Green Bean Casserole (Print version)

Tender green beans in a creamy mushroom sauce topped with crispy fried onions for comforting meals.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 lb fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces (or 1 lb frozen, thawed)
02 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 8 oz cremini or button mushrooms, sliced

→ Sauce

05 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
06 - 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
07 - 1 cup whole milk
08 - 1/2 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
09 - 1/2 cup sour cream
10 - 1/2 tsp salt
11 - 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
12 - 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

→ Topping

13 - 1 1/2 cups crispy fried onions (store-bought or homemade)

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F.
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add green beans and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until bright green and just tender. Drain and transfer immediately to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Drain again and set aside.
03 - Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until softened. Add garlic and mushrooms; cook 5 minutes until mushrooms are tender and liquid has evaporated.
04 - Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually whisk in milk and vegetable broth. Cook, stirring, until sauce thickens, about 3 to 4 minutes.
05 - Remove skillet from heat. Stir in sour cream, salt, pepper, and nutmeg until smooth.
06 - Add drained green beans to the sauce and mix to coat evenly.
07 - Transfer mixture to a greased 2-quart baking dish. Sprinkle 1 cup of crispy fried onions evenly over the top.
08 - Bake for 25 minutes until bubbling. Remove from oven, top with remaining fried onions, and bake an additional 5 minutes until golden brown.
09 - Let casserole rest for 5 minutes before serving.

# Tips from the pros:

01 -
  • The homemade sauce puts canned soup versions to shame with zero extra effort
  • Fresh beans stay bright and snappy instead of turning into mush
  • The fried onion topping creates layers of crispy contrast in every bite
02 -
  • The ice water bath after blanching is nonnegotiable for keeping beans vibrant green
  • Adding sour cream off heat prevents it from breaking in the hot sauce
  • Adding half the fried onions midway and half at the end prevents burning
03 -
  • Trim beans while the water boils to save time
  • Use frozen beans in a pinch but skip the blanching step
  • Grate fresh nutmeg if possible it makes a huge difference
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