Green Bean Casserole is mandatory at Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner tables in many homes and is always a crowd favorite. This is one of the easy side dishes you will ever make. The tender green beans tossed in creamy and cheesy sauce, topped with crispy fried onions, making every bite irresistibly delicious, and you cannot stop but go for a second serving. Prepare this best green bean casserole recipe for the upcoming holiday season.
This casserole is made from scratch. For example, this recipe did not use canned mushroom soup or canned beans. Fresh green beans were blanched until tender and then tossed in a cheesy white sauce (Béchamel sauce). Homemade crispy fried onions were used as a garnish or topping. All this makes this casserole the best tasting and most affordable compared to store-bought ones. Of course, if certain ingredients are unavailable in your local markets, feel free to substitute them with store-bought products. I discuss this more in my post below, so be sure to check them out.
Green Bean Casserole Ingredients
- 1 Pound Fresh Green Beans (approximately 500 grams)
- 2 + 2 tablespoon Oil or Butter
- 4 Garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 3 medium Onions, thinly sliced (200 grams)
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 7 oz Mushroom, chopped (approximately 200 grams)
- 2 tablespoon All-purpose flour
- 2 cup Milk (½ liter at room temperature)
- ¼ teaspoon Red pepper flakes
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 1 cup Cheddar cheese (200g), grated
- 1 cup Crispy Fried Onion or store-bought fried onion (like French's)
How to make green bean casserole with fresh green beans from scratch?
How to cut green beans for casserole?
Nicely wash the green beans. Grab a few at a time and trim off both ends. Now you can leave it as it is or cut the beans further into halves or thirds if you like it smaller in length.
How to blanch green beans?
In a pot on medium-high heat, add enough water and bring it to a boil. Add the green beans and cook until tender for 6 to 8 minutes.
Transfer it to a colander to drain any excess water. Keep this aside.
Making of white sauce or bechamel sauce
In a pan on medium heat, add butter or oil. Once the butter has melted, add garlic cloves and saute for a minute. Now add onions and salt and continue to saute until the onions become light golden (about 6 mins). Add mushrooms and continue to saute until mushrooms turn brown in color (about 8 to 10 mins). Transfer this onion-mushroom mixture to a plate.
In the same pan, but now on medium-low heat, melt butter. To this, add flour and saute until it turns aromatic. Add the milk, salt, and red pepper flakes, and keep whisking. Continue to cook until the mixture bubbles and thickens (approx. 2 to 3 mins).
Add the cheese and mix until all the cheese has melted (approx 2 mins).
Arranging Green Bean Casserole
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
In a bowl, add sauteed mushroom-onion mixture and cheesy white sauce, and mix. Add blanched green beans and mix until combined.
Transfer this to a 9 by 9-inch greased casserole dish and bake for 20 - 25 minutes until heated through and golden on top.
Now add the crispy fried onions and bake for another 5 minutes! The best green bean casserole is ready.
Pro Tips
- I have prepared everything from scratch. You can use canned mushroom soup, cream of chicken soup, or Alfredo sauce instead of white sauce. If you are using canned soup, I highly recommend Campbell's Cream of Mushroom soup as it tastes amazing, and the casserole comes out perfect every time. Use store-bought crispy fried onions (from a brand like French's) instead of homemade fried onions if desired.
- Frozen beans, canned beans, or fresh beans - all work great for this recipe. I generally love fresh beans. If using fresh or frozen beans, you will have to blanch them, which is one extra step. In some parts of the USA, green beans may not be available in local markets during Thanksgiving and Christmas. Thus frozen or canned green beans is the only alternative for them.
- I have made it a complete vegetarian casserole. You can add crumbled bacon if desired.
- You can skip pepper flakes and add black pepper powder if desired.
- You can use sharp or mild cheddar cheese or combine them.
- Having tried it in my oven, instant pot, and crock pot, I like the oven method. The casserole's taste and texture come out perfect when baked.
How to store green bean casserole?
You can cover the casserole with foil or transfer it to an airtight container and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can reheat it in the microwave or oven until heated through.
FAQs
Yes. You can make green bean casserole ahead of time for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner.
Bake and Refrigerate Bake as per the instructions; skip adding fried onions now and let it cool completely. Cover it tightly with foil and refrigerate for up to 3 days in advance. When ready to serve, heat it in the oven until heated through at 350 degrees F (about 20 mins). Top with fried onions and continue to bake for additional 5 mins.
Refrigerate Without Baking: You can simply mix all the ingredients in the recipe, cover it with foil, and refrigerate for up to 3 days. When you are ready to bake, remove from the refrigerator, remove the foil and follow the baking instructions. If not entirely thawed before baking, increase the baking time by 10 to 15 mins.
If you are substituting fresh green beans with canned green beans, use 2 cans (15 oz each) to make the casserole.
Traditionally French beans are used. But feel free to use whatever is available in your nearby grocery store to make this dish. Also, feel free to use fresh, frozen, or canned beans in this recipe.
Instant Pot Green Bean Casserole
Place ½ cup of water in the bottom of your Instant Pot (IP). Add the cut beans and cook on high pressure for 2 minutes and do a quick release.
