Green Bean Casserole Recipe

Green bean casserole is a staple for my Thanksgiving table. Growing up, my family made this using a recipe from the side of a can of Durkee (now French's) fried onions that included canned cream of mushroom soup and canned green beans. To make it fancy, we'd use canned French-cut green beans. The beans were a bit mushy, but I loved it and never made it any other way.

When I was planning for Thanksgiving a few years ago, I came across a green bean casserole recipe that made all the components from scratch. I hadn't planned on using a new recipe but decided to try it. While I didn't do everything from scratch, it was delicious and pretty easy. I've been making it from fresh ingredients since (except the fried onions).

I still like to use store bought fried onions because I really don't like frying. I use French's Crispy Fried Onions (original flavor) or Trader Joe's Gourmet Fried Onion Pieces. I was told by a Trader Joe's employee once that this item is seasonal and they have it in the fall around Thanksgiving. But I can always find French's at the grocery store year round.

I also prefer using haricot verts because they are more tender, thin, and less stringy, but of course regular green beans can be used.

While I'm nostalgic about the recipe from my childhood, this recipe is now my go to for this casserole. Having just made this for this year's Thanksgiving, I decided to write up the recipe.

Green Been Casserole Recipe

Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 40 mins
Total time: 50 mins
Yield: 4 - 6 servings

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 1 pound fresh haricot verts, trimmed and halved
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 package of cremini mushrooms (10 or 12 oz.), cleaned and thickly sliced
• 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 or stock
• 1 cup half-and-half
• 1 1/3 cup store-bought fried onions, divided in half

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil with 2 tablespoons of salt while you prepare the other ingredients.

Blanch the haricot verts for 2-3 minutes until crisp tender. Drain and immediately plunge the beans into a large bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Drain again and set aside.

Melt the butter in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, 1 teaspoon of salt and the pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms start to give up some liquid, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and nutmeg and continue to cook for another 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture, stir to combine, and cook for 1 minute. Add the broth and simmer for 1 minute while whisking to smooth out lumps. Add the half-and-half and cook until the mixture thickens, whisking if there are still lumps, approximately 6 to 8 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in the haricot verts and 2/3 cup of fried onions. Transfer mixture into a 9 x 13 baking dish. Top with the remaining 2/3 cup of fried onions. Place into the oven and bake until bubbly, approximately 15 minutes. Remove and serve immediately.

Make ahead tip: Cook the green beans and mushroom sauce. Mix the beans in the sauce but do not mix in the fried onions yet. Transfer to a baking dish and refrigerate overnight. When ready to bake, set the dish out on the counter for about 20 minutes to let it come to room temperature. If the mixture seems thick, add a little chicken stock or half-and-half to loosen the sauce. Mix in 2/3 cup of fried onions, top with the remaining onions, and bake.