Recipes

Homemade Green Bean Casserole

This homemade green bean casserole kicks the classic Thanksgiving dish up a notch!

This homemade green bean casserole kicks the classic Thanksgiving dish up a notch!
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Making homemade green bean casserole is the real-food version of the classic! This recipe will keep the traditionalists hppy because it’s just as creamy and cravable!

Green beans are one of my favorite vegetables. I love them sautéed, roasted, boiled, or in stews. So when I realized I’d gone the first 30 years of my life without making homemade green bean casserole, I knew I had to take a shot!

It’s not hard to make homemade green bean casserole, and has decidedly less weird chemicals in it. Plus, you can do the first half a day or two in advance and them bake it off the morning of, saving you one more thing to deal with on the big day.

This homemade green bean casserole kicks the classic Thanksgiving dish up a notch!
This homemade green bean casserole kicks the classic Thanksgiving dish up a notch!

Its funny to think about how things become traditional foods. I didn’t grow up eating green bean casserole, so I didn’t really consider it a must-have. That being said, arguably my thanksgiving veggie casserole is similar with different veg. So maybe it’s the carbs plus cream sauces thing? 😉

I’d also put this in the category of “great back pocket things for a potluck or group dinner.” It makes a ton, is universally liked, and works with fresh or frozen green beans.

I normally use the everyday, white button mushrooms you see in every supermarket. These lend that subtle earthiness to the dish that offer a more complex flavor than simply green beans in bechamel. If you’re a big mushroom fan, feel free to experiment! Different types will make the flavor more mushroom-heavy.

This homemade green bean casserole kicks the classic Thanksgiving dish up a notch!
This homemade green bean casserole kicks the classic Thanksgiving dish up a notch!

I still use the French’s fried onions. Partly because they’re impossible to replicate exactly, but partly because I don’t want to add one more step of breading and frying onion strings on Thanksgiving morning.

If you make it in advance, pull it out of the fridge an hour before and give it another 5-10 minutes in the oven to make sure it cooks all the way through.

This recipe makes enough for 8 people as a side dish. Double the recipe to fill a 9×13 dish to the brim with creamy green bean goodness.

This homemade green bean casserole kicks the classic Thanksgiving dish up a notch!
This homemade green bean casserole kicks the classic Thanksgiving dish up a notch!

Tools you’ll need: Dutch oven or 8×8 baking dish, pan, knife, and cutting board.

Homemade Green Bean Casserole

Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: holiday, holiday meals, vegetables, vegetarian
Servings: 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 16 oz green beans (450 g)
  • 1 onion
  • 7 oz mushrooms (200 g)
  • 6 Tbsp unsalted butter (85 g)
  • salt & pepper
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 2 cups milk (480 ml)
  • 6 tsp AP flour (20 g)
  • 1 cup fried onions

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Clean the veggies. Trim the green beans and slice the onions and mushrooms, keeping them separate. Mince garlic.
  • Boil a large pot of water, then add green beans and cook for about 6 minutes. While they cook, lay a platter with a towel. When they're crisp-tender, use tongs to take the green beans out onto the towel.
  • In a large pot, melt 2 Tbsp butter. Cook the onion on medium-low for 7-10 minutes, until very soft. Add mushrooms and cook 5 minutes more, stirring often. Add garlic and cook another minute. Transfer the veggies on top of the green beans.
  • In the hot pan, make a bechamel. Melt the rest of the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk continuously until slightly golden, about 3 minutes. Slowly whisk in milk, salt, and pepper. Keep whisking until thickened, about 5 minutes.
  • Add the veggies back into the bechamel sauce and stir to coat. Transfer to a 9×9 inch baking dish and bake for 25-30 minutes, until bubbling.
  • When you're ready to serve, top with fried onions and bake 5 minutes more. Serve hot.
This homemade green bean casserole kicks the classic Thanksgiving dish up a notch!
This homemade green bean casserole kicks the classic Thanksgiving dish up a notch!

Looking for more Thanksgiving goodness?? Check out my thanksgiving master list to give you all your holiday inspiration!

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