Turn on the saute mode of your IP, add oil/butter, chopped garlic, onion slices, and salt, and saute until lightly golden. Then add mushrooms and saute until mushrooms turn golden in color. Transfer this to a plate.
In saute mode, set it to Low. Add butter and flour and saute until aromatic. Add milk, pepper flakes, and salt to this and cook until the mixture starts bubbling. Add cheese and mix until cheese melts. Keep sauteing to avoid it from burning at the bottom.
Add sauteed onion-mushroom mixture and blanched green beans to the melted cheese sauce and cook for 2 minutes until all the ingredients are combined. Add half of the crispy fried onions and cook for one more minute.
Turn off the IP and let it sit for another 3 to 5 minutes. Finally, top it with the remaining fried onions and serve.
Some more dinner casseroles for Thanksgiving and Christmas
- Mashed Sweet Potato Casserole
- Cheesy Loaded Cauliflower Casserole
- Baked Corn Cheese Casserole
- Cheesy Potato Casserole
Video
You can check the complete video here on making of best green bean casserole recipe
Recipe card
Easy Green Bean Casserole Recipe from Scratch
Equipment
- 1 9 * 9 inch baking pan
Ingredients
- 1 Pound Fresh Green Beans (500 grams) approx
- 2 tablespoon Oil
- 2 tablespoon Butter
- 4 Garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 3 Medium onions, thinly sliced (200 grams)
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 7 oz Mushroom chopped (approx 200 g)
- 2 tablespoon All purpose flour
- 2 cup Milk (½ litre)
- ¼ teaspoon Red pepper flakes
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 1 cup Cheddar cheese (200g), grated
- 1 cup Crispy Fried Onion or Store bought frenchs fried onion
Instructions
How to cut green beans for casserole?
- Nicely wash the green beans. Grab a few at a time and trim off both ends. Now you can leave it as it is or cut the beans further into halves or thirds if you like it smaller in length.1 Pound Fresh Green Beans (500 grams) approx
How to blanch green beans?
- In a pot on medium-high heat, add enough water and bring it to a boil. Add the green beans and cook until tender for 6 to 8 minutes.
- Transfer it to a colander to drain any excess water. Keep this aside.
Making white sauce or bechamel sauce
- In a pan on medium heat, add butter or oil. Once the butter has melted, add garlic cloves and saute for a minute. Now add onions and salt and continue to saute until the onions become light golden (about 6 mins). Add mushrooms and continue to saute until mushrooms turn brown in color (about 8 to 10 mins). Transfer this onion-mushroom mixture to a plate.2 tablespoon Oil, 4 Garlic cloves, finely chopped, 3 Medium onions, thinly sliced (200 grams), ½ teaspoon Salt, 7 oz Mushroom chopped (approx 200 g)
- In the same pan, but now on medium-low heat, melt butter. To this, add flour and saute until it turns aromatic. Add the milk, salt, and red pepper flakes, and keep whisking. Continue to cook until the mixture bubbles and thickens (approx. 2 to 3 mins).2 tablespoon All purpose flour, 2 cup Milk (½ litre), ¼ teaspoon Red pepper flakes, ¼ teaspoon Salt, 2 tablespoon Butter
- Add the cheese and mix until all the cheese has melted (approx 2 mins).1 cup Cheddar cheese (200g), grated
Arranging Green Bean Casserole
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a bowl, add sauteed mushroom-onion mixture and cheesy white sauce, and mix. Add blanched green beans and mix until combined.
- Transfer this to a 9 by 9-inch greased casserole dish and bake for 20 - 25 minutes until heated through and golden on top.
- Now add the crispy fried onions and bake for another 5 minutes! The best green bean casserole is ready.1 cup Crispy Fried Onion or Store bought frenchs fried onion
Video
Notes
- I have prepared everything from scratch. You can use canned mushroom soup, cream of chicken soup, or Alfredo sauce instead of white sauce. If you are using canned soup, I highly recommend Campbell's Cream of Mushroom soup as it tastes amazing, and the casserole comes out perfect every time. Use store-bought crispy fried onions (from a brand like French's) instead of homemade fried onions if desired.
- Frozen beans, canned beans, or fresh beans - all work great for this recipe. I generally love fresh beans. If using fresh or frozen beans, you will have to blanch them, which is one extra step. In some parts of the USA, green beans may not be available in local markets during Thanksgiving and Christmas. Thus frozen or canned green beans is the only alternative for them.
- I have made it a complete vegetarian casserole. You can add crumbled bacon if desired.
- You can skip pepper flakes and add black pepper powder if desired.
- You can use sharp or mild cheddar cheese or combine them.
- Having tried it in my oven, instant pot, and crock pot, I like the oven method. The casserole's taste and texture come out perfect when baked.
Nutrition
justin
Loved adding mushrooms and the red pepper flakes, just a pinch, was a game changer. Will make again for the big day once more!
Kari Heron | Chef and Steward
This was such an am amazing combination of flavours that I had to come back and tell you how much this recipe was such a delicious one!