Iwas surprised to learn that Dorcas Reilly, Campbell’s Soup home economist who created the Green Bean Casserole in 1955, developed it as an everyday side dish, according to the company’s website. It wasn’t until the 1960s, when the recipe was printed on the cream of mushroom soup label, that it took off as a Thanksgiving favorite, one that is now shared on more than 20 million holiday tables each year.

Get the recipe: Green Bean Casserole With Crispy Shallots

I am a fan of Reilly’s original recipe and applaud her innovation. But while Reilly’s canned soup-centric side offers a familiar nostalgia, making the dish from scratch with fresh ingredients reveals its real potential, elevating it immeasurably from the short-cut, everyday food she intended it to be. For such a special holiday, it’

See Full Page