An onion-free, cheese-enhanced variation of a classic.
In 1955, an employee of the Campbell’s Soup company combined condensed Cream of Mushroom soup, French’s French-fried onions, and green beans (along with milk, soy sauce, and black pepper) into an instant American classic. It represents one of the comparatively rare moments when a dish is born nearly without precedent, though green beans with cream sauce did appear at dinner tables in the decades prior, and a dish called “Green Bean Casserole” (involving green beans in a powdered milk sauce topped with pinwheels of dough and meat) appeared two years earlier in the Feb.3, 1953 edition of The Sydney Morning Herald.
The variation with corn flakes started to show up about two years later.
A family recipe provided by Jennifer Kiel of Washington, DC, from her mother-in-law’s collection, started in Kent, Ohio.
Green Bean Casserole
A good vegetable dish for buffets, too.
3 Tbsp. butter, melted
2 Tbsp. flour
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. grated onion
1 c. dairy sour cream
1 (12 oz.) pkgs. frozen French style green beans, cooked
1/2 lb. grated cheddar cheese
1/2 cup corn flake crumbs
Combine two Tbsp. butter and flour; cook gently. Remove from heat; stir in seasonings and cream. Fold in beans. Place in a shallow 2 qt. casserole.
Cover with cheese, then with crumbs, mixed with 1 Tbsp. butter. Bake in moderate oven (350 degrees) 30 minutes. Serves 8.