Expect bright green tender beans in a silky savory mushroom cream, balanced by a salty crisp onion top that stays crunchy after baking. It takes about 20 minutes on the stove plus 25 minutes in the oven, and beats canned soup versions on freshness, control, and texture every time.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds fresh green beans trimmed into 2 inch pieces for tender crisp bite and easy scooping
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt for properly salting blanching water to season beans throughout
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter for sautéing and building a glossy roux base
- 1 tablespoon olive oil helps butter resist scorching during high heat sauté
- 12 ounces cremini or button mushrooms finely chopped for faster browning and deeper mushroom flavor
- 1 small yellow onion minced to sweeten the sauce base and echo the topping
- 2 cloves garlic minced for aromatic depth without overpowering
- 3 tablespoons all purpose flour to thicken the sauce without canned soup
- 1 cup low sodium chicken stock or strong vegetable stock for body without excess salt
- 1 cup half and half creamy texture that bakes without breaking more reliable than straight cream
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard brightens and helps emulsify the sauce
- 0.5 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper balanced heat for the creamy base
- 0.75 teaspoon kosher salt adjust to taste based on stock
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce or Worcestershire adds savory backbone like condensed soup would
- 1 cup fried shallots or onions homemade or quality store bought for shatter crisp finish
- Optional 0.25 cup grated Parmesan nutty salinity that also helps browning
How to Prepare Homemade Green Bean Casserole
- Blanch beans 6 to 7 minutes in a large pot of well salted boiling water until bright green and just tender when bitten then shock in ice water to lock color and stop cooking beans should bend without breaking and taste seasoned throughout fix underdone beans by returning to boiling water 1 minute. Drain very well and pat dry to avoid watering down the sauce.
- Brown mushrooms heat butter and oil over medium high in a wide skillet sauté mushrooms and onion with a pinch of salt until mushrooms give off liquid and edges brown 8 to 10 minutes add garlic for 30 seconds until fragrant watch for fond forming but not burning loosen with a splash of stock if needed.
- Make the sauce sprinkle flour over vegetables and stir 1 minute to cook the raw taste whisk in stock slowly then half and half Dijon soy or Worcestershire pepper and 0.5 teaspoon salt simmer 3 to 5 minutes to a spoon coating nappe consistency if too thick whisk in a few tablespoons stock if too thin simmer longer sauce should leave a clear trail when a spoon is dragged across the pan.
- Combine and pan test fold dried beans into sauce taste and adjust salt and acid if the sauce tastes flat add a touch more Dijon or soy mixture should be glossy and cling to beans without pooling.
- Bake preheat oven to 375 F transfer mixture to a 3 quart casserole sprinkle Parmesan if using bake uncovered 20 minutes until bubbling at edges and lightly browned center should register hot and sauce should bubble slowly not vigorously which can break dairy.
- Top and finish scatter fried shallots or onions over the surface and bake 5 minutes more to set the topping for homemade baked shallots see variation below serve after a 10 minute rest so the sauce thickens and scoops cleanly.
Substitutions and variations
- Frozen green beans swap 2 pounds frozen whole or cut beans skip blanching and add straight to hot sauce cook 2 to 3 minutes to heat through before baking.
- Dairy free use olive oil and full fat oat milk with 0.5 cup cashew cream for body simmer slightly longer until thick glossy.
- Gluten free use 1.5 tablespoons cornstarch whisked into cold stock then added to sautéed veg skip the flour cook until thick and clear.
- Smoky beef topping replace fried onions with crumbled crisped sucuk or pastırma for salty cured savor then add toasted breadcrumbs for crunch.
- No alcohol swap any wine callouts with reduced grape juice plus a small splash of vinegar or use extra stock and a squeeze of lemon for brightness.
- Oven baked shallot topping toss 2 thinly sliced shallots with 1 tablespoon olive oil and 0.25 cup panko plus a pinch of salt toast on a sheet at 375 F for 10 to 12 minutes stirring once for a lighter but crunchy finish.
