Panko Parmesan Topped Green Bean Casserole Recipe

Fresh green beans, caramelized onion, mushrooms and a homemade béchamel sauce combine with a crunchy Kikkoman Panko Bread Crumb topping to create this scrumptious Panko Parmesan Topped Green Bean Casserole. A fresh take on a holiday classic.
Traditional Green Bean Casserole Origins
Dorcas Reilly. Although unrecognized to many of us, almost every homemade green bean casserole made in the last 60+ years can be traced back to one Dorcas Reilly.
She was an employee of the Campbell Soup Company and worked in their Test Kitchen creating new recipes using Campbell Soup. In 1955, she was credited with creating what we now know as the traditional green bean casserole. Well done, Dorcas Reilly!
Classic Thanksgiving Side Dish
It is very likely you have had a holiday meal that featured a classic green bean casserole made from canned green beans, canned cream of mushroom soup, milk and crispy fried onions. As a child, our Thanksgiving table definitely had this traditional green bean casserole as part of our holiday meal.
As an adult, I’ve been hosting our family’s Thanksgiving dinner for many years and I continue to enjoy having everyone over. While much of the menu remains the same year after year, I do like to tweak a favorite recipe or come up with a new recipe altogether.
Updating the Classic Green Bean Casserole Recipe
For years, I made a relatively simple green bean dish that we all love (Fresh Green Beans with Shallot Butter Sauce) for our Thanksgiving dinner, but I thought it was time to break out of my box and try something new. Homemade green bean casserole is certainly not a new thing, but I felt it was a recipe that could be improved with some updating.
The first step to update this casserole was to freshen up the ingredients with fresh green beans, caramelized onion, fresh mushrooms and homemade béchamel. The fresh green beans add a great snap that no canned green beans have and the creamy mushroom sauce is delicious and much lower in sodium than a can of cream of mushroom soup.
But what about the crispy onion topping?
Now, I’m a big fan of crispy fried onions. Pair them with steak tips, put them on a burger or just eat them right from the can! Definitely delicious.
But as I said, I like to experiment with and tweak traditional recipes. Every homemade green bean casserole needs a crunchy topping, so I combined Kikkoman Panko Bread Crumbs, parmesan cheese, parsley and melted butter to get that delicious crunch. And, you still get the onion flavor from the caramelized onions.
I love using Kikkoman Panko Bread Crumbs because they’re made with custom baked bread that makes airy, crispy crumbs, and they’re toasted to a delicate crunch that won’t burn as easily. That means my topping ended up extra crispy and delicious.
The bread crumbs come packed in a resealable bag that helps them to stay fresh longer, which I love because that means no waste.
Make Ahead
This is also a great make ahead recipe. See Tips and Tricks below on what can be cooked ahead of time and how to store.
Basically, most of this fresh green bean casserole recipe can be prepared a day or two in advance. If you do this, on the day you’re ready to serve this Panko Parmesan Topped Green Bean Casserole, all you need to do is prepare the panko bread crumb topping.
Once the casserole is assembled, it’s ready to bake according to the instructions. 45 minutes later, you have the perfect side dish to serve with your Thanksgiving dinner!
Enjoy!
Tips and Tricks
- This casserole does involve a few steps, but the great thing is, you can do most of the preparation ahead of time.
- The onions and mushrooms can be cooked up to a couple of days ahead of time and stored in the fridge.
- It’s also fine to make the béchamel sauce up to a day ahead of time and store in the fridge. If the sauce seems a little too thick when you’re ready to assemble the casserole, just thin it out with a little bit of milk.
- Store all of the ingredients separately in the refrigerator (except for the panko bread crumbs). Assemble the casserole right before you’re ready to bake it.
- Wait until the day you’re going to assemble and bake the green bean casserole to prepare the panko bread crumb topping.
- Reheat any leftover green beans by putting them in a cold oven (in an oven safe dish). Then turn the oven to 350 degrees. As the oven warms up it gently reheats the casserole. Once the oven has finished preheating, the casserole should be up to temperature at that point or shortly thereafter.
Ingredients Needed to Make This Green Bean Casserole
Full instructions can be found below in the printable recipe card
- Butter – Unsalted butter is recommended to prevent the dish from becoming too salty.
