Green Bean Casserole From Scratch is the classic Thanksgiving side dish made with fresh green beans and an outstanding, easy-to-make mushroom sauce that will make your guests swoon! Best of all, you can prepare it all days in advance!
Green bean casserole—the classic combo of green beans, condensed mushroom soup, and crispy onions from a can—is one of the most controversial Thanksgiving dishes of all time. It is beloved, or fiercely hated, depending on your history with it.
Strangely appetizing, despite including some less than desirable ingredients, the humble green bean casserole has graced millions of tables every Thanksgiving for years. It is a dish so entrenched with nostalgia and comfort, that many will say it isn’t Thanksgiving without it.
- Origin Of Green Bean Casserole
- Why Make Green Bean Casserole From Scratch
- Key Ingredient Notes And Substitutions
- Variations
- How to Make Homemade Fried Onions
- How To Make Green Bean Casserole From Scratch
- How To Make This Green Bean Casserole Ahead Of Time
- Expert Tips
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Storage Tips
- More Delicious Thanksgiving Sides
- Green Bean Casserole From Scratch
I am not here to convince anyone to give up their beloved traditional casserole, because I get it, nostalgia is a powerful thing. But if you have never been a fan of the classic recipe of canned vegetables stirred up with canned cream of mushroom soup, I have no doubt you will fall in love with this updated version. Not only is it worthy of your Thanksgiving dinner or holiday table, but you may even find yourself making it a lot more than once a year.
Origin Of Green Bean Casserole
For once, there is an undisputed origin for a dish. In the 1950’s, Dorcas Reilly, a home economist who worked for the Campbell Soup Company, was asked to come up with a recipe using cream of mushroom soup. She decided to mix the canned soup with frozen green beans because they were a staple in most American freezers.
When sales were low for the canned soup, Campbell’s decided to print the recipe on their cans and it took off like wild fire. Full of nostalgic comfort, that classic green bean casserole, which includes a crispy onion topping from a can, became a Thanksgiving classic. To this day, it continues to appear on almost every American Thanksgiving table or holiday gathering.
Why Make Green Bean Casserole From Scratch
With apologies to my dear Aunt Florence, whose version of green bean casserole my family loved throughout the ’90’s and early 2000’s, this Thanksgiving staple now receives a major upgrade in our household. And boy, is it fabulous. Here is why:
A delectable homemade mushroom sauce that doesn’t use too much butter or cream: Ditching the can of condensed cream of mushroom soup is a great start to this fabulous casserole. It turns out, making a lovely homemade cream of mushroom soup (thank you Alton Brown) is ridiculously easy and umpteen times more delicious. To keep it a little lighter, this recipe uses olive oil for sautéing the mushrooms and minimal butter and cream for making the creamy sauce. It is so luscious and flavorful I could eat it straight out of the pan with a spoon.
Fresh green beans: Sorry, but frozen or canned green beans are always mushy. Fresh green beans provide wonderful texture and freshness to this dish. They are of course a little more work, but they can (and should) be prepared days in advance.
Optional fried onions: Now, if you’re thinking I’m taking it too far by asking you to make homemade fried onions for the topping, you’d be correct! I do offer instructions for frying your own onions because I think homemade are healthier and soooo delicious. However, I find the much-loved French’s more than adequately get the job done. Not to mention, homemade fried onions need to be fried the day you are serving the casserole so they stay crispy. Who on earth has time for that? Not me.
Make ahead: If you’re worried you won’t have time to make this green bean casserole while you’re juggling a million other dishes, don’t be. All the components can be made a day or two in advance, then the casserole is assembled and baked just before serving.
Key Ingredient Notes And Substitutions
Though we are using mostly fresh ingredients to make this classic green bean casserole, all are easy to find at grocery stores.
- Green Beans: This recipe calls for 2 pounds of fresh green beans. Feel free to halve the recipe if serving a smaller crowd. You can also use French green beans (haricots verts) which take less time to cook and are really tender and tasty. This time of year many grocery stores sell them in packages.
- Mushrooms: I use sliced cremini mushrooms but white mushrooms, or white button mushrooms would be fine.
- Shallots and garlic: These aromatics add depth to the mushroom sauce and make it super flavorful. You can use a small regular onion instead of shallots, if you wish.
- Half and half: To make the mushroom sauce, I like to use half and half which is really creamy but not as rich and thick as heavy cream. You can use all whole milk, or 1 1/2 cup heavy + 1 1/2 cup broth, if you wish.
