaspoon salt
→ Add-ins
09 - 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (optional)
10 - 0.5 cup French fried onions
→ Topping
11 - 1 sleeve (about 30 crackers) Ritz crackers, crushed
12 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray or butter.
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add fresh green beans and cook 4-5 minutes until just tender. Drain immediately and rinse under cold water to stop cooking process.
03 - In a large bowl, whisk together cream of mushroom soup, milk, sour cream, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and salt until thoroughly combined and smooth.
04 - Add blanched green beans, cheddar cheese if using, and French fried onions to the sauce mixture. Stir until all ingredients are evenly coated.
05 - Pour green bean mixture into prepared baking dish. Spread evenly with a spatula, ensuring layer is uniform thickness.
06 - In a small bowl, combine crushed Ritz crackers with melted butter. Mix well until all cracker pieces are lightly coated with butter.
07 - Sprinkle buttered cracker mixture evenly over casserole surface. Bake 30-35 minutes until topping is golden brown and edges are bubbling.
08 - Remove from oven and let casserole rest 5 minutes. This allows sauce to set slightly for easier serving.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The Ritz cracker topping creates this incredible buttery crunch that people start picking at before dinner even starts
- Everything comes together in one dish and the creamy sauce clings to every single green bean
02 -
- Leaving some larger cracker chunks instead of crushing everything into fine crumbs creates those irresistible crispy bits everyone wants
- The resting period seems unnecessary but really helps the sauce set so it does not run all over the plate when served
03 -
- Use the side of a measuring cup to crush your crackers against the bowl for perfect control over chunk size
- If the topping starts browning too quickly, loosely tent with foil for the last 10 minutes