A recipe for homemade green bean casserole that you will adore! This recipe’s star ingredient is a homemade, very tasty creamy mushroom sauce—not a can in sight. This beauty is topped with handmade crispy fried shallots, plenty of nutty parmesan, and tender but crunchy green beans. Packed with taste, textures, and plenty of goodness! Ideal side dish to serve with main courses over the holidays and beyond!
Hi everyone! One week from now comes Thanksgiving, as I write this blog article. And then Christmas is getting closer and closer, hehe. Nobody is spared by time! We’re going to be making green bean casserole today, which is another recipe inspired by the holidays. What are your thoughts about it, then? Some people adore this side dish, while others don’t really need it! You know I had to give it a Quin twist and give you this timeless piece!
Homemade Green Bean Casserole
Many of us are aware that the classic method calls for using a can of condensed soup—I believe it’s cream of mushroom. While there’s nothing wrong with it, argue with someone else that handmade is far superior! Listen, there’s a flavorful, creamy mushroom sauce created from scratch in this recipe! Friends, this is amazing! I adore the complexity of flavor and textures!
What Is Green Bean Casserole?
Superb query! Thus, green beans, crispy french fried onions, and a can of cream of mushroom soup are the ingredients of a typical green bean casserole. Maybe the back of the soup can is where the traditional recipe originated? Not sure. Still, it’s a long-standing custom that people like to prepare for Thanksgiving.
Ingredients Needed For This Recipe
- Shallots: We’re adding crispy fried shallots on the top of our green bean casserole instead of fried onions! I adore how shallots elevate onions and have a hint of sweetness. Swoon, it’s so simple to prepare and you have leftover oil flavored with shallots.
- To cook and season the fried shallots, use oil and cajun spice. I use vegetable oil, however seasoned salt may also be used in place of cajun seasoning.
- Of course, green beans are the star vegetable of the moment.
- Butter: Essential for sautéing! 😈
- I use baby bella mushrooms, which are sliced and delicious.
- Garlic: I adore the sauce’s abundance of garlicky taste.
- Flour: Check the notes for GF requirements; this will thicken the mushroom sauce!
- The start of the casserole’s tasty sauce base is chicken broth.
- Lemon juice: A hint of zest, balance, and brightness from the lemon.
- Dijon mustard: It’s great for adding a contrast and sharpness.
- Worcestershire: Its distinct taste combination comes from a variety of components. It functions something as an umami flavor bomb as well.
- Spices: Red pepper flakes, powdered nutmeg, dried thyme, and salt/pepper are used. A little warmth, a little of freshness, and a hint of heat.
- Thick cream: Contributes a smooth, creamy element to the mushroom sauce.
- Parmesan: For the sauce or topping, choose a nutty, salty parmesan cheese.
How To Make This Green Bean Casserole
We’ll start with the fried shallots & prepping the green beans:
- Heat up a pot with the oil in it. Shallots should be added to the pan and cooked until they take on a golden-brown hue.
- Take out the crispy shallots and put them on a platter covered with paper towels to absorb extra oil. To taste, add cajun spice to crispy shallots. Keep aside until you’re ready to construct the green bean casserole. Next, pour the oil through a fine-mesh strainer and save the oil infused with shallots for later use!
- Set oven temperature to 375°F.
- Heat up a big saucepan of water until it boils. Cook the green beans for three minutes after adding them. To end cooking, drain the green beans and put them in a dish with ice and cold water. After that, drain and put away.
⇐ To keep the texture of the green beans crisp and delicate, blanch them. In addition to bringing out their vibrant green color, this procedure also halts the cooking process when you submerge them in freezing cold water. This is a step that you shouldn’t skip for your green bean casserole!
Homemade Creamy Mushroom Sauce
- Put the butter in a big pan and place it over heat. After it has melted, add the garlic and mushrooms, and sauté them until they are soft.
- Add the flour next, and thoroughly whisk. Add the chicken broth and scrape off any browned pieces from the pan’s bottom with a wooden spoon.
- Add the ground nutmeg, red pepper flakes, lemon juice, dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, and salt/pepper to taste, and whisk until thoroughly combined. Simmer this mixture for two to three minutes.
- Next, add the heavy cream and half of the parmesan cheese, and whisk until well combined, which should take one to two minutes.
- After blanching the green beans, transfer them to an ovenproof casserole dish, cover with the creamy mushroom sauce, and toss to coat thoroughly. Sprinkle the remaining parmesan cheese evenly on top of the green bean mixture.
- After transferring the dish to the oven, bake it for twenty minutes.
- Take out of the oven and stir the mixture again. Scatter the fried shallots evenly on top of the green beans. Put back in the oven and bake for a further seven to ten minutes.
- Quickly serve this dish of green beans. Have fun!