- Butter: For making the roux for the mushroom sauce.
- Dry sherry: Not a key ingredient, but I love the
- Broth: I like to deglaze the pan with some broth. Adding broth also reduces the need for too much milk or cream. If you need this casserole to be vegetarian, use vegetable broth, otherwise chicken broth adds nice flavor. If using store-bought, make sure it’s low-sodium.
- Fried Onions: Here you can stick with the iconic French’s crispy fried onions, which I have to admit taste quite good. Or you can make this casserole 100% from scratch, you can make your own fried onions (instructions below).
- Optional: Borrowing from Julia Childs, I like to add a little sherry to the mushrooms. So good, but completely optional.
Variations
- Add bacon – I like to keep this casserole meat-less but if crispy bacon bits would be quite delicious here. a
- Chop the mushrooms small. I like to use sliced mushrooms but feel free to chop them small if you prefer.
- Use breadcrumbs for the topping – Instead of fried onions, you can use breadcrumbs or panko as the topping. Toss 1 cup of breadcrumbs with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
- Make it cheesy – This is already a pretty rich dish thanks to the creamy mushroom sauce. But if you would like it cheesy, add 1 cup of grated cheddar, parmesan, or gruyere.
How to Make Homemade Fried Onions
Occasionally, if I am feeling very organized, I will top the casserole with homemade fried onions (shown in photos). If you want to avoid the canned ones, or can’t find them, here is how you can make your own:
Use a mandolin, or a sharp knife to thinly slice 2 medium onions. Toss onion slices with 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs or panko, and a pinch of salt and pepper. (The breadcrumbs are optional but will make the onions crispier).
Over medium-high heat, heat a 1/4 inch of vegetable oil (I use avocado oil) in a large skillet until very hot. Working in batches so they aren’t too crowded, fry the onions until they are just golden brown. This will likely only take a minute or so. You want to remove them the second they start to look golden, which should only take a minute or so, because they will go from light golden to burnt in a flash.
Place onions on paper towels to drain, spreading them out so they stay crispy. Immediately sprinkle with a pinch of salt and repeat with remaining onions. Set aside until needed.
How To Make Green Bean Casserole From Scratch
I know there are thousands of green bean casserole recipes out there. But my family loves this version so much, I really needed to share it. The rich and luscious creamy mushroom sauce, which includes shallots, fresh thyme and dry sherry, is utterly delicious. Mixed with the tender green beans and baked with the crispy onion topping, once you try it, you will be making it again and again.
Here is an overview of the recipe with some visual instructions. The complete instructions and measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
Blanch the green beans. Trim the green beans then blanch them. I like to leave them whole purely for presentation but they can be cut in half to make it easier to eat. Transfer the blanched beans to a bowl of ice water. Don’t skip this step; it will stop the beans from cooking further and will help maintain their vibrant green color. Once cooled, spread them on a kitchen towel to dry.
Make the mushroom sauce. Sauté the shallots and mushrooms in oil over medium-high heat until they’re soft and browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, and thyme and cook for 1 more minute. Add sherry, if using, and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the butter and as soon as butter melts sprinkle the flour all over the mushrooms. Add in the broth, and gradually whisk in half and half. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce has thickened, about 5 minutes.
Assemble casserole. Place green beans in a casserole dish and pour mushroom cream sauce all over it. Toss the beans gently to combine with sauce. At this point, either top with crispy onions to bake, or if making ahead, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Bake. Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Top the casserole with the crispy onions and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until sauce is bubbling and the onions have turned a little darker. If onions are turning too dark, loosely cover casserole with foil. Serve immediately.
How To Make This Green Bean Casserole Ahead Of Time
This is an easy casserole to make but it does require a few steps that take a bit of time. The good news is that you can, and should, make the most laborious steps in advance. Then all you have to do is assemble and bake the casserole when ready to serve which takes less than 10 minutes.
Here’s what to do:
Prepare the beans: Follow recipe instructions to blanch the beans. Dry them well with a kitchen towel. Wrap in dry paper towels or dry kitchen towel and place in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Make the mushroom sauce: Follow recipe instructions for making the mushroom sauce. Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
Assemble: Combine beans and mushroom sauce in casserole dish. Heat in a preheated 425-degree oven for 10 minutes. Remove from oven, top with crispy onions and bake as directed.
