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Homemade Green Bean Casserole: Easy & Best Recipe

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This homemade green bean casserole is creamy, crunchy, and packed with flavor. Made from scratch with fresh green beans, a velvety mushroom sauce, and crispy fried onions, it’s the ultimate comfort food for holidays or any day.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced into rings
  • 1 cup buttermilk (or 1 cup milk mixed with 1 tablespoon lemon juice, let sit 5 minutes)
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • Vegetable oil, for frying (about 2 cups, or enough for 1 inch depth)
  • 1 1/2 pounds fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups whole milk
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated if possible
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Instructions

  1. Blanch the green beans: Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the trimmed green beans and cook for exactly 3 minutes. Immediately drain and transfer to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Let them sit for 2 minutes, then drain well and pat dry with paper towels. Set aside.
  2. Make the crispy onions: In a medium bowl, soak the sliced onions in buttermilk for 10 minutes. In a separate shallow dish, whisk together the flour, salt, pepper, and paprika. Heat about 1 inch of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F (175°C). Working in batches, remove onions from buttermilk (let excess drip off), dredge in the flour mixture, and carefully add to the hot oil. Fry for 2-3 minutes per side, until deep golden brown and crispy. Transfer to a …
  3. Start the mushroom sauce: In the same large skillet (carefully wipe out any oil residue), melt the butter over medium heat. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-7 minutes until they release their liquid and start to brown. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  4. Make the cream sauce: Sprinkle the flour over the mushrooms and stir constantly for 1 minute to cook out the raw flour taste. Slowly pour in the milk while whisking continuously to prevent lumps. Then add the heavy cream, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring often, and cook for 3-4 minutes until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. If using Parmesan, stir it in now until melted and smooth.
  5. Assemble the casserole: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). In a large bowl, combine the blanched green beans with the mushroom sauce. Stir gently until every bean is coated. Transfer the mixture to a greased 9×13-inch baking dish and spread into an even layer.
  6. Bake and top: Bake the casserole uncovered for 20 minutes, until bubbly and hot. Remove from the oven and sprinkle the crispy onions evenly over the top. Return to the oven and bake for another 5-7 minutes, until the onions are extra crispy and the edges are golden. Let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

For the green beans, look for bright, crisp beans that snap when you bend them. Avoid any that are limp or have brown spots. For the mushrooms, cremini are my go-to because they have more flavor than white button mushrooms, but white mushrooms work fine too. If you want to go dairy-free, you can substitute the butter with vegan butter, the milk with unsweetened oat milk, and the heavy cream with full-fat coconut cream—just know the texture will be slightly different. The biggest mistake people make is overcooking the green beans. Three minutes is all you need—they’ll continue cooking in the oven. For the crispy onions, don’t crowd the pan. Work in batches, and let the oil come back up to temperature between batches. Also, don’t skip the buttermilk soak. You can blanch the green beans and make the crispy onions a day ahead. Store the beans in the fridge and the onions in an airtight container at room temperature. Then on serving day, just make the sauce and assemble. Always taste your s

Nutrition

Keywords: green bean casserole, homemade, from scratch, Thanksgiving, holiday side dish, crispy onions, mushroom sauce

Find it online: https://cravemila.com/homemade-green-bean-casserole-easy-and-best-recipe/