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Here’s an Instant Pot green bean casserole from scratch: fresh green beans, real mushrooms, and a crumbled potato chip topping!
This ain’t your mama’s green bean casserole. Nope, this one’s a fresh spin made all from scratch. It’s got crisp tender green beans and real mushrooms. The creamy sauce coats each of the beans, but isn’t gloppy. And it’s got a new take on the traditional fried onion topping! I first discovered green bean casserole when I moved to Indiana 15 years ago. While it wasn’t my tradition growing up, I’ve grown to love this savory dish…but have always wanted to make a “from scratch” version. So we present, our updated version of our holiday favorite made in a pressure cooker!
Want a stovetop version? Try our Best Green Bean Casserole.
A gourmet spin on green bean casserole
Did you know green bean casserole was an invention by Campbell’s Soup? (I had no idea.) It was invented to use their cream of mushroom soup, and paired it with canned green beans and crunchy fried onions. Truly, an odd combination. But it works! Americans have been making it ever since, mostly for Thanksgiving and other holidays.
What makes this Instant Pot green bean casserole better than the rest? Well, this one is all about flavor. Here’s what we’ve done to this Instant Pot green bean casserole to give it a modern spin:
- Fresh green beans. No canned beans here! They come out crisp tender, with just the right amount of texture.
- Real mushrooms and cream. No need for canned soup, either! This one uses real mushrooms and cream to get big flavor. (We’ve thrown in a little Parmesan cheese too, because: why not?)
- Gourmet potato chips! Yep, instead of the signature crunchy onions Alex had the idea to use crunched up sour cream and onion potato chips. It really works, and plus you have leftovers to munch on (instead of random onions that gather dust in your cupboard).
If you want a stovetop version of this same recipe, we’ve got one! Head to Best Green Bean Casserole.
What people are saying…
People have been loving this Instant Pot green bean casserole! Here’s what one recipe tester had to say:
- “It’s better than I expected! I’m used to the can of soup type of green bean casserole, so I wasn’t sure this would be as flavorful or rich. But it’s even more so! I will be making this for Thanksgiving for years to come, especially because it’s so easy in the Instant Pot!” -Kristi
How to make Instant Pot green bean casserole: a tutorial
So, how does it all work in a pressure cooker! It’s pretty simple to make Instant Pot green bean casserole. Here are the basic steps for how it’s done (see the full recipe below):
Step 1 Prep the veggies.
Trim the beans (here’s a shortcut!). Chop the mushrooms and shallot.
Step 2 Saute the mushrooms and shallots.
Use the Instant Pot saute function to saute the mushroom and shallot in olive oil for about 6 minutes. Then add the green beans and water.
Step 3 Pressure cook on High for 1 minute.
Pressure cook for 1 minute. Note that it takes about 5 minutes for the Instant Pot to come up to pressure. Then do a quick release.
Step 4: Saute the sauce.
Stir in the cream, Parmesan cheese, garlic and spices. Use the Saute function again for about 1 minute until a thick sauce forms. Transfer to a serving dish, top with crushed chips, and serve!
What kind of Instant Pot to use?
All pressure cooker brands vary! Here’s the brand we use: an Instant Pot 6 Qt Programmable Pressure Cooker. This recipe is customized for a 6 quart pressure cooker. We also can’t speak to other brands and types of pressure cookers. For example, Instant Pot Mini works differently, so use it at your own risk!
More Instant Pot holiday recipes
The pressure cooker is perfect for the holidays! It’s an easy way to keep the stovetop and oven clear for the rest of the cooking. Here are some of our favorite holiday recipes to cook in the Instant Pot:
- Instant Pot Brussels Sprouts with Parmesan: Brussels sprouts take not time, and these are seriously tasty.
- Instant Pot Beet Salad: Shortcut the time of roasting beets in half, and then make them in this Beet Salad with Balsamic recipe.
- Instant Pot Acorn Squash: Another great Thanksgiving side or vegetarian main dish, this squash is topped with a pecan rice stuffing that literally smells like Thanksgiving.
Want more Thanksgiving recipes? Go to 10 Instant Pot Thanksgiving Recipes.
This Instant Pot green bean casserole recipe is…
Vegetarian and gluten free.
Instant Pot Green Bean Casserole
Here’s an Instant Pot green bean casserole from scratch: fresh green beans, real mushrooms, and a crumbled potato chip topping!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Pressure Cooker
- Cuisine: Holiday
Ingredients
- 8 ounces baby bella mushrooms*
- 1 large shallot
- 2 pounds green beans
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- 1 teaspoon ground dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried sage
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- Fresh ground black pepper
- ½ cup gourmet potato chips, sour cream and onion flavor**
Instructions
- Finely chop the mushrooms. Mince the shallot. Trim the green beans.
- Turn on Saute mode and add the olive oil to the Instant Pot. When it is heated, add the mushroom and shallot and saute for 6 minutes until tender. Then add green beans and ½ cup water. Lock the lid of the Instant Pot. Place the pressure release handle (vent) in the “Sealing” position.
- Cook on High Pressure for 1 minute: Press the Pressure Cook button, making sure the “High Pressure” setting is selected, and set the time. Note that it takes about 5 minutes for the pot to “preheat” and come up to pressure before it starts cooking. (During cooking, avoid touching the metal part of the lid.)
- Quick release: Vent the remaining steam from the Instant Pot by moving the pressure release handle to “Venting”, covering your hand with a towel or hot pad. Never put your hands or face near the vent when releasing steam. Open the pressure cooker lid.
- Stir in cornstarch until coated. Add the cream, Parmesan cheese, grated garlic, thyme, sage, garlic powder, and kosher salt. Turn on Saute mode again and cook 1 minute until thickened and bubbly. Taste and add more salt as desired.
- Remove the bean mixture to a serving dish, 9 x 9 baking dish or medium casserole dish. Serve topped with crushed potato chips.
Notes
*This quantity makes enough for a 9 x 9 size baking dish or casserole dish equivalent. If you’d like a larger amount for Thanksgiving or to feed a huge crowd, you can double and fit into a 9 x 13 size baking dish.
**Of course if you must, feel free to substitute the traditional french fried onions! We won’t judge.
This was hands down the best green bean casserole I’ve ever had. I wouldn’t even put it in the same category as the old fashioned kind! It also made for really tasty left overs. If there is a high probability for leftovers, I’d suggest to only cover part of it with the potato chips and add fresh chips when reheating as the chips get soggy with the leftovers. However that did not impact my enjoyment of the casserole at all! I will definitely make this again!
I’m so glad you loved it!
i don’t do dairy. do you think instead of heavy cream i can use almond milk?
Yes this will work! It won’t be as rich, so you’ll want to may add a bit more dairy-free cheese (is that you were planning to sub for Parmesan?). Good luck!