Green Bean Casserole perfection! Recipe

This basic Thanksgiving Inexperienced Bean Casserole marks the official graduation of Thanksgiving 2019 right here on RecipeTin Eats!! Tender inexperienced beans smothered in a home made creamy mushroom sauce topped with crispy golden brown onions, it’s a wickedly addictive mixture of flavours and textures.

PLUS my tried and examined for the BEST approach to make inexperienced bean casserole forward of time!

Inexperienced Bean Casserole

I’ve some opinions about Thanksgiving meals.

Firstly, I’m of the view that marshmallow has no place in something that seems earlier than dessert. (sure, I’m obtrusive at you Mr Candy Potato Casserole topped with marshmallows!!).

Secondly, I imagine that everybody ought to get to eat what they need they need on Thanksgiving, conventional or in any other case. Which completely contradicts #1 above. However hey – I mentioned I’ve opinions. I didn’t say I had logical motive!

Thirdly, there shalt by no means be any canned soup close to my inexperienced beans*. Not at Thanksgiving, not at Christmas, not ever. The creamy mushroom sauce is easy to make, tastes higher and for the cherry on high – it’s fully devoid of all issues synthetic. 🙌🏻

* To the doe-eyed innocents studying this, there are lots of fast ‘n straightforward recipes “on the market” involving not far more than dumping canned mushroom soup, canned inexperienced beans and canned fried onions right into a baking dish.

What goes in Inexperienced Bean Casserole

For such a extremely coveted basic Thanksgiving dish, there’s really not that many components required!

My one tip is to make use of Panko breadcrumbs as an alternative of regular breadcrumbs. Bigger crumbs = superior onion crunch.

The right way to make Inexperienced Bean Casserole

• Onions – tossed in flour and panko then deep fried simply till mild golden and fairly crispy (however not absolutely crispy, will develop into absolutely crispy in oven);

• Blanch beans to your style, then pat dry (in any other case creamy sauce goes watery);

• Creamy mushroom sauce – begins by cooking the mushrooms, then add flour which is able to thicken the broth/inventory and cream. TIP: When you’ll be able to draw a path throughout the again of the spoon, the sauce is the correct thickness; and

• Assemble & bake! Toss the beans within the mushroom sauce, high with onions then bake till bubbly and onions are crisp!

These crispy onions!!! They’re every thing!

(PS this recipe makes further onion. Buffer for frying observe runs + snacking. You’ll thank me later)

Some Sensible Ideas

• Greatest approach to make Inexperienced Bean Casserole forward of time – blanch the beans, make the sauce, retailer these within the fridge for two – 3 days (presumably longer, I simply did 3 days). Fry the onions the day earlier than, allow them to cool 100% fully earlier than putting in a container. Don’t refrigerate! Then on the day of, combine the beans with sauce, place in baking dish, COVER then bake to warmth up. Take away cowl, high with onions then bake for 20 minutes to crisp the onions up and make them golden!

• Freezing – not really helpful for this one, sorry to say! Sauce will cut up, onions can be dismal when it defrosts and will get watery.

• Don’t wish to fry? Purchase prepared made Crispy Fried Onions (French’s within the US, Asian aisle in Australia). Nobody is allowed to guage – frying just isn’t for everybody!

• NEWBIES: Plan for further onions – Frying the onions is the toughest half. Not as a result of frying itself is tough, it’s simply that for those who don’t fry commonly, you may wrestle to get the oil temp proper or pull the onions out on the proper time, otherwise you attempt to cook dinner an excessive amount of in a single go and so forth and so forth. Making ready the onions for frying is tremendous easy – so for those who actually wish to be the Inexperienced Bean Casserole Queen (or King), simply make further onion then use the very best ones for the casserole! (Leftovers make nice snacking)

• Frying FAIL?! It’s the massive day, and also you’ve had a frying catastrophe…. Don’t fret! Soften some butter and blend into 3/4 cup panko  with 1/4 cup parmesan and pinch of salt. Style (extra salt? Add it!), sprinkle and bake 20 minutes or till golden. Been there, accomplished that, SO GOOD!

• Don’t stress in regards to the creamy mushroom sauce – it’s really easy to salvage / regulate. Lumps could be whisked out, if it will get too thick you’ll be able to skinny it, if it’s too skinny simply maintain cooking. If it’s a bit too brown who cares – an important factor is does it style delish, and for those who comply with the recipe portions, IT WILL!!!

And that, my mates, is all I’ve to say about Inexperienced Bean Casserole! This recipe has been a very long time coming, in all probability since my early 20’s once I had it at one of many very first Thanksgiving celebrations I attended right here in Sydney (and I’ll by no means reveal how way back that was, a girl’s age ought to stay a thriller, all the time!).

Ahh, recollections of the turkey not becoming into the tiny condominium oven, the bizarre lumpy textured pumpkin pie and the dry home made bread rolls that have been my providing to the feast. We spatchcocked the turkey, purchased bread rolls and salvaged the pie by chopping it up and serving it as a sundae with cream and ice cream (deeeelish!).

And actually, a lot wine had flowed by 5pm, we’d’ve eaten something.