- Olive oil
- Sweet onion – I like to use Vidalia, but Walla Walla or Maui onions are also good choices.
- Cremini mushrooms – I prefer these over white button mushrooms. I feel they have more depth of flavor.
- Garlic
- Flour
- Whole milk – This is highly recommended. Whole milk will make a much richer béchamel than skim, 1% or 2% milk.
- Worcestershire sauce
- Tabasco sauce
- Salt
- Pepper
- Fresh thyme – Highly recommend fresh thyme over dried as it imparts a fresher flavor.
- Grated parmesan cheese – You can use the green can cheese, but I highly recommend the grated parmesan cheese you find in the refrigerated section of the grocery store. It tastes so much better!
- Fresh French style green beans – These are thin green beans. If you can’t find fresh French style green beans, you can use regular green beans, as long as they’re fresh.
- Panko bread crumbs – I highly recommend the Kikkoman brand panko bread crumbs.
- Fresh Italian parsley – This adds a nice brightness to the finished casserole.
How to Make Panko Parmesan Topped Green Bean Casserole
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Heat 1 tbsp unsalted butter and 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat.
- Add sliced onion and cook, stirring often, until onion is golden brown and caramelized, about 30 minutes.
- Remove onion from skillet and set aside.
- Heat remaining 1 tbsp olive oil in the same skillet over medium heat.
- Add mushrooms and sauté until browned, about 10 minutes.
- Remove from skillet and set aside with onion.
- Heat 3 tbsp butter in a 2 quart saucepan over medium heat.
- Add garlic and cook for 1 minute, until garlic is fragrant.
- Whisk in flour and let cook for another minute.
- Gradually whisk in milk, being careful not to let lumps form.
- Bring mixture to a bubble and cook until sauce has thickened, continuing to whisk.
- Whisk in Worcestershire sauce, tabasco, salt, pepper, thyme and ¼ cup parmesan.
- In a large bowl, combine onion, mushrooms, fresh green beans.
- Pour sauce over mixture and stir until well coated.
- Transfer mixture to a 9×13 baking dish or a large skillet (cast iron) that’s been coated with cooking spray.
- Melt remaining 2 tbsp of unsalted butter.
- Combine with panko, ⅓ cup parmesan and parsley, until mixture is well coated with the butter.
- Top green bean mixture with panko mixture.
More Holiday Recipes to Enjoy
Panko Parmesan Topped Green Bean Casserole Recipe

Fresh green beans, caramelized onion, mushrooms and a homemade béchamel sauce combine with a crunchy bread crumb topping to create this scrumptious Panko Parmesan Topped Green Bean Casserole. A fresh take on a holiday classic.
Ingredients
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter, divided
- 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1 large sweet onion, sliced
- 1 (8 oz) pkg sliced cremini mushrooms
- 3 cloves garlic
- 3 tbsp flour
- 3 cups whole milk
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 6-7 shakes tabasco sauce
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme, minced
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 lbs fresh French style green beans, rinsed and stems removed
- ½ cup Kikkomon Panko Bread Crumbs
- ⅓ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Heat 1 tbsp unsalted butter and 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat.
- Add sliced onion and cook, stirring often, until onion is golden brown and caramelized, about 30 minutes.
- Remove onion from skillet and set aside.
- Heat remaining 1 tbsp olive oil in the same skillet over medium heat.
- Add mushrooms and sauté until browned, about 10 minutes.
- Remove from skillet and set aside with onion.
- Heat 3 tbsp butter in a 2 quart saucepan over medium heat.
- Add garlic and cook for 1 minute, until garlic is fragrant.
- Whisk in flour and let cook for another minute.
- Gradually whisk in milk, being careful not to let lumps form.
- Bring mixture to a bubble and cook until sauce has thickened, continuing to whisk.
- Whisk in Worcestershire sauce, tabasco, salt, pepper, thyme and ¼ cup parmesan cheese.
- In a large bowl, combine onion, mushrooms, green beans.
- Pour sauce over mixture and stir until well coated.
- Transfer mixture to a 9x13 baking dish or a large skillet (cast iron) that's been coated with cooking spray.
- Melt remaining 2 tbsp unsalted butter.
