Description
A creamy, savory green bean casserole made with tender beans, a rich mushroom sauce, and a crispy fried onion topping. A classic holiday side dish perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Sunday dinners.
Ingredients
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2 lbs (900 g) fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces (or 4 cups frozen, thawed)
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2 tbsp unsalted butter
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1 medium onion, finely chopped
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2 cloves garlic, minced
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8 oz (225 g) mushrooms, sliced (optional but traditional)
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2 tbsp all-purpose flour
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1 ½ cups (360 ml) chicken or vegetable broth
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1 ½ cups (360 ml) whole milk
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1 tsp salt
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½ tsp black pepper
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½ tsp soy sauce
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1 cup (115 g) shredded cheddar or gruyere cheese (optional)
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1 can (6 oz / 170 g) crispy fried onions, divided
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
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Blanch green beans in boiling salted water for 4–5 minutes until bright green and tender-crisp. Drain and shock in ice water. Set aside.
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In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Sauté onion for 3–4 minutes until softened. Add garlic and mushrooms, cook until mushrooms release liquid and brown (4–5 minutes).
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Sprinkle flour over vegetables, stirring for 1–2 minutes. Slowly whisk in broth, then milk. Simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes.
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Stir in salt, pepper, and soy sauce. Add cheese if using. Adjust seasoning to taste.
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Combine green beans with sauce and transfer to baking dish. Top with half the fried onions.
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Bake uncovered 20–25 minutes until bubbly. Remove, sprinkle remaining onions on top, and bake an additional 5 minutes until golden and crisp.
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Cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
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Use fresh beans for best texture, but frozen works in a pinch.
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Tent with foil if topping browns too quickly.
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Make ahead: Assemble casserole without onion topping, refrigerate up to 24 hours, then bake and finish with onions.
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For shortcut version, replace homemade sauce with 2 cans cream of mushroom soup plus 1 cup milk.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 portion
- Calories: 210 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 380 mg
- Fat: 13 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg
Keywords: green bean casserole, classic holiday casserole, creamy green bean bake, Thanksgiving green bean recipe