Easy Green Bean Casserole from Scratch for the Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is all about the sides. Come on, everyone knows that. And green bean casserole is a staple.
This delicious green bean casserole is super easy to whip up from scratch! Don’t worry; it’s simpler than it sounds. Once you taste it made this way, you’ll never want to go back to those canned soups or store-bought versions again!
Let’s get started
Green beans
This casserole features many ingredients, but the star has to be the green beans. I’ve made this dish several times using canned green beans (gosh, what was I thinking), then switched to frozen, which was an improvement. However, fresh green beans are definitely the best option. While there are a few additional steps involved, they’re simple and really make a difference.
I like to cut the green beans into pieces about ½ inch to 1 inch long to keep them bite-sized. Sauté them in some butter and olive oil until they become soft but still have a slight crunch. Set aside for now.
When they pick up that lovely little brown color, everything comes together wonderfully in the final product. The flavor is just delicious!
Mushrooms
Fresh mushrooms really make a difference. First, give them a good wipe with a paper towel and then chop them up.
Now, let’s get cooking! Dice a small onion and sauté it in some butter and olive oil until it starts to soften. Once that smells amazing, toss in the mushrooms along with a sprinkle of salt, pepper, and seasoned salt to add some flavor.
As the onions start to soften and the mushrooms begin to cook, go ahead and toss in the minced garlic. Stir everything together and cook until the garlic becomes fragrant and starts to soften—your kitchen is going to smell amazing!
Now, let’s toss in the star of the show, those sautéed green beans, and cook everything up together!
Once everything is nicely combined, slowly add in the flour—equal parts butter and flour work best. This will help thicken your soup. Just stir it in and make sure to cook away any white bits, but keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn.
Now, let’s add in that delicious chicken broth and give everything a good stir! Be sure to scrape the bottom of the pan with a silicone or wooden spoon to get all those tasty bits of onion, garlic, green beans, and mushrooms mixed in. You’ll notice the soup is becoming creamy and is starting to take on a lovely, thick, and cloudy consistency. It’s coming together beautifully, if I do say so myself.
Now, add the heavy cream.
At this point, give it a taste test and add any additional seasonings to make your taste buds happy. I like to add thyme at this time (see what I did there?) to ensure it doesn’t interfere with the other flavors or become overpowering.
Cook on medium-low heat with the lid slightly ajar for about 15-20 minutes. Then, transfer the mixture to a baking dish and cover it with fried onions. Bake at 350°F for 15-20 minutes, or until the onions are browned and the sides of the casserole are bubbling.
Now, we’ve got ourselves a delicious homemade green casserole for Thanksgiving dinner! Enjoy
Also check out:
Green Bean Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees.
- Wash and trim fresh green beans to your desired size. Aim for evenly sized pieces for consistent cooking time and doneness.
- Sauté green beans in butter and olive oil, seasoning with salt, pepper, and seasoned salt until they are tender but still have a little bite. Set aside.
- Melt butter in a pan over medium heat and add a bit of olive oil. Once heated, add the onions and cook until they start to sweat. Next, add the mushrooms and cook them until they are slightly browned. Then, add the minced garlic and continue to cook for another 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently, until the garlic begins to soften.
- Toss in the green beans and mix all together.
- Begin by making the roux (a thickening agent, equal parts butter and flour), mixing in the vegetables until everything is well combined and the roux is evenly dissolved into the butter and vegetables.
- Add the chicken broth and stir thoroughly until it resembles a creamy soup. Gently scrape the bottom and sides of the pan to incorporate the other flavors.
- Stir in the heavy cream and give a taste test. Add in whatever you feel is missing. I prefer to add the thyme in this step to ensure it doesn't overpower the flavor.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and cover with the lid slightly ajar for about 15 minutes.
- Transfer the mixture to a baking dish and sprinkle fried onions on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the edges of the casserole begin to bubble and the onions are lightly browned.
