Green Bean Casserole From Scratch
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This Green Bean Casserole is totally made from scratch, super delicious side dish that’s a must on your Thanksgiving table. No canned stuff here, only fresh ingredients.
Green Bean Casserole In A Skillet
Green Bean Casseroles are probably a classic and every cook probably has their favorite recipe stashed away in their repertoire. While some prefer using frozen and canned ingredients quickly tossed together with some green beans, I prefer a clean recipe with fresh ingredients and all made from scratch.
I find that using nice fresh ingredients is vital to achieving the flavors we’re going for today. This casserole is pretty dense, with super rich ingredients so we need some fresh bright flavors to lighten it all up. Try this side dish out for your next big holiday get together, believe me you won’t regret it.
My favorite thing about this incredible green bean casserole is the crispy fried onions, and the super rich base – and well I guess all of it. All in all, this casserole is my family’s favorite. A true comfort food that’s a must on your Thanksgiving table.
Ingredient Notes
Crispy onions
- Onions – Medium mild flavored onion like white or yellow onions.
- Dry ingredients – All purpose flour, salt, and panko bread crumbs.
Green beans
- Veggies – Fresh trimmed green beans and cremini mushrooms. Regular white mushrooms work as well.
- Butter – Unsalted so as to control the sodium content of our dish.
- Garlic – Essential to add flavor to our casserole.
- Flour – All purpose flour to help thicken our sauce.
- Nutmeg – Ground up adding the perfect flavor kick to our dish. There’s nothing like nutmeg in a nice creamy sauce.
- Liquids – Low sodium chicken broth and heavy cream. You can use half and half for a lighter version.
- Bacon – 3 slices of bacon fried up fresh and chopped up. This is an optional ingredients, but we know that bacon makes everything better.
How To Make Green Bean Casserole From Scratch
- Onions: Add the flour, breadcrumbs and salt to a bowl and mix. Add the onions and toss them in the flour mixture. Spread the onions over the baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes or until crispy and golden brown. Reduce the oven heat to 400 F degrees.
- Green Beans: Add about a gallon of water and a tsp of salt to a large pot and bring it to a boil. Add the green beans to the pot and blanch for 5 minutes. Remove the beans from the boiling water and plunge them into a large bowl of ice water, to stop the cooking. Drain and set aside.
- Sauce: Melt the 2 tbsp of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the minced garlic and nutmeg to the skillet and cook for another minute or 2 until the garlic becomes fragrant. Sprinkle the 2 tbsp of flour over the mushrooms and stir to combine well. Add the chicken broth, stir with a wooden spoon and cook for a minute. Decrease the heat to medium-low and add the heavy cream. Continue cooking for another 6 to 8 minutes until the mixture thickens.
- Assemble: Turn off the heat and add the green beans, chopped bacon and a quarter of the crispy onion. Stir well then top with remaining crispy onions. Place the skillet in the oven and bake for 15 minutes until bubbly.
Frequently Asked Questions
What green beans are best to use?
Since fresh green beans are not readily available in November, frozen green beans are the next best thing because they are already blanched and flash-frozen.
How do I thaw frozen green beans?
To thaw green beans, place them under running water in a colander. Let the beans drain while you’re preparing the rest of the casserole.
Can I make this green bean casserole ahead?
Yes! Prepare everything as directed, except turn off the oven after the onions are done. Once the casserole is finished and assembled allow it to cool completely. Cover tightly with foil or in an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to serve. Before serving bake it in the skillet for about 20 minutes or until bubbly at 400 F degrees.
Tips
- To get the best tasting green bean casserole, always use fresh ingredients.
- Make your own sauce, skip the canned cream of mushroom soups. It’s really easy, all you need is some butter, flour, mushrooms and some heavy cream. This way you get all the mushroom flavor.
- Don’t skip the fried onions, they are essential to a green bean casserole.
Leftovers
Store leftover green bean casserole in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
To freeze, store the casserole in an airtight container for up to 6 months.
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Green Bean Casserole From Scratch
Video
Ingredients
Crispy Baked Onions
- 2 medium onions (sliced)
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup breadcrumbs (I used Panko)
- 1 teaspoon salt
Green Beans
- 1 pound fresh green beans (rinsed and trimmed)
- 2 tablespoon butter (unsalted)
- 8 ounce cremini mushrooms (sliced)
- ¼ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon pepper (or to taste)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg (ground)
- 1 cup chicken broth (low sodium or no sodium added)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 3 slices bacon (fried and chopped, optional)
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 475 F degrees. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.
Crispy Onions
- Add the flour, breadcrumbs and salt to a bowl and mix. Add the onions and toss them in the flour mixture. Spread the onions over the baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes or until crispy and golden brown.
- Reduce the oven heat to 400 F degrees.
Green Beans Casserole
- While the onion is in the oven, start by blanching the beans. Add about a gallon of water and a tsp of salt to a large pot and bring it to a boil. Add the green beans to the pot and blanch for 5 minutes. Remove the beans from the boiling water and plunge them into a large bowl of ice water, to stop the cooking. Drain and set aside.
- Melt the 2 tbsp of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the minced garlic and nutmeg to the skillet and cook for another minute or 2 until the garlic becomes fragrant.
- Sprinkle the 2 tbsp of flour over the mushrooms and stir to combine well. Add the chicken broth, stir with a wooden spoon and cook for a minute. Decrease the heat to medium-low and add the heavy cream. Continue cooking for another 6 to 8 minutes until the mixture thickens.
- Turn off the heat and add the green beans, chopped bacon and a quarter of the crispy onion. Stir well then top with remaining crispy onions.
- Place the skillet in the oven and bake for 15 minutes until bubbly.
Notes
- Make-ahead instructions: Prepare everything as directed, except turn off the oven after the onions are done. Once the casserole is finished and assembled allow it to cool completely. Cover tightly with foil or in an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to serve. Before serving bake it in the skillet for about 20 minutes or until bubbly at 400 F degrees.
- Store leftover green bean casserole in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
- To freeze, store the casserole in an airtight container for up to 6 months.
Nutrition Information
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
