This green bean casserole can go straight in the air fryer when the oven is already doing overtime with turkey, rolls, and three other sides. You still get the creamy, cheesy middle and crispy fried onions on top. It cooks in about 20 minutes and stays out of the way of everything else needing the oven.
Green bean casserole is a staple Southern holiday side that doesn’t need to be reinvented just because the cooking method is changing. I still want creamy filling, enough seasoning to keep it from tasting bland, and lots of crispy onions on top.
The air fryer works so well here because it’s practical. On Thanksgiving or Christmas, oven space gets precious fast, and this isn’t something that needs to compete for it.
When testing this recipe, I adapted my grandma’s baked green bean casserole to make sure it still had enough sharp cheddar and seasoning to keep it from going bland in the cream of mushroom soup. Moving it to the air fryer would only work for me if none of that got lost.
I tested it at a higher temperature first, but the outside heated too quickly while the middle was still catching up. With the way the hot air moves around an air fryer, dropping the temperature and giving it a little more time worked much better. At 325°F, the casserole heats through more evenly without the edges starting to burn.
The fried onions needed their own adjustment too. They brown incredibly fast in the air fryer, so they only go on for the last couple of minutes.
Why You’ll Love Making Green Bean Casserole in the Air Fryer
- It gives your oven back. That’s the real win on Thanksgiving or Christmas when every rack is already accounted for.
- The whole casserole cooks in about 20 minutes. The filling cooks for 15 minutes, then the topping only needs another 2 to 3 minutes.
- The fried onions stay crunchy. Most of them aren’t exposed to the direct heat until the very end.
- It doesn’t taste underseasoned. Sharp cheddar, seasoned salt, garlic powder, and the black pepper give the creamy filling enough flavor to stand up to the green beans and not get lost in the cream of mushroom soup.
Even though it is the quintessential classic holiday side dish, you can also enjoy it for weeknight meals too as an alternative to roasted green beans.
Ingredients for a delicious green bean casserole
A printable recipe card is at the bottom of this post with full measurements and detailed instructions.
- Cream of mushroom soup: This gives you the creamy base and the familiar mushroom flavor you expect from classic green bean casserole.
- Milk: Whole milk is my pick here. Half and half or heavy cream will work, but they’ll make the filling richer and thicker.
- Cut green beans: The recipe works with cooked canned or frozen green beans. You want 4 cups total for the casserole.
- Seasoned salt: I prefer seasoned salt over plain salt here because the soup and green beans need a little more help than salt alone gives them.
- Black pepper: Regular ground black pepper works, but freshly ground will give a little more bite.
- Garlic powder: This adds garlic flavor throughout the creamy filling without adding pieces of fresh garlic that can taste harsh.
- Sharp cheddar cheese: Go with sharp rather than mild. Mild cheddar gets lost once it’s mixed with the soup and green beans.
- French fried onions: Some go into the casserole and the rest make that crispy topping. This is one place I wouldn’t skip.
What Kind of Casserole Dish Can Go in an Air Fryer?
Yes, you can cook a casserole in an air fryer, but you need a baking dish that is oven safe and fits comfortably inside your particular air fryer.
Check both the width and the height before you mix the casserole. A dish may technically fit inside the basket but still sit too close to the heating element once the basket is closed. Different air fryer sizes and shapes also mean there isn’t one casserole dish that will work for everybody.
If you’re using glass, be especially careful about sudden temperature changes. Don’t take a refrigerator-cold glass dish and immediately put it into a hot air fryer.
However, there are some out there that are made specifically for the air fryer. If you plan to make casseroles in your air fryer a lot, you might want to invest in one of these:
How to Make Green Bean Casserole in the Air Fryer
- Start by making sure you have an air fryer-safe casserole dish that fits in the air fryer basket and is oven-safe.
- Combine the cream of mushroom soup, milk, cooked green beans, seasoned salt, black pepper, garlic powder, sharp cheddar, and 1/2 cup of the fried onions.
- Spread the green bean mixture evenly in your air fryer safe casserole dish and place the dish inside the air fryer basket.
- Air fry at 325°F for 15 minutes. The filling should be hot throughout. Air fryers vary, so yours may need a little adjustment in cooking time.
- Carefully pull out the basket and stir the casserole while leaving the hot baking dish in place.
- Sprinkle the remaining fried onions over the top.
- Finish for 2 to 3 minutes. Return the basket to the air fryer and cook at 325°F just until the onions are golden brown.
- Remove carefully. The casserole dish itself will be very hot, so use oven mitts when lifting it from the basket.