Alternatively, you can assemble the blanched green beans and cooled sauce in a casserole dish (without the onion topping). Cover tightly and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes to 1 hour before baking. Heat in a preheated 425-degree oven for 10 minutes. Remove from oven, top with crispy onions and bake as directed.
Expert Tips
Don’t bake the casserole for too long. As soon as the sauce is bubbly, remove the casserole from the oven. Otherwise, the onion topping will burn. If you assembled the casserole ahead right in the casserole dish, make sure you allow it to sit on the counter at least 30 minutes before baking.
Don’t overcook the beans. When you add the beans to the boiling water, the water will lose the boil and take about 2 minutes to come to a boil again. However, the 4 minutes of cooking time for the beans starts as soon as the beans go into the boiling water. In other words, you don’t wait for the water to come to a boil again, and then start the cooking time.
If you aren’t a huge fan of mushrooms, reduce the amount. We love mushrooms so this recipe calls for a good amount. Feel free to cut the amount in half, or see question below for omitting them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Mushrooms are an important ingredient in the traditional green bean casserole. However, if allergies are a concern, you can just make the sauce without the mushrooms. In this case, double the shallots and consider adding parmesan cheese for more flavor. If you simply dislike mushrooms becasue of the texture, you can blend the mushroom sauce in a blender. No one will even be able to tell there is mushrooms.
You sure can. Use a good quality flour gluten-free flour to make the mushroom sauce. For gluten-free crispy onions, try this brand or make your own using cornstarch or gluten-free flour.
I personally don’t like freezing it because the creamy sauce may break and lose its silky texture and lusciousness.
Though not essential, I highly recommend you do. Blanching the green beans will keep them nice and crisp and also help maintain their vibrant green color. If you prefer not to blanch them, heres’s what to do; Add the green beans and a tablespoon of oil to a large skillet that has a lid. Sauté over medium heat for 1 minute, cover with a lid, stirring occasionally, and cook for 5 minutes or until beans are crisp-tender. Remove from skillet to a plate, and proceed with recipe.
🌟CHECK OUT THIS ROUND-UP FOR ALL MY FAVORITE THANKSGIVING RECIPES🌟
Storage Tips
Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container (or cover the entire casserole dish with storage wrap). Refrigerate for 3 to 4 days, then reheat on the stovetop or oven.
A great idea for using up your leftover green beans, is to add them to this chicken pot pie – yum!
More Delicious Thanksgiving Sides
I hope you love this Green Bean Casserole From Scratch as much as we do! If you give this recipe a try, please let us know in the comment box below. Your review and rating is very helpful to me and other readers. Thank you!
Green Bean Casserole From Scratch
Ingredients
For The Green Beans
- 2 lbs green beans
- Kosher salt freshly cracked black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ¾ cup roughly chopped shallots (3 -4 shallots)
- 12 ounces mushrooms, such as cremini, or a mix of cremini and shiitake, thinly sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh thyme (optional)
- 1/4 cup dry sherry (optional)
- 3 Tablespoons butter
- 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
- 2 cups half and half (see notes below)
- freshly cracked black pepper
- 3 cups canned crispy fried onions such as French's
Instructions
- If baking the casserole immediately: Preheat oven to 400°F. See notes below if making ahead.
- Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Next, prepare an ice bath; fill a large bowl with cold water and add at least 2 cups of ice (3-4 cups is best)
- Add 2 tablespoons of salt to the pot of boiling water, followed by the green beans. Boil beans until crisp-tender, about 4-5 minutes (timing starts when beans go in the water). Drain in a colander and immediately transfer to ice water to cool completely. Once cooled, drain again and lay out on a kitchen towel to dry.
- Heat olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots and cook until slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Then add the mushrooms and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms have released their liquid and have started to brown, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and stir in garlic and thyme and cook for 1 more minute. Add sherry, if using, and cook for 1 minute.
- Stir in the butter and as soon as butter melts sprinkle the flour all over the mushrooms. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until flour looks pasty, about 1 minute. Add in the broth, then gradually whisk in half and half. Simmer the sauce, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Season with a pinch more salt and a few cracks of black pepper. Remove from heat.
- Place dried green beans in a 9×13 (or similar) casserole dish and pour mushroom cream sauce all over it. Toss the beans gently to combine with sauce.
- Top the casserole with the crispy onions and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until sauce is bubbling and the onions have turned a little darker. If onions are turning too dark, loosely cover casserole with foil. Serve immediately.
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