The History Behind the Iconic Green Bean Casserole Recipe

The green bean casserole, with its hearty combination of green beans, cream of mushroom soup, and crispy fried onions, has become a staple at Thanksgiving dinners across America. This beloved holiday dish has a fascinating origin story behind its creation

Campbell’s Soup Company Brought the Recipe to Life

The green bean casserole was invented in 1955 by Dorcas Reilly a supervisor in the Campbell’s Soup Company test kitchen. Campbell’s had tasked Dorcas with creating a quick and easy recipe using ingredients most home cooks would have on hand.

Dorcas began experimenting ultimately landing on just six simple ingredients

• Campbell’s cream of mushroom soup
• Milk
• Soy sauce
• Black pepper
• Green beans
• French’s fried onions

The canned soup, frozen or canned green beans, and pre-fried onions made preparation quick and convenient – perfect for busy homemakers in the postwar era. Dorcas dubbed her new recipe “Green Bean Bake.”

Convenience Driving Innovation

The rise of convenience foods in the 1950s directly contributed to the creation of the green bean casserole. With more women entering the workforce after WWII, demand grew for fast, hassle-free meals.

Food manufacturers responded by canned, frozen, and pre-packaged products that minimized prep time. Campbell’s soup sales boomed during this era as home cooks embraced canned goods.

Dorcas Reilly’s use of canned soup, frozen vegetables, and fried onions aligned perfectly with the convenience cooking movement. Her recipe required only 25 minutes in the oven with minimal prep.

Popularity Explodes Through Marketing

Though Dorcas created many recipes for Campbell’s, none matched the popularity of the green bean casserole. Its fame exploded when Campbell’s began printing the recipe on their cream of mushroom soup cans.

Sales of the soup skyrocketed as home cooks tried the new dish, with 40% of Campbell’s cream of mushroom soup now going toward making green bean casserole.

Dorcas herself was surprised by its immense success, once saying “I’m very proud of this, and I was shocked when I realized how popular it had become.”

An Unchanging Classic

While many recipes go through revisions over the years, the core green bean casserole has stayed remarkably unchanged since its inception.

Campbell’s still prints the original recipe created by Dorcas Reilly on their soup cans today. Some cooks may tweak aspects like upgrading to fresh mushrooms or opting for homemade fried onions.

But the classic combination endures as a nostalgic Thanksgiving tradition, proving its timeless appeal. Generations of Americans have grown up with the signature medley of creamy soup, crispy onions, and tender green beans.

An Accidental Icon

Dorcas Reilly was a true trailblazer – one of Campbell’s first female employees and a pioneer for women in corporate America in the 1950s.

Yet she remained humble about her legendary creation, once saying “I think food should be fun, and food should be happy.”

While she couldn’t have imagined its enduring popularity, her simple, affordable recipe became woven into the fabric of American culture.

Sixty years later, green bean casserole remains a cherished staple on holiday tables, thanks to Dorcas Reilly’s serendipitous stroke of genius.

So as you enjoy the creamy, crispy casserole this season, be sure to appreciate the fascinating history behind this accidental icon of American cuisine!