Cozy Green Bean Mac & Cheese Casserole

 

This fun recipe which I am sharing with you today for a Cozy Green Bean Mac & Cheese Casserole is a fun twist on the traditional Green Bean Casserole that is usually served as a side dish at many Holiday Meals.

It is a delicious mash up of two favorite casseroles.  The Green Bean Casserole and Macaroni and Cheese.  Both of which are holiday favorites.

I adapted the recipe from one which I found on a page called This is Not Diet Food.  And trust me, its not diet food for sure, but hey, its the holidays!

I did take the liberty of cutting the recipe in half to make a small batch casserole that feeds only four people as a tasty side dish.  If you would like to cook the full batch, do check it out on the original page.

 

I never think of Green Bean Casserole without thinking of my mother's cousin Polly who lived in Vermont. She was the last of the cousins to pass away, having passed only a few years ago now.  She was a sweetheart.  I used to talk to her just about every day on Facebook.  Loved her to pieces. She was a very family-oriented person, and we all meant the world to her.

The first time I ever tasted a traditional Green Bean Casserole was at Polly's home.  I was 10 years old and we were travelling through on our way from Manitoba to Nova Scotia. She lived in Vermont.  We had a lovely visit with her and her husband Red and all of their children.

 

I remember us eating supper at picnic tables out in the back garden of their home. It was on the top of a hill overlooking the most beautiful Vermont scenery.  Green Bean Casserole was a part of the meal that she served, and we all fell in love with it.  

My mother was quite surprised!   I don't think she felt that we children would eat any of it as it wasn't something we were used to. It was quite simply love at first bite and we begged mom for years and years to make it for us at home. It is something I made often for my own family through the years. They loved it and I think they would love this version of it as well!

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE GREEN BEAN MAC & CHEESE CASSEROLE

Really, just a few store cupboard ingredients.  This is very simple and quite thrifty.

• 1 cup (4 ounces/115g) uncooked macaroni noodles
• 1/2 tin (5 1/4 ounces/150g) condensed cheddar cheese sauce (alternately you can make a thick cheese sauce to equal 5 1/4 ounces/150g)
• 1 cup (240ml) heavy cream
• 3/4 TBS garlic powder, not salt
• 3/4 TBS onion powder, not salt
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 cup (213g) cut cooked green beans
• 1 1/2 cups (181g) grated cheddar and mozzarella cheese blend, divided
• 1 cup (85g) crispy fried salad onions (such as French's)

 

I used the cut macaroni with extra fiber added. I think it is called smart macaroni.  I used the condensed Campell's cheddar cheese soup (you can freeze what you don't use today to use another time).  If you cannot get cheddar cheese soup I have provided the instructions to make a simple thick cheese sauce to use in it's place.

Make sure you use the onion and garlic powders, not the salts, or your dish will be too salty.

You can use canned green beans or cooked fresh or frozen green beans.  I used canned.

For this casserole it is okay to use ready shredded/grated cheese.

You can find the crispy fried salad onions in the shops near the salad dressings, croutons and mayonnaise.

 

HOW TO MAKE GREEN BEAN MAC & CHEESE CASSEROLE

This really is very simple to make. You don't have to use tinned soup. If you wish you could also make a thick and tasty cheese sauce in its place.  See below.

Preheat the oven to 400*F/200*C/ gas mark 6. Butter a 7 by 11-inch shallow casserole dish. Set aside.

Cook the macaroni noodles according to the package directions, just to al dente. Drain well.

While the macaroni is cooking measure the soup/sauce and heavy cream into a medium sized mixing bowl. Whisk together well to combine.

 

Whisk in the onion and garlic powders, the salt and the pepper, blending well together. Stir in 1 cup (120g) of the cheese.

Fold in the cooked macaroni and the green beans, combining well. Spread in the prepared baking dish.

Scatter the remaining cheese on top and then sprinkle the crispy onions on top of the cheese. Cover tightly with aluminum foil.

Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for 20 minutes longer, until bubbling and golden brown on top.

Let sit for 5 minutes before serving. Serve hot.

 

 

HOW TO MAKE A CHEESE SAUCE SUBSTITION FOR THE CONDENSED SOUP

Do note that this will be a bit thicker than your regular cheese sauce.  No worries as you will be diluting it with cream in the casserole.

1 1/2 TBS plain flour

1 1/2 TBS butter

6 ounces (180ml) whole milk

salt, pepper and mustard powder to taste

3/4 cup (90g) strong cheddar cheese

Melt the butter in a saucepan. Whisk in the flour and cook for one minute.  Season to taste with salt, pepper and dry mustard powder. Slowly whisk in the milk. Cook, stirring over medium heat until the mixture bubbles and thickens.   Whisk and stir for about 2 minutes longer.   Whisk in the cheese until it has melted completely.  Use as is in this recipe as per the recipe instructions for adding the soup.

 

This was very rich and delicious.  I could quite happily eat this as a main dish.  I had no idea until recently that lots of Americans like macaroni and cheese for Thanksgiving.  You learn something new all the time!

This was a brilliant combination of the traditional green bean casserole and macaroni and cheese, which was not only quick and easy to throw together but really tasty as well!  I could see this being popular all the year through and not just at the holidays!

  

Are you on the hunt for additional delicious holiday sides?  You might want to look at these recipes and give them some thought!

SAGE AND ONION STUFFING - Whether it is cooked in the bird or in a dish on the side, no holiday meal would be complete without stuffing. In fact, I could happily eat a plate of this stuffing and nothing else.  It is essential, and not only with the meal, what would a turkey sandwich be without a nice layer of this stuffing added.  This Sage and Onion Stuffing is simple to make ahead of time and one of my absolute favorite go-with's!

CREAMY PARMESAN BRUSSELS SPROUTS - Love them, or loathe them, its just not a holiday meal without some Brussels Sprouts to enjoy with your turkey!  I am from the love camp and this version is particularly yummy! These are quite simply fabulous.  Cooked only until crispy tender, so that they retain some of that beautiful nuttiness that is present in a perfectly cooked sprout.  And that sauce they are in is to die for. Best of all, everything cooks all in the one pan.  No fuss, no muss!

Yield: 4 generous servings

Author: Marie Rayner

Cozy Green Bean Mac & Cheese Casserole

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 40 MinTotal time: 55 Min

This is a fabulous side dish, loaded with macaroni and green beans in a cheesy sauce and topped with the crunch of crispy fried salad onions.

Ingredients

• 1 cup (4 ounces/115g) uncooked macaroni noodles
• 1/2 tin (5 1/4 ounces/150g) condensed cheddar cheese sauce (alternately you can make a thick cheese sauce to equal 5 1/4 ounces/150g)
• 1 cup (240ml) heavy cream
• 3/4 TBS garlic powder, not salt
• 3/4 TBS onion powder, not salt
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 cup (213g) cut cooked green beans
• 1 1/2 cups (181g) grated cheddar and mozzarella cheese blend, divided
• 1 cup (85g) crispy fried salad onions (such as French's)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400*F/200*C/ gas mark 6. Butter a 7 by 11-inch shallow casserole dish. Set aside.
2. Cook the macaroni noodles according to the package directions, just to al dente. Drain well.
3. While the macaroni is cooking measure the soup/sauce and heavy cream into a medium sized mixing bowl. Whisk together well to combine.
4. Whisk in the onion and garlic powders, the salt and the pepper, blending well together. Stir in 1 cup (120g) of the cheese.
5. Fold in the cooked macaroni and the green beans, combining well. Spread in the prepared baking dish.
6. Scatter the remaining cheese on top and then sprinkle the crispy onions on top of the cheese. Cover tightly with aluminum foil.
7. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for 20 minutes longer, until bubbling and golden brown on top.
8. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving. Serve hot.

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