Kara’s Tips
- Don’t add all the onions in the beginning. The air fryer browns them quickly. Saving most of the topping until the last few minutes gives you crispy onions instead of dark, overcooked ones.
- Give the dish some breathing room. You want the hot air to be able to move around the baking dish. If the dish completely fills the basket, cooking may take longer and can be less even.
- Watch the final 2 minutes closely. Fried onions brown fast in an air fryer. Once they look golden, they’re done.
- Expect some variation between air fryers. Basket size, wattage, and even the material and depth of your baking dish can change how quickly the middle heats through.
Can You Make Air Fryer Green Bean Casserole Ahead of Time?
Yes. Mix the casserole together ahead of time without putting the final fried onion topping on it, then cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
I would refrigerate the mixture separately if you plan to use a glass casserole dish in the air fryer. That way you aren’t moving cold glass straight into a hot air fryer. When you’re ready to cook, transfer the mixture to your air fryer safe dish and follow the recipe as written.
What to Serve with Green Bean Casserole
The one earns its keep most during the holidays because you can make it while the main oven is busy.
- Thanksgiving: turkey, mashed potatoes, dressing, cranberry sauce
- Christmas or Easter: ham, mashed potatoes, rolls
- Sunday dinner: roast chicken, pork chops, or meatloaf
If you’re making a full Thanksgiving spread, this is exactly the kind of side I’d move to the air fryer so the turkey and the things that genuinely need oven space can stay put.
How to Store Leftover Green Bean Casserole
Refrigerator
Let the leftovers cool, then store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheating
For the best topping, reheat the casserole in the air fryer rather than the microwave. If the original onions have softened in the refrigerator, add a small handful of fresh fried onions near the end so you get that crunch back.
Air Fryer Green Bean Casserole FAQs
Yes. An air fryer works like a small convection oven, so you can cook casseroles in it as long as you use an oven safe dish that fits comfortably inside the basket. You also want enough room around the dish for the hot air to circulate.
This green bean casserole cooks at 325°F for 15 minutes, then another 2 to 3 minutes after the remaining fried onions are added. That lower temperature gives the middle time to heat through evenly without the edges getting too far ahead.
Yes. Canned green beans work well here and give you that classic green bean casserole texture. Just make sure they’re well drained so you aren’t adding extra liquid to the casserole.
Extra moisture is usually the culprit. If the green beans weren’t drained well, that liquid can thin out the cream of mushroom mixture as it heats. Make sure you drain them thoroughly before mixing everything together.
No. This green bean casserole cooks uncovered. Most of the fried onions are added during the last couple of minutes so they can crisp up without burning before the casserole is heated through.
Check your specific dish first, because manufacturers differ on what their glassware can handle, and glass doesn’t like sudden temperature changes. If yours is cleared for oven use at the temperature you’re cooking at, it will generally work the same way in an air fryer, as long as it fits with room around all sides for air to circulate. Whatever you use, make sure the dish fits comfortably in the basket so the hot air can reach the fresh fried onions on top.
More Air Fryer Side Dishes
- Air Fryer Twice Baked Potatoes
- Homemade Croutons in the Air Fryer
- Air Fryer Baby Potatoes
- Air Fryer Jalapeno Poppers
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Air Fryer Green Bean Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 can cream of mushroom soup
- ½ cup milk
- 4 cups cut green beans cooked – you can use canned or frozen
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- 1½ cups french fried onions
Instructions
- Place the casserole dish in the basket of the air fryer.
- Cook at 325°F for 15 minutes.
- Remove the basket (leave the dish in the basket) and stir the green bean mixture.
- Sprinkle the remaining fried onions on top and place the basket back in the air fryer.
- Cook at 325°F for 2-3 minutes, just until the onions are golden brown.
- Remove the basket from the air fryer and carefully remove the casserole dish from the basket.
Video
Notes
- Air fryers vary in size and strength, so cooking time may vary slightly. The casserole should be hot all the way through before adding the final fried onion topping.
- Make sure your casserole dish is oven-safe and fits comfortably inside your air fryer with some room around it for air to circulate.
- Canned or cooked frozen green beans both work. Drain them well so excess liquid doesn’t thin the casserole.
- Don’t add the final fried onions until the last 2 to 3 minutes. They brown very quickly in the air fryer.
- Sharp cheddar works best here because its flavor holds up against the cream of mushroom soup and green beans.
- To make ahead, mix the casserole without the final fried onion topping and refrigerate for up to 2 days. If using a glass baking dish, avoid moving refrigerator-cold glass directly into a hot air fryer.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
