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.