Easy Smoked Green Bean Casserole Recipe
Smoked Green Bean Casserole turns a classic holiday side into a creamy dish with a crunchy onion top. It cooks right on the pellet smoker in 45 minutes, so your oven stays free for the turkey. Below I share my pellet picks, the soup swap I prefer, and the mistakes that ruin the topping.
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Why This Smoked Green Bean Casserole Recipe Works
This is the easiest smoked green bean casserole you will make this holiday season. Most smoker versions ask you to fry onions from scratch first. Mine uses five ingredients and one bowl, and the smoke still comes through.
I swap the usual cream of mushroom soup for condensed cream of chicken soup. Smoke can flatten mushroom flavor, and the chicken soup stays richer against mesquite. I tested both pans side by side, and the chicken version won every time.
If you love this side dish, you may also enjoy my Slow Cooker Green Bean Casserole.
Ingredients
You need five simple ingredients for this smoked green bean casserole. Most of them are already sitting in your pantry.
- French style green beans, two 14.5 ounce cans
- Condensed cream of chicken soup, one 10.5 ounce can
- French fried onions
- Black pepper
- Coarse sea salt
How to Make Smoked Green Bean Casserole
This casserole comes together in five easy steps. Nothing here needs a stovetop.
Step 1: Preheat your smoker
Preheat your pellet smoker to 225 degrees. I use mesquite pellets for the boldest smoky flavor.
Step 2: Mix your ingredients
Drain the green beans well. In a large mixing bowl, stir the beans, soup, salt, and pepper together.
Step 3: Add the casserole to your pan
Spread the mixture evenly in a disposable 8x8x2 metal baking dish.
Step 4: Cover with fried onions
Cover the top evenly with the french fried onions.
Step 5: Smoke your green bean casserole
Place the pan in the smoker, uncovered, and cook for about 45 minutes. Serve it hot, straight from the pan.
Tips for Smoked Green Beans
- Leave the pan uncovered so the smoke can reach the casserole.
- Mesquite pellets give the boldest flavor. Apple and pecan are milder.
- Drain the canned beans well so the sauce stays thick and creamy.
- A disposable pan makes cleanup easy, but any 8×8 dish works.
- To double it, use a 9×13 pan and add up to 15 minutes.
- Fresh beans work here. Boil them in salted water until tender first.
- Sprinkle sharp cheddar or parmesan under the onions for a cheesy top.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Making Smoked Green Beans
- Smoking too hot. Above 250 degrees the onions darken before the center is hot.
- Assembling hours ahead. The onion topping goes soft. Mix and smoke on the same day.
- Storing it with the onions on top. They turn to mush in the fridge and freezer.
- Salting like a fresh side dish. Canned beans and condensed soup are already salty. Taste first.
- Opening the lid over and over. The temperature drops and your cook time stretches.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are the questions I get most often about this smoked green beans recipe.
No smoker? Bake the casserole at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes, until it is hot and bubbly.
Mesquite gives the strongest smoke flavor. Apple, pecan, and hickory pellets give you a lighter, sweeter smoke.
Yes. Use a 9×13 pan or two 8×8 pans, and add up to 15 minutes of cook time.
Yes. Boil them in salted water until tender, then drain them well before mixing the casserole.
How to Store and Reheat
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. The onion topping softens after the first day.
Freezing
Freeze the casserole without the fried onions for up to three months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge, then add fresh onions before reheating.
Reheating
Reheat single servings in the microwave for one to two minutes. For a full pan, warm it at 350 degrees for 7 to 10 minutes.
More Side Dish Recipes
Looking for more sides for the table? Give these easy recipes a try.
- Slow Cooker Au Gratin Potatoes
- Brown Sugar Carrots in the slow cooker
- Slow Cooker Hashbrown Casserole
Smoked Green Bean Casserole Recipe
Ready to cook? Print the recipe card below, or pull it up on your phone while you work.
Smoked Green Bean Casserole
Equipment
- Smoker
- 8×8 pan
- Large Mixing Bowl
Ingredients
- 29 ounces French Style Green Beans 2 cans
- 10.5 ounces Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup 1 Can
- 1 ½ Cups French Fried Onions
- ½ Tablespoon Black Pepper
- ½ Tablespoon Coarse Sea Salt
Instructions
- Preheat your pellet smoker to 225 degrees.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients except the french fried onions. Mix well.
- Place in a disposable 8x8x2 metal baking dish and spread even.
- Cover the top, evenly, with the french fried onions.
- Place in the smoker and cook for about 45 minutes.
- Remove, serve, and enjoy!
Notes
- You can use a non-disposable baking dish if desired. However, I found it easier, overall, to just use a disposable one.
- I used mesquite pellets for this recipe which made the smoky flavor amazing. However, you can use any pellet you prefer. Just note that the different pellets give off a different smoky flavor.
- You can use normal salt if preferred, but you might need to up the amount.
- Fresh green beans can be used but you will need to cook them in a large pot with salted water until they are soft before using them in this easy recipe.
- Add your favorite cheese to this smoker recipe for even more flavor, I recommend adding sharp cheddar cheese, parmesan cheese, or goat cheese.
Disclaimer:
Any nutritional data I provide is an approximation and actual dietary information can vary based on ingredients and proportion sizes.
Nutrition
Be sure to pin this recipe so you can find it when you are ready to get cooking!
I have to say I wasn’t sure this recipe would turn out well, but I wanted something different and this turned out great. There were no leftovers.