Green Bean Casserole

5 from 5 votes

This classic green bean casserole is creamy, comforting, and topped with a crispy finish. Easy to prepare ahead, it’s perfect for holidays and family dinners.

Prep Time20

Cook Time1 5

Total Time1 25

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: casserole, vegetables

Servings: people

Calories: 208kcal

Author: Sally Humeniuk

Ingredients

For the Topping:

2 slices high-quality white sandwich bread, torn into pieces
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
¼ teaspoon salt
3 ½ ounces fried onions one package or 1.5 cups from a can

For the Casserole:

3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
8 ounces white button mushrooms, sliced thin
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
6 garlic cloves, minced
½ teaspoons dried thyme
3 tbs unbleached all-purpose flour
½ cup white wine or cooking wine
1 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 ½ cups heavy cream
1 ½ pounds green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces. French green beans work well.
3 tbsp cornstarch

Optional:

½ cup slivered almonds or ½ cup sliced water chestnuts, roughly chopped.

Instructions

Make the Topping:

Pulse bread, butter and salt in a food processor until coarsely ground, about 10 pulses. Combine the bread mixture and fried onions in a bowl, transfer to a large zip-lock freezer bag, and freeze for up to 2 months. If making the casserole to cook the same day as prep, place the topping in refrigerator until needed.
2 slices high-quality white sandwich bread,, 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter,, ¼ teaspoon salt, 3 ½ ounces fried onions

Make the Casserole:

Melt 3 Tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sliced mushrooms, 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper and cook until the mushrooms release their liquid, about 5 minutes. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook until the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add minced garlic and dried thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in flour and cook until golden, about 1 minute. Slowly whisk in wine, broth and cream and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thickened, about 10 minutes.
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, 8 ounces white button mushrooms,, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, 6 garlic cloves,, ½ teaspoons dried thyme, 3 tbs unbleached all-purpose flour, ½ cup white wine or cooking wine, 1 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth, 1 ½ cups heavy cream
Toss cut green beans with cornstarch in a large bowl and transfer to a 13 by 9-inch baking dish. Pour the warm mushroom mixture evenly over the beans (do not mix).
1 ½ pounds green beans,, 3 tbsp cornstarch

To Cook and Serve the Same Day This Recipe is Prepared:

Once the mushroom cream sauce has been poured over the beans, (do not mix in) cover with aluminum foil and bake in a 350F degree oven for about 50 minutes, baking until the beans are crisp-tender. Remove foil, stir the beans and sauce thoroughly, add almonds or water chestnuts, if using. Sprinkle the fried onion mixture over top and bake uncovered an additional 15 minutes. Taste one of the beans and if it's too crisp for your liking, place foil over top again and bake additional 5-10 minutes.

To Freeze casserole and cook from frozen:

Once mushroom cream sauce has been poured over beans (not mixed in), allow to come to room temperature. Cover with plastic AND aluminum foil and freeze for up to two months.
Remove the casserole from the freezer and take away the plastic from the baking dish and replace the foil. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 400 degrees. Bake until the sauce is bubbling and the beans are tender, about 60 minutes, stirring the beans thoroughly and adding almonds or water chestnuts, if using, after about 30 minutes. Remove the foil and spread the topping mixture over the beans. Bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes.
½ cup slivered almonds or ½ cup sliced water chestnuts, roughly chopped.
Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Notes

Cremini mushrooms or any favorite fresh mushroom may be substituted for the white button mushrooms.
Adding about 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese to the topping is another great way to add great flavor.
Nutrition information is an estimate, especially if you change up the ingredients and quantities.

Nutrition