Move over traditional Green Bean Casserole, and make room for a new show-stopping, side-dish for your holiday table, savory Green Bean Pie with a Ritz Cracker Crust.
The best green bean casserole from scratch, Green Bean Pie with a Ritz Cracker Crust is full of fresh, tender green beans and earthy mushrooms, enveloped in a creamy, decadent, cheesy sauce, and topped with the traditional French fried onions. But, it gets better, in this recipe, because it is a pie, all this deliciousness is contained in a simple crunchy crust made with Ritz Cracker crumbs and yes, even more, French fried onions. It’s epic!
Green Bean Casseroles and Thanksgiving go together like turkey and dressing. It’s a tradition! You’ve been there, and you know what I’m saying is true. I can’t remember a Thanksgiving that a fresh green bean casserole wasn’t front and center on our table and my guess is a majority of you would agree.
Green Bean Casserole Origin
The traditional green bean casserole with canned French fried onions and cream of mushroom soup, which most of us grew up eating, was first created in 1955 by Dorcas Reilly with the Campbell Soup Company, and it’s been a favorite ever since.
I’m not one to monkey with success, but it seems like I can never leave well enough alone. And, certainly no disrespect to Dorcas, whose green bean casserole recipe will go down in history as one of the most popular holiday dishes of all time. But, this year I wanted to put a new spin on an old classic, and the idea for Green Bean Pie with Ritz Cracker Crust was born.
If you like green beans, you might also like these popular recipes for Southern Sweet and Sour Green Beans, Southern Green Beans and New Potatoes, and Green Bean Bundles Wrapped in Bacon.
How to make Ritz Cracker Pie Crust with French Fried Onions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Add the crackers and the french fried onions to the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Process until the crackers and onion rings are finely crushed.
Add the melted butter to the cracker crumbs and process until the butter and crumbs are well combined.
Pour this mixture into a 9-inch tart pan, or 9-inch baking or casserole dish with at least 3-inch sides.
Use your hands or the smooth bottom of a measuring cup or glass to gently compress the crumbs on the bottom and up the sides of the pan.
Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool.
How to make Green Bean Pie Filling.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
While the pie crust cools, in a large skillet or Dutch oven, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-high heat.
Add the onions and cook for 5-6 minutes, or until they are tender and lightly browned.
Add the mushrooms, and sprigs of thyme and cook for another 5-6 minutes, or until the mushrooms are tender.
Add the garlic and cook for 30-60 seconds, or until the garlic is fragrant.
Remove the thyme sprigs and transfer the mushroom mixture to a bowl and set aside.
In the same skillet or Dutch oven, melt 2 tablespoons of butter and add the green beans. Saute for about 15-16 minutes, or until the green beans are crisp-tender, stirring frequently. Turn the heat down to medium if the beans look like they are getting too brown.
When the beans are done, add the cream cheese, half-and-half, Worchestire sauce, salt, and pepper and cook until the cream cheese is melted and creamy.
Add the mushrooms back in and remove from the heat.
Pour the green bean mixture into the cooled pie crust. If using a tart pan, place a piece of aluminum foil around the bottom of the pan.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the filling is bubbly. Remove from the oven, top evenly with the French fried onions and bake for another 5 minutes.
Remove from the oven and let sit for 15 minutes before serving.
Sharon’s Expert Tips:
- If you don’t have a food processor, place the Ritz crackers and onion rings in a large plastic bag, seal, and roll over them with a rolling pin until they are finely crushed.
- You can substitute frozen green beans for fresh green beans.
- Use a serrated knife, like a bread knife to cut the green bean pie slices.
- I’m sorry to report that this is not one of those dishes you can easily make ahead. The crust gets soggy! However, you could make the crust and the filling the day before, refrigerate the filling, and before serving, add the filling to the crust and bake as directed.
*This recipe shared with Julia’s Simply Southern for Meal Plan Monday’s Thanksgiving Recipes Post!
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Green Bean Pie with Ritz Cracker Pie Crust
Ingredients
Green Bean Pie Filling Ingredients:
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter divided
- 1 small sweet onion chopped
- 12 oz sliced fresh mushrooms about 3 cups
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1-1/2 lbs fresh green beans rinsed, trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 pkg cream cheese 8-oz, cut into cubes
- 1/2 cup half and half or whole milk
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup French fried onions
Ritz Cracker Pie Crust Ingredients:
- 11 oz Ritz crackers about 3 sleeves or 100 crackers
- 1/2 cup French fried onions
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted
Instructions
Ritz Cracker Pie Crust Directions:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Add the crackers and the french fried onions to the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Process until the crackers and onion rings are finely crushed.
- Add the melted butter to the cracker crumbs and process until the butter and crumbs are well combined.
- Pour this mixture into a 9-inch tart pan, or 9-inch baking or casserole dish with at least 3-inch sides.
- Use your hands or the smooth bottom of a measuring cup or glass to gently compress the crumbs on the bottom and up the sides of the pan.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool.
Green Bean Pie Filling Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- While the pie crust cools, in a large skillet or Dutch oven, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-high heat.
- Add the onions and cook for 5-6 minutes, or until they are tender and lightly browned.
- Add the mushrooms, and sprigs of thyme and cook for another 5-6 minutes, or until the mushrooms are tender.
- Add the garlic and cook for 30-60 seconds, or until the garlic is fragrant.
- Remove the thyme sprigs and transfer the mushroom mixture to a bowl and set aside.
- In the same skillet or Dutch oven, melt 2 tablespoons of butter and add the green beans. Saute for about 15-16 minutes, or until the green beans are crisp-tender, stirring frequently. Turn the heat down to medium if the beans look like they are getting too brown.
- When the beans are done, add the cream cheese, half-and-half, Worchestire sauce, salt, and pepper and cook until the cream cheese is melted and creamy. Add the mushrooms back in and remove from the heat.
- Pour the green bean mixture into the cooled pie crust and bake for 25-30 minutes or until the filling is bubbly. Remove from the oven, top evenly with the French fried onions and bake for another 5 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let sit for 15 minutes before serving.
Notes
- If you don't have a food processor, place the Ritz crackers and onion rings in a large plastic bag, seal, and roll over them with a rolling-pin until they are finely crushed.
- You can substitute frozen green beans for fresh green beans.
- Use a serrated knife, like a bread knife to cut the green bean pie slices.
- I'm sorry to report that this is not one of those dishes you can easily make ahead. The crust gets soggy! However, you could make the crust and the filling the day before, refrigerate the filling, and before serving, add the filling to the crust and bake as directed.
Haven’t made it, yet, but this sounds killer!
Thanks, Kathy! Hope you guys are doing well!
Sharon, what a fabulous idea to put this classic green bean casserole into a ritz cracker crust. Absolutely amazing. I’m sure it would add such great texture along with a nice flavor. Such a perfect holiday recipe. Thanks so much for sharing!