Green Bean Casserole (2024)

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When it comes to classic Thanksgiving side dishes, few can rival the timeless appeal of homemade green bean casserole. This comforting dish has graced holiday tables for generations, and for good reason.

It combines the earthy flavors of fresh green beans, creamy mushroom sauce, and crispy fried onions into a delightful medley that’s hard to resist.

You absolutely should consider making it from scratch for your next holiday dinner.

When it comes to filling your holiday table with the most delicious scratch made Thanksgiving recipes, you should also make my sweet potato casserole, cranberry orange sauce, dinner rolls, and turkey gravy to go with a mouthwatering roasted turkey!

Why This Is the Best Green Bean Casserole

This recipe is so incredible because of the ingredients uses as well as the cooking process.

If your Thanksgiving dinner has always featured a green bean casserole that consisted of canned green beans and cans of cream of mushroom soup dumped into a casserole dish, you are in for a treat!

Fresh Green Beans

The star of any green bean casserole is undoubtedly the tender green beans themselves.

Using fresh green beans instead of canned ones brings a level of freshness and texture that elevates the dish.

When you blanch them in a large pot of salted water and then shock them in ice water, you ensure that they stay beautifully crisp-tender. This step might take a little extra effort, but the result is worth it.

Your green beans will be a vibrant green and boast a satisfying crunch.

Creamy Mushroom Sauce

One of the key components of a green bean casserole is the creamy mushroom sauce.

While many recipes rely on canned cream of mushroom soup, making your own homemade cream of mushroom soup from scratch is a game-changer. It provides a depth of flavor that canned versions simply can’t match.

The combination of fresh mushrooms that get sautéed in butter, rehydrated dried mushrooms, whole milk, and chicken stock infuses the sauce with a rich umami taste. You can control the seasoning and adjust it to your preferences.

The result is a creamy sauce that’s rich and flavorful. Plus, there’s a certain satisfaction in creating something delicious from scratch, using real ingredients.

Crispy Fried Onions

The best part of a green bean casserole is the crispy fried onion topping. While you can make your own (see the Recipe Tips section below), I actually prefer using store bought French fried onions. They offer great flavor with the perfect crunch.

The trick is to incorporate them into the casserole as well as for the topping.

How to Make This Creamy Green Bean Casserole

Rehydrate mushrooms

In a small dish, pour boiling water over the dried mushrooms and allow them to sit for at least 15 minutes. Do not discard the liquid.

Blanch the green beans

​Prepare an ice water bath in a large bowl. Add the kosher salt to a large pot of boiling water.

Cook the green beans in the salted boiling salted water for about a minute, then immediately transfer them to the ice bath.

Once cooled, drain the green beans and set aside. They should be a vibrant green color.

Sauté fresh mushrooms

In a heavy bottom stockpot, melt the butter over medium-high heat and add the sliced mushrooms. Allow them to brown, stirring only to prevent burning.

Sprinkle the flour over the mushrooms and stir to coat. Allow them to cook for another couple of minutes.

Make the mushroom gravy

​Add the chicken broth to the sautéed mushroom roux, stir well, and scrape the bottom of the pan to remove any bits that may have stuck.

Add the rehydrated mushroom pieces along with any liquid.

Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the milk, stir, and continue to cook until the gravy thickens.

Combine remaining casserole ingredients

​Add the blanched green beans and 1/2 cup of the onion pieces to the mushroom gravy. Stir well to combine. Cover with aluminum foil. Either refrigerate overnight or continue cooking.

Cook the casserole

​Preheat oven to 350°F and bake covered casserole until heated through, about 20-30 minutes. Remove foil and top with remaining fried onion pieces. Continue cooking until they just start to brown. Serve hot.

Recipe Tips

• Green beans: French Green Beans (Haricots Verts) are highly recommended because of their tender and delicate texture, but standard green beans will work.
• Rehydrating dried mushrooms: For best results, weigh the mushrooms down with a dish so they remained fully submerged. Once the pieces are rehydrated and cool to the touch, use a pair of clean sharp kitchen shears to cut them into small pieces. Rehydrated mushrooms (depending on the variety) can be very chewy, so small pieces are better.
• Fried onion pieces: While I use store-bought fried onions, making your own is worth the effort. It’s as simple as slicing onions thinly, coating them in a flour mixture, and frying them in melted butter until golden brown. Crispy fried shallots are equally delicious. The result is a topping that’s light, crispy, and adds a delightful crunch to each bite.
• Baking dish: Dutch oven is ideal for this recipe, as it allows for both stovetop and oven cooking. However, a deep casserole dish will also work well.

FAQs

This recipe was originally published in November 2017 and has been updated with helpful information, ingredient and process photos, as well as recipe tips. Don’t worry – the recipe hasn’t changed!