- Combine with panko, ⅓ cup parmesan cheese and parsley, until mixture is well coated with the butter.
- Top green bean mixture with panko mixture.
- Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes, until topping is browned and beans are crisp tender.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
10Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 610Total Fat: 23gSaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 66mgSodium: 728mgCarbohydrates: 88gFiber: 5gSugar: 76gProtein: 17g
Looks fabulous!
The only thing I need to do for Turkey day is buy rolls, but this casserole looks like a great alternative to traditional green bean casserole
Cool twist on an old favorite!
I tweeted https://twitter.com/yarbr012/status/793954546028515332
I updated my moms stuffing recipe to make it healthier by adding fugi applies, light wheat bread, chicken broth, light butter, onions and seasoning. I cut the calories in half!
I don’t have a favorite thanksgiving recipe that i’ve updated.
https://twitter.com/willgriesmer/status/793982573617836032
That’s a green bean casserole I’d actually really like to eat!
and i tweeted: https://twitter.com/fullbellysis/status/794239862178127872
I have got to try this recipe it looks amazing and healthy.
https://twitter.com/myway070/status/794273464114786306
I don’t have a favorite thanksgiving recipe that I’ve updated, I don’t cook much.
tweet-https://twitter.com/LuLu_Brown24/status/794517430877855744
jslbrown2009 at aol dot com
I like your Green beans casserole! I make my Soy-Glazed Green Beans with Crispy Shallots for Thanksgiving. I make this instead of the Green Bean casserole and everyone loves it.
Tweet-https://twitter.com/JewelWood/status/794522884005732353
I have updated my favorite sweet potato casserole
tweeted https://twitter.com/ElenaIstomina/status/794588105688772608
We always did a baked macaroni and cheese casserole and now I have switched it to a crock pot mac and cheese recipe.
I have my Mom’s stuffing recipe that I’ve tweaked a bit. Thanks so much.
Tweeted: https://twitter.com/peg42/status/794702609500303360
We’ve put a new spin on the sweet potato dish to make it more healthy
groogruxking40 @ gmail dot com
tweet-
https://twitter.com/groogruxking40/status/794722364139405316
This needs to be on the table for Thanksgiving this year!
I’ve put a new twist/update on the traditional sweet potato souffle.
https://twitter.com/RachelGriesmer/status/795759203633811456
I love green bean casserole! I like mixing extras into mashed potatoes like buttermilk, butter, or sour cream.
chambanachik(at)gmail(dot)com
I have my Mom’s stuffing recipe that I’ve changed a bit over the years.
https://twitter.com/susan1215/status/796068535260876800
I have a recipe that I love called Super Veggie Sage Stuffing with Brussels Broccoli + Kale. It’s stuffing, but so much healther because it’s filled with veggies!
Tweet link: https://twitter.com/shala_darkstone/status/796527803059630080
I’ve updated by adding some nuts into sweet potato casserole.
tcarolinep at gmail dot com
tweet-https://twitter.com/tcarolinep/status/796545313188286464
That is one beautiful casserole. I love the crunch that you get with Panko and am sure that this casserole is delicious!
Oh yeah, one of my favorite Thanksgiving dish is roasted Brussels Sprouts! I updated it by adding red pepper flakes a dash of soy sauce, and lemon zest. Turned out so delicious!
amy [at] utry [dot] it
tweeted:
https://twitter.com/uTry_it/status/796788634007408640
amy [at] utry [dot] it
This looks delicious! Perfect for the holidays, and I adore green beans!
This casserole looks amazing, love all of the flavors you’ve put together!!
Great way to dress up those fresh green beans! Panko’s light texture is perfect for this and so many other casseroles!
I LOVE changing up old favorite to be a totally new dish – this casserole looks perfect for the holidays – YUM
I am just loving everything about this recipe! I just might have to add it to my holiday menu!
This is a green bean casserole I could get behind for Thanksgiving!
I’ll be trying this version instead of the traditional green bean casserole this year. It looks amazing!
Our family will love these green beans, this Thanksgiving. I really like your use of panko breadcrumbs with this recipe; what great taste and texture!
