Homemade Green Bean Casserole

This Green Bean Casserole is made completely from scratch and is the healthiest and tastiest one you’ll ever eat! Fresh green beans, fresh mushrooms, even the crispy onions are homemade. The sauce is creamy and delectable. There are no cans involved in this recipe. The result is absolutely delicious! It is seriously the best green bean casserole I’ve ever had.

Raise your hand if Green Bean Casserole makes it to your Thanksgiving table every year. It seems like every family has it’s ‘must-haves’ at the Thanksgiving table. This is one of ours.

From Scratch Vs. Classic

In my opinion, making something from scratch always tastes better than canned. For Example, Pumpkin puree, Cranberry sauce, and Chocolate Pudding are much more flavorful fresh. 

When I was younger, as in before I was the one cooking the Thanksgiving dinner, I didn’t like this dish all that much. It was mushy, a bit slimy, and I don’t actually like mushrooms. 

Also, I’ve never been a fan of canned vegetables, which the classic recipe calls for. Or canned cream soups for that matter. Especially when you pour it out of the can and it’s a big solid gel-like plop. Ick. 

When I was nominated by my family to make this a few years ago, I thought, there has got to be a better way. And I was right. I scoured the internet and found I found this recipe at Smitten Kitchen. And she nails it. There is nothing I would change. 

Now, this dish is devoured every year by my family, I’m lucky if there are leftovers.

How to make fresh Green Bean Casserole

This is completely from scratch. It does take a little more effort than the traditional Green Bean Casserole, but it is SO worth it. I promise.

There are three parts to this recipe. The crispy onions, the green beans and finally the mushroom sauce.

Before you begin: 

Prepare the vegetables so everything comes together efficiently.

• Slice the onions- I like to use a Mandolin to get them 1/8 inch cut, and all even. But caution: They are very sharp! I even got stitches once. You can easily slice them with a knife too. 
• Wash, snap, and cut the green beans
• Slice or chop the mushrooms- for a shortcut, you can purchase mushrooms already sliced. 

Step One: Make the Crispy Onions

• Dredge the onion slices in the flour mixture.
• Heat the oil on medium high. It’s ready when a drop of water sizzles.
• Working in batches, drop some onions in the hot oil and fry until just golden in color. They only need a few minutes.
• Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon or a round mesh skimmer. Place them on a rack over a baking sheet lined with paper towels to absorb drips. 

The crispy onions can sit out at room temperature for up to 1 day. I make mine the day before and lay a paper towel over top, just to protect them. And to remind everyone not to eat them. They are addicting! 

Step Two: Blanch and shock the green beans

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
• Place the beans in the boiling water and immediately set a timer for 5 minutes
• While the beans are cooking, prepare an ice bath. Fill a large bowl with cold water and ice. 
• After the 5 minutes, remove the beans from the stove, strain, and immediately place in the ice bath. 

Blanching and shocking the beans helps to cook and tenderize them. They will turn a bright green color and the texture is perfectly crisp tender.

Step Three: Make the mushroom sauce

• Melt the butter over medium high heat, add the mushrooms, salt and pepper and cook until the mushrooms start releasing their juices, about 3-5 minutes.
• Add the garlic, saute’ for one minute
• Add the flour and stir until the mushrooms are fully coated
• Add the broth 1/4 cup at a time, stirring constantly. Let it thicken before adding the next 1/4 cup of broth. Do this until all the broth is used. Simmer for another minute.
• Add the cream and nutmeg and return to a simmer for 5 minutes.

Your house is smelling pretty amazing right now! If you’ve ever wondered what a good substitute for cream of mushroom soup is– this is it!

 Assembly

• Add the beans and toss in the sauce so everything is coated. 
• Top with the onions and bake at 400 for about 15 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling and the onions are a shade deeper.

Recipe Notes:

• When crisping the onions, the first batch doesn’t cook quite as quickly. On the second or third batch, you may need to reduce the heat.
• Fry the onions until just golden, they will brown up further in the oven.
• I love making this in a cast-iron skillet and then transferring it to the oven. You can easily make this in whatever skillet works for you. If you don’t have an ovenproof skillet, after mixing the beans and sauce, transfer it to a 9×13 casserole dish, top with the onions, and cook.
• If you’re needing to keep the casserole warm due to sharing oven space, cook it without the onions on top. Remove from the oven and cover it with foil. Just before serving, top with the onions and put it back in the oven for a few minutes to warm up the onions.

Make ahead instructions

Up to three days ahead: Make the beans and the sauce. Store individually, not mixed, in the refrigerator. 

One day ahead: make the onions. Store them at room temperature, loosely covered.

It is possible to combine the beans and sauce, transfer to a 9×13 dish, cover well, and freeze. Then you would thaw it in the refrigerator before baking it. I think it turns out best when done fresh, however, this is an option. The onions do not freeze well.

Follow these instructions for heating:

1. Mix the beans and sauce and stir well to coat.
2. Place in a 350° oven for 15 minutes.
3. Remove from the oven, and top with the crispy onions, return to the oven for another 15 minutes or so, until the sauce is bubbling. If the onions are added for the whole time, they will brown up too much.  

Variations

• Add some shredded parmesan cheese to the sauce. Melt it in after adding the cream.
• Add some cooked bacon pieces after combining the sauce and the beans.
• Bake the onions instead of frying them. You can lay the dredged onions out on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 until golden. I tried this one year, but I wasn’t as happy with the results.

Storing Green Bean Casserole

Homemade Green Bean Casserole will stay edible and delicious in your fridge for three to five days. The onions will not be as crispy the second time around, but it is just as flavorful. 

Can you freeze the leftovers?

Technically, you can freeze them, just remember the texture of the onions won’t hold. 

Reheating Instructions

In the oven: Preheat the oven to 350. Loosley cover the casserole with foil, you want some air to be able to flow through. I just lay foil over the top, don’t seal it. Bake until heated through, 20-30 minutes. The last few minutes, remove the foil to crisp up the onions. 

In the microvave:  Individual portions work best in the microwave because of the small space. Loosely cover with paper towel or a vented microwave cover. Heat for 2 minutes at 50% power. It’s always best to reheat food in the microwave on less power. That way it’s not getting cooked again. The onions will not crisp in the microwave.

Easy Homemade Green Bean Casserole is the perfect side dish to your Thanksgiving Turkey. It also goes well with this Braised Beef recipe. But, don’t save it just for Holidays, it’s a great addition to Easy Roasted Chicken and Stuffed Flank Steak.

What makes it to your Thanksgiving table every year?

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Homemade Green Bean Casserole Recipe

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