Fortunately, my cooking expertise have considerably improved since then! – Johnsat x

PS All my Thanksgiving-centric recipes right here. I plan to do some Thanksgiving housekeeping within the coming days, will let you realize once I do! ❤️

Watch the way to make it

Green Bean Casserole perfection! Recipe

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Serves: 8 Prep Time: 15 minutes Cooking Time: 1 hour 1 hour

Nutrition facts: 86 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 1 voted )

Ingredients

• 750g/ 1.5lb green beans , trimmed and halved
• 2 large yellow onions , peeled, halved and thinly sliced (or 3 medium)
• 1/4 cup (35g) flour (plain/all purpose)
• 2 tbsp panko breadcrumbs (Note 1)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 4 cups / 1 litre (approx) vegetable oil , for deep-frying (or peanut, canola oil Note 2)
• 3 tbsp (50g) butter , unsalted
• 360g /12 oz mushrooms , chopped 1cm / 1/3" pieces
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 2 garlic cloves , minced
• 3 tbsp (35g) flour (plain/all purpose)
• 1 1/2 cups (375ml) vegetable or chicken broth/stock , low sodium
• 1/2 cup (125ml) cream , heavy/thickened
• Pinch nutmeg (or sprinkle of freshly grated)

Instructions

1. Boil the green beans for 3 minutes until just tender (or to your taste), then drain and run under cold tap water (to stop cooking further). You could also steam.
2. Transfer to clean tea towel and pat dry. Set aside.
3. Line tray with 3 – 4 layers paper towels.
4. Toss onions with flour, panko, salt and pepper.
5. Heat about 2cm / 3/4″ oil in a heavy based skillet over medium high heat. Dip the end of one onion in – it should sizzle satisfyingly immediately.
6. Add some onions, not too many (see video), then fry for 1 1/2 minutes or until LIGHT golden brown.
7. Transfer to tray, spreading out (don’t pile up). (Note 3)
8. Repeat with remaining onion (5-6 batches). Set aside to cool, DO NOT cover.
9. Melt butter in a skillet over medium high heat. Add mushrooms and cook for 1 minute.
10. Add salt and pepper, cook until mushroom starts to soften (1.5 minutes) then add garlic and cook for 1 minute until garlic is golden.
11. Turn heat down to medium, add flour and mix until you can’t see flour anymore.
12. While stirring constantly, gradually pour in half the broth. When flour lumps are dissolved, pour in remaining broth and cream, stir.
13. Add nutmeg, stir.
14. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring casually at first then regularly as it thickens, until sauce thickly coats back of wooden spoon and you can draw a path across it (see video). Sauce will not thicken further in oven.
15. Preheat oven to 350°F / 180°C (160°C fan).
16. Pour beans into pot they were boiled in (or use bowl). Pour over Mushroom Sauce, stir.
17. Pour into 2.5 quart / 2.5 ltr casserole dish (Note 4), smooth surface.
18. Sprinkle with onions (might not use all!), then bake for 15 minutes until bubbling on the edges and the onions are deep golden. CHECK at 10 minutes to ensure onions are not burning (Note 5).
19. Serve immediately! (See notes for make ahead)

Notes

1. Panko breadcrumbs – larger pieces than normal breadcrumbs so you get much more satisfying CRUNCH! Asian aisle of most supermarkets nowadays, though cheaper in Asian stores.
2. Oil – any high heat neutral flavoured oil fine here. Do not use olive oil (low smoke point).
3. Onion frying
Will crisp bit more when cool, and fully crisp and brown in oven. Important to drain excess oil to ensure oven crisping (if soggy with oil, may not crisp).
Store bought French Fried Onions or Crispy Fried Onions (Asian aisle) – for an easy way out, use store bought onions. Sprinkle on dish then bake!
Makes more than you need – some practice runs plus snacking!
Alternative topping – Frying FAIL?! It’s the big day, and you’ve had a frying disaster…. Don’t fret! Melt some butter and mix into 3/4 cup panko with 1/4 cup parmesan and pinch of salt. Sprinkle and bake 20 minutes or until golden. SO GOOD!
4. Dish shape – better to use one that is flatter rather than deep, so you can maximise surface area for crunchy onions! Large skillet ideal, 9×13″ / 23 x 33″ glass pan is too large.
5. Onions browning too quickly – turn oven down, cover loosely with foil for remaining bake time. Then remove foil for last few minutes to crisp onions. This is why it’s important to only fry onions until LIGHT golden – so they are deep golden and crispy once baked!
6. Make ahead – best way: cook beans and make sauce per recipe. Cover sauce immediately, cool, then store both in fridge up to 3 days (possibly longer, I just did 3 days). Fry onions the day before, cool completely before placing in a container. Do not refrigerate! On the day of, mix the beans with sauce, place in baking dish, COVER then bake 10 to 15 minutes to heat up. Remove cover, top with onions then bake for 10 minutes to crisp the onions up and make them golden!
7. Source: Recipe adapted from Alton Brown via Smitten Kitchen.
8. Serving size – really depends on how many other sides you have! Conservatively, this will easily serve 8 – 12 with say 3 or 4 other side options (ie one big scoop per person). If this was the only vegetable side, I would say it serves 5 people (150g/5oz beans per person).
Nutrition is for 8 people, assumes onions that are used for topping has 2 tbsp oil which I think is a reasonable estimate (given onions don’t absorb oil).

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Sarah Miller

Hi, I’m Sarah Millar!
I’m a food blogger who loves creating quick and easy recipes that bring big flavor without the fuss. Cooking doesn’t have to be complicated — and I’m here to share simple, fast food ideas that anyone can make at home. When I’m not in the kitchen, you’ll usually find me tasting new dishes, exploring cafés, or coming up with fresh food hacks to make everyday meals more fun.

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