- Extra mushroom boost add 0.5 ounce finely chopped dried mushrooms rehydrated in hot stock use the soaking liquid in the sauce for deeper umami.
Storage and reheating
- Refrigerate cooled casserole covered up to 4 days texture stays best if topping is held back and added fresh for reheating.
- Reheat covered at 325 F until hot about 20 to 25 minutes then uncover add fresh fried onions and warm 5 minutes to re crisp avoid microwave which softens the topping and can split sauce stir once if microwaving is the only option.
- Make ahead assemble without topping up to 2 days in advance then bake 10 extra minutes from cold add topping at the end.
Most asked FAQs
- Can canned green beans work ? yes but drain very well and skip blanching the texture will be softer so reduce bake time by 5 minutes to avoid mush.
- Why did my sauce break ? likely boiled too hard or lacked flour cook the roux a minute add liquids slowly and keep to a gentle simmer to maintain emulsion.
- How do I keep the topping crisp ? hold it back until the last 5 to 10 minutes and avoid covering the casserole which traps steam.
Homemade Green Bean Casserole
Expect bright green tender beans in a silky savory mushroom cream, balanced by a salty crisp onion top that stays crunchy after baking. It takes about 20 minutes on the stove plus 25 minutes in the oven, and beats canned soup versions on freshness, control, and texture every time.
Equipment
- Large Pot
- Wide skillet
- 3 quart casserole dish
Ingredients
- 2 pounds fresh green beans trimmed into 2 inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt for blanching water
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 12 ounces cremini or button mushrooms finely chopped
- 1 small yellow onion minced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1 cup low sodium chicken stock or strong vegetable stock
- 1 cup half and half
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 0.5 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 0.75 teaspoon kosher salt adjust to taste
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce or Worcestershire
- 1 cup fried shallots or onions homemade or store bought
- 0.25 cup grated Parmesan optional
Instructions
- Blanch beans 6 to 7 minutes in a large pot of well salted boiling water until bright green and just tender when bitten then shock in ice water to lock color and stop cooking. Drain very well and pat dry to avoid watering down the sauce.
- Brown mushrooms: heat butter and oil over medium high in a wide skillet. Sauté mushrooms and onion with a pinch of salt until mushrooms give off liquid and edges brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Add garlic for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Make the sauce: sprinkle flour over vegetables and stir 1 minute to cook the raw taste. Whisk in stock slowly then half and half, Dijon, soy or Worcestershire, pepper and 0.5 teaspoon salt. Simmer 3 to 5 minutes to a spoon coating nappe consistency.
- Combine and pan test: fold dried beans into sauce. Taste and adjust salt and acid. Mixture should be glossy and cling to beans without pooling.
- Bake: preheat oven to 375 F. Transfer mixture to a 3 quart casserole. Sprinkle Parmesan if using. Bake uncovered 20 minutes until bubbling at edges and lightly browned.
- Top and finish: scatter fried shallots or onions over the surface and bake 5 minutes more to set the topping. Serve after a 10 minute rest so the sauce thickens and scoops cleanly.
Notes
Frozen green beans: swap 2 pounds frozen whole or cut beans, skip blanching and add straight to hot sauce, cook 2 to 3 minutes to heat through before baking.
Dairy free: use olive oil and full fat oat milk with 0.5 cup cashew cream for body, simmer slightly longer until thick glossy.
Gluten free: use 1.5 tablespoons cornstarch whisked into cold stock then added to sautéed veg, skip the flour, cook until thick and clear.
Storage: refrigerate cooled casserole covered up to 4 days. Reheat covered at 325 F until hot about 20 to 25 minutes then uncover, add fresh fried onions and warm 5 minutes.
Make ahead: assemble without topping up to 2 days in advance then bake 10 extra minutes from cold, add topping at the end.