Green Bean Casserole From Scratch

HATIAN FOOD BLOG

Green Bean Casserole From Scratch

Story By #RiseCelestialStudios

Serving up homemade green bean casserole for Thanksgiving is almost a requirement, right? There’s something about the creamy sauce smothering tender green beans and the crispiness from the fried onion topping that satisfies the soul. It’s so easy, you’ll be making it year-round.

While many recipes call for canned mushroom soup, making the mushroom sauce is so fast that I don’t mess with opening a can. Besides, the holidays are special and worth a little extra chopping. But this is a no-judgment zone, so do what you need for a happy holiday.

Why Make it From Scratch

Besides usually being more economical, green bean casserole tastes so much better from scratch, and you can customize it to your family’s preferences. Would you like more heat? Add a dash of cayenne. Do you prefer a creamier sauce? Replace the milk with half-and-half. No fresh green beans in sight (or you don’t feel like blanching them)? Frozen and canned work great, too.

The list of personalizations keeps going. Trade out the cheddar cheese with Gruyere or Swiss. Replace the fried onions with potato sticks, panko breadcrumbs, or Ritz crackers. You’re the boss!

How to Make Green Bean Casserole

Blanch the green beans if using fresh. Otherwise, proceed with frozen or canned. (Photo 1)
Fry the bacon until crispy, 5-7 minutes. Drain off the excess fat, then saute the onions and garlic until the onions are wilted. (Photo 2)
Add the chopped mushrooms, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, and cook for 5-6 minutes. Remove the mixture from the pan and set aside. (Photo 3)
Roux – Melt the butter (or reserved bacon fat) in the same skillet, and as soon as it melts, whisk in the flour. Whisk until thoroughly combined, and continue cooking for about a minute. (Photo 4)

Add the chicken broth, a little at a time, followed by the milk while whisking. Heat to bubbling, reduce the heat to medium, and simmer gently until it thickens into a creamy sauce.
Stir in the cheese, add the mushroom mixture back into the skillet, and stir well. Season with salt, pepper, and Creole seasoning. (Photos 5-7)
Stir in the green beans and half of the fried onions. Adjust seasonings to taste. (Photo 8)

Bake – Pour the green bean mixture into a 9×13-inch baking dish, top it with the remaining fried onions, and bake at 350℉ (180℃) for 25-30 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown. (Photos 9-10)

Recipe Notes and Tips

If, despite all precautions, your gravy has lumps, don’t despair. An immersion blender will take care of that. If you don’t have one, let it cool slightly, then pour it into a regular blender and blitz it for a minute. Carefully pour it back into the pan and keep going as if nothing happened.
If you can’t get fresh green beans, frozen are the next best option. However, the canned ones work fine as well.
Don’t forget to save the bacon fat for later, or use it to replace the butter.

Making Ahead for Less Stress

To make this casserole in advance, follow the instructions up to adding the topping. Save the crispy fried onions for when you bake it. Cover the casserole with foil and refrigerate it for 1-2 days or freeze it 2-3 months ahead.

When ready to bake, let it come to room temperature for 30 minutes (thaw overnight in the fridge if frozen), add the topping, and bake as usual.

For a cozier Thanksgiving celebration for smaller families, just the turkey breast or (my fav) thighs is more than enough. Gravy, cranberry sauce, dressing or mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie are sure crowd-pleasers.

More Thanksgiving Side Dishes to Explore

By Imma

Watch How to Make It

[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”Wrhwqbvi” upload-date=”2020-08-17T03:30:31.000Z” name=”Green Bean Casserole From Scratch” description=”Green Bean Casserole is a classic holiday side dish staple. Made from scratch with homemade cream of mushroom soup and tender-crisp green beans topped with more crispy fried onions. Watch it fly off the table!” player-type=”collapse” override-embed=”false”]

This post was first published in October 2017 and has been updated with more tips and a video.

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Prep: 30 minutes

Cook: 30 minutes

Total: 1 hour

American

Bring a pot of water to a boil, add green beans, and cook for 4-5 minutes. Remove from the boiling water, and plunge them into an ice water bath to stop the cooking. Drain and set aside. You can do this step in advance.
Heat a saucepan or skillet on medium-high, then fry the bacon until crispy, 5-7 minutes. Drain off the excess fat, then add onions and garlic, and continue cooking until the onions are wilted.
Toss in the mushrooms, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, and cook for 5-6 more minutes. Remove the mixture from the pan and set aside. Wipe the pan clean.
Add butter (or reserved bacon fat) to the skillet, and as soon as it melts, whisk in the flour. Whisk until the flour and butter are thoroughly combined, and continue cooking for about a minute to get rid of the raw flour taste.
Add the chicken broth, a little at a time, followed by the milk. Continue whisking to avoid lumps. Heat to bubbling, reduce the heat to medium, and simmer gently until it thickens into a creamy sauce (6-8 minutes).
Stir in the shredded cheese, then add the mushroom mixture back to the skillet, and stir to combine. Season with salt, pepper, and Creole seasoning.
Remove the pan from the heat, add the green beans and, if desired, half of the fried onions. Stir to combine. Adjust seasonings to taste.
Transfer the green bean mixture into a 9×13-inch baking dish, spread it out evenly, and then top it with the remaining fried onions.
Place in the oven and bake at 350℉ (180℃) for 25-30 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown.

For an ice bath, fill the bowl with ice and cold water. Remove the green beans from the blanching water and submerge them directly into the ice bath to stop the cooking process and preserve their color.
You can use panko bread crumbs instead of the canned fried onions, but the onions really make a difference. It’s your call.
If you want to fry your own onions, a mandoline slicer comes in handy for thin slices. You can fry them up to a month in advance and store them in an airtight container. Remember to fry them in batches, stirring constantly for even browning.
If you use canned or frozen green beans, skip the first step (blanching part).
You can make this dish ahead by assembling the casserole without the fried onion toppings and storing it tightly wrapped in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on the ingredients used.