Are you ready to talk about a holiday staple? That amazing, creamy, crunchy side dish that shows up on almost every table. I am talking about green bean casserole. For years, the version with canned soup was the only one I knew. And it’s good, don’t get me wrong. But what if I told you there is a better way? A way that tastes fresher, richer, and is surprisingly easy to make from scratch.
This recipe is truly the Best Green Bean Casserole Thanksgiving has ever seen. We are ditching the cans and using fresh ingredients to build layers of incredible flavor. It’s a dish that feels special but is totally doable, even for beginner cooks. Let’s make something amazing together.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
First off, the flavor is just outstanding. Using fresh green beans, real mushrooms, and a homemade cream sauce makes a world of difference. The taste is savory and complex, not just salty. It’s a real upgrade to the holiday table.
You will also love the textures in this dish. The green beans are tender yet have a slight snap. The sauce is velvety smooth and filled with earthy mushrooms. And the topping? Oh, the topping. We make our own crispy fried onions that are golden brown and so satisfyingly crunchy.
This is a Classic Green Bean Casserole with a modern, fresh twist. It honors the spirit of the original comfort food while making it feel a little more special. It has all the comforting qualities of the Traditional Green Bean Casserole you grew up with.
Making the Best Green Bean Casserole Thanksgiving dish from scratch is also very rewarding. You can proudly say you made the entire thing yourself. It looks beautiful on the table, especially when baked in a cast iron skillet. It has that rustic, from the heart appeal.
Finally, you have complete control over the ingredients. You can adjust the salt, use a different type of mushroom, or even make a few swaps to fit your dietary needs. It is a flexible recipe that is all about homemade goodness.
Ingredients
The ingredient list might look longer than the three can version, but each item plays a key role in building amazing flavor. Everything should be easy to find at your local grocery store.
For The Topping
- 2 medium onions, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons panko bread crumbs
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Nonstick cooking spray
For Beans And Sauce
- 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 1 pound fresh green beans, rinsed, trimmed and halved
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 12 ounces mushrooms, trimmed and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup half and half
Step By Step Instructions
Alright, let’s get into How To Make Green Bean Casserole from scratch. Don’t be intimidated! I’ll walk you through every step. Just take it one part at a time, and you will have the Best Green Bean Casserole Thanksgiving has ever tasted.
Step 1: Make The Crispy Onions
First, preheat your oven to 475 degrees F. This high heat is what gets the onions super crispy. While it’s heating up, grab a large mixing bowl. Add your thinly sliced onions, the flour, panko bread crumbs, and one teaspoon of kosher salt.
Toss everything together gently with your hands. You want to make sure every little sliver of onion is lightly coated. This coating is what will turn golden brown and delicious in the oven.
Next, take out a sheet pan and coat it generously with nonstick cooking spray. Spread the onions in a single even layer on the pan. Don’t overcrowd them! Giving them space is key to getting them crispy instead of steamy.
Place the pan on the middle rack of your hot oven. Bake for about 30 minutes. You will want to toss the onions two or three times during cooking to ensure they brown evenly. Keep an eye on them near the end, as they can go from golden to burnt pretty quickly. Once they are a beautiful brown color, take them out and set them aside. Oh, and remember to turn your oven down to 400 degrees F for the casserole.
Step 2: Prepare The Green Beans
While those onions are getting crispy, let’s get the green beans ready. Bring a large pot of water, about a gallon, to a rolling boil. Add two tablespoons of kosher salt to the water. This seasons the beans from the inside out.
You also need to prepare an ice bath. This is just a large bowl filled with ice and cold water. This will be used to stop the cooking process right after we blanch the beans, keeping them vibrant green and crisp tender.
Once the water is boiling, carefully add your fresh green beans. Let them cook for just 5 minutes. This is called blanching. It quickly cooks the beans without making them mushy. After 5 minutes, immediately drain them in a colander.
Then, plunge the hot beans directly into the ice water bath. Swirl them around for a minute. This cools them down fast and locks in that bright green color. Once they are cool, drain them well and set them aside. This is a crucial step for the Best Green Bean Casserole Thanksgiving side dish.
Step 3: Sauté The Mushrooms And Aromatics
Now for the heart of our creamy sauce. Grab a 12 inch cast iron skillet or another oven safe skillet. Melt the two tablespoons of unsalted butter over medium high heat. Once it is melted and shimmering, add your mushrooms.
Also add one teaspoon of kosher salt and the black pepper. Cook the mushrooms, stirring every so often, until they start to release their liquid. This usually takes about 4 to 5 minutes. They will shrink down quite a bit and start to get some nice color.
Next, add the minced garlic and freshly ground nutmeg. The kitchen is about to smell incredible! Stir and cook for another minute or two until the garlic is fragrant. Be careful not to let the garlic burn.
Step 4: Create The Creamy Sauce
Sprinkle the two tablespoons of all purpose flour over the mushroom mixture. Stir it all together to coat the mushrooms. Let this cook for about one minute. This step cooks out the raw flour taste and helps to thicken our sauce later.
Now, slowly pour in the chicken broth while stirring. Bring the mixture to a simmer and let it cook for about one minute. It will start to thicken up a bit. This is the base of our delicious, savory sauce for the Classic Green Bean Casserole.
Decrease the heat to medium low. It’s time to add the half and half. Pour it in and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens into a beautiful, creamy sauce. This should take about 6 to 8 minutes. Patience here is rewarded with a velvety smooth sauce.
Step 5: Assemble And Bake
Your hard work is about to pay off. Remove the skillet from the heat. Take about one quarter of those amazing crispy onions you made and stir them right into the sauce. This adds a layer of onion flavor inside the casserole itself. It’s a little trick that makes a big difference.
