Green Bean Casserole with Fresh Green Beans

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Green bean casserole with crispy fried onions on top, served in a white baking dish with a metal serving spoon on a striped cloth.

Green Bean Casserole with Fresh Green Beans

A fresh green bean casserole recipe made entirely from scratch, with blanched green beans and a creamy mushroom sauce that coats every bite. The crispy fried onions go on at the end so they toast instead of turning bitter.

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Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 30

Trimming and Blanching: 15

Total Time: 1

Servings: People

Author: Michelle

Ingredients

2 lbs fresh green beans, ends trimmed and broken into 2 to 2 ½" pieces
5 tablespoons salted butter
8 oz mushrooms, sliced (baby bella preferred)
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
2 cloves garlic, minced
5 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 ¾ cups low sodium chicken broth
3/4 teaspoon coarse Kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup heavy cream
6 oz French's crispy fried onions

Instructions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and set aside a separate large bowl with ice water. Add the green beans to the boiling water. Once the water returns to a boil, set a timer for 5 minutes. Cook until the beans are bright green and tender with a little bite left.
Plunge the beans into an ice bath to stop the cooking. Drain them well while you make the sauce. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Heat the butter, thyme, and mushrooms in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms are soft.
Add the garlic and sprinkle the flour over the mushrooms. Cook 1 minute, stirring, until the mushrooms are coated. The mixture will look chunky, which is fine.
Add the chicken broth and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer 60 to 90 seconds, until thickened.
Remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in the heavy cream, salt, and pepper. Taste and add more salt if needed.
Add the blanched and drained green beans to the sauce and stir until coated.
Pour into a 13x9 pan and bake uncovered at 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling around the sides.
Sprinkle the fried onions over the top and bake 5 minutes more, until the onions are browned. If you start to smell the onions before the time is up, remove the casserole from the oven immediately to keep them from burning.
Let the casserole rest 15 minutes before serving.

Notes

Fried onions: I use French's because they aren't browned as heavily as off brand fried onions, so they toast in those last 5 minutes without turning bitter.
Make ahead: Make the sauce and blanch the beans, let the sauce cool, before coating the beans. Refrigerate 1 to 2 days. Bring the pan up to room temperature before baking for faster cooking. Baking straight from the fridge adds 10 to 15 minutes before it comes to a bubble. Add the onions after it starts bubbling.
Freezing: Make the sauce and let it cool before adding to the blanched green beans. Add to a casserole dish, cover, and double wrap in plastic and then foil. Freeze up to a month. When you're ready to bake, thaw in the fridge, and bring to room temperature before baking. Bake as directed and add the onions once the casserole starts bubbling. Frozen beans bake up a little softer, so blanch 4 minutes instead of 5 if you know you're freezing it.
Storage and Reheat: Store leftovers covered in the fridge up to 3 days. Reheat covered in a 350°F oven until warmed through, then uncover to crisp the onions. They're already browned from the first bake, so watch for burning. You can also reheat small portions in the microwave in 1 to 2 minutes.
Trimming tip: Break long beans into 3 pieces and shorter beans into 2, aiming for 2 to 2 1/2 inch pieces.
Time saver: Mince the garlic and prep the sauce ingredients while the blanching water comes to a boil, then start the sauce while the beans blanch. You can also buy pre-sliced mushrooms and green beans with the ends trimmed off.

Cuisine American

Course Side Dish

Nutrition