Get Ahead on Holiday Cooking: Preparing Your Green Bean Casserole in Advance

The holidays are a whirlwind of activity – cleaning, decorating, shopping wrapping, entertaining and of course, cooking up a feast. With so much going on, getting a head start on preparing some dishes can make your life easier when crunch time arrives.

One hearty sidedish you can make in advance? The classic green bean casserole. With just a little planning, you can prep this comforting casserole the day or night before your holiday meal so it’s ready to bake and serve when needed.

Why Make Ahead?

Getting part of your holiday meal ready early helps avoid a cooking frenzy on the big day You’ll face less stress and have more time to focus on other dishes or tasks Some key reasons I love preparing green bean casserole ahead

• Frees up oven space on the holiday for other items
• Allows more time for the flavors to meld
• Gives you one less thing to worry about day-of
• Lets you reheat gently while other food finishes cooking

Advance Prep Tips and Tricks

With a few simple tips, you can prep your casserole early and still get perfect results:

• Make the entire casserole but don’t add fried onions yet
• Cover dish tightly and refrigerate up to 2 days before baking
• Bring dish to room temperature before baking
• Add fried onions and bake until hot and bubbly

I’ve found this method works great whether I make the casserole from scratch or use a quick canned soup version. The key is waiting to add the onion topping until just before baking.

Handling Special Ingredients

A couple ingredients need special handling when making ahead:

Frozen green beans – Thaw overnight in fridge before using in casserole. Drain well to remove excess moisture.

Canned fried onions – Store unopened at room temperature until ready to use.

Homemade fried onions – Fry day-of so they stay crispy. Store sliced raw onions in fridge if prepping onions in advance.

Make-Ahead Casserole Steps

Here is a simple step-by-step guide to preparing your green bean casserole in advance:

1. Prep green bean mixture day/night before according to recipe. For canned soup versions, mix soup, beans, and any other ingredients except onions.

2. For homemade sauce version, make mushroom sauce, combine with beans and refrigerate.

3. Transfer green bean mixture to a greased baking dish, cover tightly with foil.

4. Refrigerate covered dish up to 2 days until ready to bake.

5. When ready to bake, remove foil and let sit at room temperature 30 minutes.

6. Add fried onion topping and bake at 350°F until hot and bubbly, about 30 minutes.

7. For best results, bake just before serving so onions stay crispy.

Advance Baking Tips

If you need to prep even further ahead, here are some extra tips:

• Casserole can be baked, cooled, and refrigerated 2-3 days before serving. Reheat gently covered at 325°F.

• For make-ahead oven meals, underbake casserole slightly then finish cooking just before eating.

• Frozen casseroles don’t hold up well. Avoid freezing if possible.

Perfecting Your Casserole Recipe

The flexibility of green bean casserole makes it perfect for prepping early. But here are some tweaks to ensure best results:

• Use frozen beans – They won’t get mushy like canned after sitting. Thaw before using.

• Drain beans well – Excess moisture causes soggy casserole.

• Add extra sauce – Helps keep casserole from drying out.

• Use humidifed fridge – Prevents sauce from thickening too much.

• Bake in ovenproof dish – Allows going straight from fridge to oven.

Alternative Prep Schedules

While prepping the full casserole early works great, other options include:

• Make mushroom sauce 1-2 days before, store covered in fridge.

• Prep green bean mixture day before but make sauce day-of.

• Fry onion topping day-of to maximize crunch.

• Bake casserole early, reheat gently on holiday.

Choose the strategy that best fits your schedule and style. The key is avoiding too much last minute cooking on the holiday!

Enjoy Your Stress-Free Holiday Feast!

With the green bean casserole ready and waiting in the fridge, you’ll face one less chore at crunch time. Just pop it in the oven when needed for a hot, delicious side dish!

Advance prep allows you to relax and enjoy time with family and friends, instead of slaving away in the kitchen. So try these tips to make holiday cooking breezy, not busy. Here’s to a tasty feast with time and sanity to spare!