Now add all of your blanched green beans to the skillet. Gently stir everything together until the beans are fully coated in that luscious cream sauce. At this point, you have created something that already looks and smells fantastic. This is truly the Original Green Bean Casserole, reinvented.
Finally, top the entire casserole with the remaining crispy onions. Spread them evenly over the surface. The more topping, the better, in my opinion! This is what will make the Best Green Bean Casserole Thanksgiving dish stand out.
Carefully place the skillet into your 400 degree F oven. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and everything is heated through. The onions on top will get even more golden and toasty. Once it’s done, remove it from the oven and serve it immediately. Enjoy the applause!
How To Store Leftovers
If you happen to have any leftovers of the Best Green Bean Casserole Thanksgiving dish, storing them is easy. First, let the casserole cool down completely to room temperature. This is important for food safety.
Once cooled, cover the skillet or transfer the leftovers to an airtight container. Store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 or 4 days. The crispy onion topping will soften a bit upon refrigeration, but the flavor will still be wonderful.
When you are ready to reheat, you can use the oven or the microwave. For the best results, reheat it in an oven at 350 degrees F until it is warmed through. This helps to crisp up the topping again slightly.
Tips
Want to make this Traditional Green Bean Casserole even better? Here are a few extra tips. You can use a mix of mushrooms like cremini and shiitake for a deeper, earthier flavor. Just make sure you have 12 ounces in total.
To make this recipe vegetarian, simply swap the chicken broth for vegetable broth. It is an easy one to one substitution and the results will be just as delicious. No one will even notice the difference.
If you are short on time, you can prepare some components ahead. The onions can be made a day or two in advance and stored in an airtight container at room temperature. You can also blanch the green beans a day ahead and keep them in the fridge.
Freshly grated nutmeg makes a noticeable difference compared to the pre ground kind. A whole nutmeg will last for a very long time, and you just need a microplane or fine grater to use it. It adds a warm, aromatic touch to the sauce.
Conclusion
And there you have it! A complete guide on How To Make Green Bean Casserole completely from scratch. It takes a little more effort than opening a few cans, but the result is so worth it. The fresh flavors and textures are just in a different league.
This is more than just a recipe. It’s about creating memories and traditions around the dinner table. Bringing a dish like this shows care and love, and it’s something your family and friends will appreciate and remember.
I truly believe this is the Best Green Bean Casserole Thanksgiving recipe you will ever make. It’s a classic side dish, elevated. I hope you give it a try for your next holiday gathering. Happy cooking!
FAQ
Can I Prepare This Casserole In Advance?
Yes, you can do some prep ahead of time. You can make the crispy onions up to two days in advance. You can also blanch the green beans the day before. You can even assemble the entire casserole without the final onion topping a day ahead. Store it covered in the fridge, then just add the onions and bake when ready.
What’s The Best Way To Reheat Green Bean Casserole?
The best way to reheat leftovers is in the oven. Place the casserole in an oven safe dish and bake at 350 degrees F for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until it is hot and bubbly. This helps the topping get a little crispy again. You can also use the microwave if you are in a hurry.
Can I Use Frozen Green Beans Instead Of Fresh?
Yes, you can use frozen green beans in a pinch. You will want to thaw them first and pat them very dry. You can skip the blanching step if you use frozen beans. The texture will be a bit softer than with fresh beans, but it will still be a delicious Classic Green Bean Casserole.
Can This Recipe Be Made Gluten Free?
Absolutely. To make this gluten free, you will need to make a couple of simple swaps. Use a gluten free all purpose flour blend in place of the regular flour for both the onions and the sauce. For the topping, you can use gluten free panko or crushed gluten free crackers instead of regular panko.
Why Use A Cast Iron Skillet?
Using a cast iron skillet is great because it can go directly from the stovetop to the oven. This means you can build the sauce and bake the casserole all in one pan, which means fewer dishes to wash! It also gives the Best Green Bean Casserole Thanksgiving dish a wonderful, rustic presentation.
Homemade Green Bean Casserole
This classic green bean casserole is made from scratch with fresh green beans, a creamy homemade mushroom sauce, and a crunchy fried onion topping. A flavorful and comforting side dish perfect for the holidays.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 475°F. In a large bowl, toss the sliced onions with 1/4 cup flour, panko breadcrumbs, and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt until lightly coated.
- Spread the onions in a single layer on a sheet pan coated with nonstick cooking spray. Bake for about 30 minutes, tossing two or three times, until golden brown and crispy. Set aside and reduce oven temperature to 400°F.
- While onions bake, bring a large pot of water to a boil with 2 tablespoons of kosher salt. Prepare a large bowl of ice water. Blanch the green beans in the boiling water for 5 minutes.
- Immediately drain the beans and plunge them into the ice water bath to stop the cooking process. Once cooled, drain well and set aside.
- In a 12-inch oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the mushrooms, 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, and black pepper. Cook for 4-5 minutes until they release their liquid. Add the minced garlic and nutmeg and cook for another minute until fragrant.
- Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of flour over the mushrooms and stir to combine. Cook for one minute. Slowly whisk in the chicken broth, bring to a simmer, and cook for one minute. Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in the half and half. Cook for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened.
- Remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in about a quarter of the crispy onions and all of the blanched green beans until everything is coated in the sauce.
- Top the casserole evenly with the remaining crispy onions. Bake at 400°F for 15 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and heated through. Serve immediately.
Notes
Vegetarian Option: Simply swap the chicken broth for vegetable broth for a fully vegetarian dish.
Mushroom Variety: Use a mix of mushrooms like cremini and shiitake for a deeper, earthier flavor.
Make-Ahead: The crispy onions can be made up to 2 days in advance and stored in an airtight container. The green beans can also be blanched a day ahead and refrigerated.
Nutrition
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