Why You’ll Love This Green Bean Casserole
- Nice and simple: Don’t worry, it’s really simple to make the creamy sauce from scratch! The sauce comes together quickly once the green beans are blanched and the shallots are cooked.
- Rich and flavorful: The handmade creamy parmesan mushroom sauce tastes amazing! That is the recipe’s foundation and core. Although the green beans are delicious on their own, the sauce really brings this meal to life. You will adore the variety of taste ingredients it has.
- Delicious homemade food: For this dish, there isn’t even a can of soup in sight, hehe! To be honest, you will value the magic created from scratch! 😎
Dairy-Free or Vegan Green Bean Casserole
Here’s how to make this dish simply suitable for a vegan or dairy-free diet:
- Use dairy-free parmesan and butter (I adore this one!)
- Use coconut cream or milk, or veggie broth.and leave out the Worcestershire (substitute with tamari or coconut aminos).
Make-Ahead Prep
Prepare this green bean casserole in advance to save time and space for your hectic holiday activities, such as Thanksgiving:
Proceed with the recipe exactly as written, omitting the baking and adding the fried shallots and parmesan topping. Up to two days in advance, place the firmly covered foil-covered dish in the refrigerator. When ready, bake, covered, at 375°F for 20 minutes, or until bubbling and hot. Remove the lid and bake the dish for a further 7 to 10 minutes, or until the shallots are nicely crispy (watch out not to burn).
More Recipes You Might Like
- Three-Cheese and Spinach Manicotti
- Southern Mashed Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Topping
- Decadent Beef Shank Osso Buco
- Creamy Mushroom Sauce with Bacon and Thyme
- Slow Cooker Pot Roast Beef Stroganoff
Homemade Green Bean Casserole
Ingredients
For the fried shallot topping:
- 4 medium shallots halved lengthwise & then sliced thinly into half moons
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- cajun seasoning or seasoned salt, to taste
For the green bean casserole:
- 24 ounces fresh green beans ends trimmed
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 8 ounces baby bella mushrooms sliced
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced or paste
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard smooth or whole grain
- 1 tablespoon worcestershire
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream or half and half
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan divided
Instructions
For the fried shallots:
- In a medium saucepan, place the oil over medium heat. After that, add the shallots to the pan without waiting for the oil to heat up. Simmer the shallots for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring them gently every now and again. Reduce the heat as necessary to keep the shallots from browning too rapidly and until they are a golden-brown hue.
- Remove the crispy shallots with a fish spatula (or similar tool) and transfer to a dish lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil. Toss crispy shallots with seasoned salt or cajun seasoning, according to taste. Keep aside until you’re ready to construct the green bean casserole. After that, set a fine-mesh filter over a bowl to catch any remaining shallots and save the oil infused with shallots for later!
For the green bean casserole:
- Set oven temperature to 375°F.
- Heat up a big saucepan of water until it boils. After it comes to a boil, add the green beans and simmer for three minutes. To end the cooking process, quickly drain the green beans and transfer them to a dish with ice and cold water. After cooling down, remove the green beans and reserve.
- Add the butter to a large pan set over medium heat. After it has melted, add the garlic and mushrooms and sauté for three to four minutes, or until the mushrooms are soft and starting to turn golden.
- Then add the flour and whisk until the flour is largely dissolved and properly blended. Stir thoroughly to mix in the chicken broth gradually, being sure to get into any hidden pockets of flour. Scrape off any browned parts from the pan’s bottom with a wooden tool.
- Add the ground nutmeg, ground pepper, red pepper flakes (if using), lemon juice, dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, and salt/pepper to taste. Stir thoroughly to mix. Simmer this mixture for two to three minutes.
- Next, add the cream (or half-and-half) and half of the parmesan, and mix for one to two minutes, or until everything is thoroughly combined.
- After blanching the green beans, transfer them to an ovenproof casserole dish, cover with the creamy mushroom sauce, and toss to coat thoroughly. Sprinkle the remaining parmesan cheese evenly on top of the green bean mixture.
- After transferring the dish to the oven, bake it for twenty minutes.
- Take out of the oven and stir the mixture again. Scatter the fried shallots evenly on top of the green beans. Re-enter the oven and bake for a further 7 to 10 minutes, being cautious not to burn.
- This green bean dish should be served right away. Have fun!
Notes
- Needs to avoid gluten? Replace the all-purpose flour with a 1:1 ratio of any gluten-free baking flour. For those with gluten-free requirements, arrowroot, tapioca, and cassava flour are further substitutes.
- Plan ahead: Make the dish exactly as written, omitting the baking and adding the fried shallots and parmesan topping. Up to two days in advance, place the firmly covered foil-covered dish in the refrigerator. When ready, bake, covered, at 375°F for 20 minutes, or until bubbling and hot. Remove the lid and bake the dish for a further 7 to 10 minutes, or until the shallots are nicely crispy (watch out not to burn).
- Please read the blog post in its entirety for more tips + tricks.