I’ll try this with the Aldi frozen french green beans. You can’t tell they were frozen. 🙂
Such a great recipe — and your photos are GORGEOUS!!
I am loving this so much more than the traditional casserole! That crunchy topping is everything! Watch out Thanksgiving!
we always make our thanksgiving turkey a little different each year (either by adding in a different spice or marinating it with something different)
https://twitter.com/showstopper474/status/798228147607130112
I love making different homemade pies for dessert and have tweaked the recipes and fillings over the years.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/PrettyHotPink6/status/798276265505484802
I upxated my mother’s stuffing recipe by axding mushrooms and carrots.
https://mobile.twitter.com/arress83/status/798281850154340352
Yours is the first recipe and any blogger that I am ready and willing to try thanks so much!!!
https://mobile.twitter.com/faithjacklynswe/status/798452597694885888
I updated to roasted garlic green beans and an apple pumpkin soup
tweet https://twitter.com/LAMusing/status/798709916093382656
my mom made an awesome radish casserole last year!
https://twitter.com/lindilala/status/798760691091898368
No updated recipes, thanks.
I love to add nuts to sweet potato pie recipe.
https://twitter.com/eliza_elliott/status/800108297777016833
I don’t have an updated recipe, but I am inspired by yours! YUM!! This is one I”ve got to try 🙂
Tweeted 🙂 – https://twitter.com/Enter_Now/status/800286703118229505
Well it wasn’t me who did it but……
Although I love sweet potatoes, I never liked the marshmallow topped overly sweet concoctions that tend to get served at holiday dinners….BUT….a friend of mine makes some that is mostly sweet potatoes and apples, with pecans and just light (or no) marshmallows, and it is delicious.
tweeted
https://twitter.com/rubylorikeet/status/800412253610573824
https://twitter.com/mitadav/status/800475773094109184
I like green bean casserole with mashed potatoes.
When I was a kid, I loved my mother’s stuffing. I’ve updated her version by cooking it in a slow cooker or alongside the turkey in a casserole dish, and I’ve also adapted the ingredients to reflect my own family’s tastes, with lots of diced veggies, an apple, and dried fruit.
Here’s my tweet sharing your yummy-looking updated green bean casserole and the Kikkoman giveaway:
https://twitter.com/NotherAnneOther/status/800765660376813568
Thanks, and Happy Thanksgiving!
I guess I am updating plain pumpkin pie to pumpkin cheesecake with a sour cream topping this year. It is so rich and delicious.
Tweet
https://mobile.twitter.com/Michael64263870/status/801174360300146688
YES! As a vegetarian, I had to update all my fav family recipes that I grew up with and make them veggie! One of my favs is my mom’s stuffing. I now use veggie broth and veggie sausage rather than chicken broth and gibblets.
I tweeted here: https://twitter.com/MsTofuFairy/status/801443225328304129
i love sweet potato pie with lemon meringue crackers
https://twitter.com/linjumimom/status/801493921981468672
I make ‘Ultimate mashed potatoes’ by adding whipped cream and cream cheese!
We have always loved green bean casserole, but now we make a fiesta green bean casserole that is spicier and uses Rotel in it.
westiemks5 at yahoo dot com
Tweeted! https://twitter.com/calebaw3s0m3/status/801603973903958022
I have updated my mac and cheese to add some smoked cheese
tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com
tweet https://twitter.com/ChelleB36/status/801655821155373056
tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com
I have a Cornbread Dressing recipe that I use from my mom’s cookbook that’s older than me! I’ve updated with fresh herbs instead of dried ones.
https://twitter.com/ThatTuxedoCat/status/801669129602297856
I like my updated stuffing recipe.
tweeted
https://twitter.com/thomasmurphy40/status/801674447149219840
i updated my dressing by adding nuts too it
https://twitter.com/purplelover04/status/801902136997117954
Tweeted-https://twitter.com/birdiebee52/status/801914933004922880?lang=en
I make a family favorite of twice baked potatoes in a slow cooker.
I have update my stuffing recipe so it is lower in fat and still tastes great.
thank you
Tweeted https://twitter.com/JalapenoMama/status/802006997579218945
No I haven’t updated anything, I like to keep it traditional!
i usually do not modify recipes, but i like your panko addition to one of our favorites