Do you drain green beans for Green Bean Casserole?

We use fresh green beans here for optimal texture and crunch. If using canned green beans, then you'll need to drain them. We still rinse and drain the fresh green beans with cold water.

Do you cover Green Bean Casserole when baking?

There's no need to cover the baking dish. Leaving it uncovered helps the top crisp up nicely.

How do you keep Green Bean Casserole from being soupy?

The flour slurry helps thicken the casserole. This essential step ensures that the flour thickens and browns, which is why we leave the flour undisturbed, letting the roux do it's thing!

Classic Green Bean Casserole from Scratch

Name: Traditional Green Bean Casserole
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 lb green beans – trimmed and halved; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 cup onion, thinly sliced; 4 garlic cloves, rough chopped; 12 ounces mushrooms, sliced; 2 teaspoons fresh thyme; salt and pepper to taste; 3 tablespoons butter; 4 tablespoons flour; 1 cup chicken stock or veggie broth; 1 cup half and half (or whole milk); 1 teaspoon salt; ½ teaspoon pepper; Pinch cayenne; 1 tablespoon lemon zest

Description

A classic, traditional recipe for green bean casserole, made from scratch with wholesome ingredients. Rich, savory, and full of flavor!

Ingredients

Units

1 lb green beans – trimmed and halved
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup onion, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, rough chopped
12 ounces mushrooms, sliced
2 teaspoons fresh thyme
salt and pepper to taste

Gravy

3 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
1 cup chicken stock or veggie broth
1 cup half and half (or whole milk)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Pinch cayenne
1 tablespoon lemon zest

1/4- 1/2 cup crispy onions: feel free to use store-bought or make your own- see notes.

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F.
Bring 12 cups of water to boil in a large pot. Add one tablespoon salt. Add the prepped green beans and gently simmer for 5 minutes until tender-crisp. Strain, rinse with cold water, and set aside in the strainer.
At the same time, in a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, onions, garlic, and thyme, turning the heat down if need be. Saute until tender. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Set these aside.
In the same pan, add the butter, and cook undisturbed over medium heat until lightly browned and fragrant. Whisk in the flour, and cook it about 1 minute.
Whisk in the broth, bring to a simmer, then whisk in the half and half—season with salt and pepper and a pinch of cayenne. Bring to a simmer to thicken, whisking.
Toss in the green beans and the mushrooms and taste again, seasoning well. You want the gravy to taste rich. Stir in the lemon zest to give a little brightness.
Place in a greased 8×8 baking dish and place in the oven for 20-25 minutes. Add the crispy onions 5-10 minutes before it’s done so they don’t overbrown.

Notes

Crispy onions: Thinly slice one onion and place in a bowl. Sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt and stir to mix well. Place them in a strainer over the bowl and let them stand for at least 20 minutes so they release their liquid. Press the liquid out as much as you can (place in a kitchen towel and wring them dry). Dry out the bowl, and place the onions back in the bowl. Sprinkle with 2-3 tablespoons cornstarch to lightly coat. Heat ¼ cup avocado oil in a skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, fry the onions until crisp and lightly golden, then turn them over and fry the other side. Place on paper towels.

Nutrition

Serving Size: ¾ cup
Calories: 191
Sugar: 6.9 g
Sodium: 969.5 mg
Fat: 12.9 g
Saturated Fat: 6.9 g
Carbohydrates: 16.3 g
Fiber: 3.5 g
Protein: 5.7 g
Cholesterol: 30.2 mg