Green Bean Casserole
A fresh and tasty twist on the classic, this Green Bean Casserole uses fresh green beans and a homemade cream sauce. Piled high with fried onions, this dish becomes a veggie side that the entire family will gobble up.
Servings 6
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lb fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 2-in pieces or 2 bags frozen green beans, thawed
- 8 oz button mushrooms sliced
- 1 medium onion finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 4 strips bacon, cooked and crumbed optional
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole milk or half and half
- 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 cup monterey jack cheese, shredded
- 1 1/2 cups french fried onions store-bought or homemade
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add green beans and blanch for 3-4 minutes until bright green and slightly tender. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. Set aside.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, cook bacon until crisp. Remove, crumble and set aside. Drain excess fat, leaving 2 tablespoons in the skillet.
- Add butter to the skillet. Saute diced onion until translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Add sliced mushrooms and cook until browned and moisture evaporates, about 5-6 minutes. Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
- Sprinkle flour over vegetables and stir well. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in milk and broth, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens, about 3-5 minutes.
- Stir in cheese, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
- Gently stir in the green beans and bacon into the sauce. Mix until well combined.
- Transfer the mixture to a greased 9x13-inch baking dish. Top evenly with 1 cup of the fried onions.
- Bake in a 350 degree oven for for 25-30 minutes, until bubbly. Remove from the oven, sprinkle remaining fried onions on top, and bake for another 5 minutes until golden and crispy.
Notes
- For best texture, avoid overcooking green beans before baking; blanch just until tender-crisp.
- Cheese and bacon are optional but add extra flavor kids enjoy; omit or substitute as needed.
- Assemble casserole up to one day ahead (without onion topping), cover and refrigerate; add onions and bake before serving.
