Green Bean Casserole with Fresh Green Beans
This is fresh green bean casserole from scratch. Or at least mostly from scratch. There are no cans of cream of mushroom soup or canned green beans here. My one exception is the french fried onions. Honestly, there is so much going on at Thanksgiving that even the most dedicated cooks are looking for ways to eliminate stress and ease the burden of pulling together the big feast. And when picking and choosing battles for where to invest my time prepping for Thanksgiving Day, french frying onions is not one that I’m going to bother with. And I’m okay with that. But if you have the energy, these crispy fried onions are a family favorite! Green beans are one of my favorite vegetables (right up there with brussels sprouts, cauliflower, asparagus, and bell peppers, which round out my top 5). We love these green beans with bacon & pine nuts that my friend Lisa shared with me years ago when she brought them to us for dinner after our oldest daughter was born, and they are another fantastic option for Thanksgiving dinner, especially if you have anyone coming who adheres to a gluten-free diet. But there is something so comforting about the classics like this savory, creamy & crunchy green bean casserole! This really is the BEST green bean casserole recipe and it’s not just something we eat at Thanksgiving. We really love it with grilled Santa Maria tri-tip or barbecue chicken as well! We love serving this fresh green bean casserole with a bacon roasted turkey, my easy homemade cranberry sauce, this sweet potato casserole with marshmallows and pecans, and our favorite southern cornbread dressing. Be sure not to miss any recipes in our classic Thanksgiving menu! I love the crisp-tender green beans instead of mushy canned green beans in this homemade version. And the easy, from-scratch sauce tastes lighter and silkier than the sometimes gloopy green bean casseroles made with cans of cream of mushroom soup. Yes, it’s a time-saver to use canned ingredients, but it’s so easy and so much tastier to make green bean casserole without mushroom soup or canned green beans. We all have our tried and true recipes for Thanksgiving sides, and yes, there are a few more steps here than the classic Campbell’s green bean casserole recipe, but I promise that this Fresh Green Bean Casserole recipe is worth a try. I’m pretty sure your family will notice a difference, but only in the best way possible!
Homemade Green Bean Casserole ingredients
Fresh Green Beans – These make all the difference and set our green bean casserole recipe apart from your grandmother’s green bean casserole made with canned green beans. You could use frozen green beans, too, but I don’t recommend using canned green beans for this casserole. Salted Butter – For sauteeing the onions, garlic, and mushrooms. Onion – Yellow onions are best with their stronger flavor, but sweet onions can also be used in this dish. Garlic – I prefer using fresh garlic cloves and mincing them myself, but you could do 1 teaspoon of the jars of minced garlic from the store to save time or even ½ teaspoon of dried garlic powder in a pinch. Mushrooms – These are optional if you aren’t a fan of mushrooms, but they add that classic umami flavor that we all know and love about traditional green bean casserole. Any mushrooms will work, really. Salt & Pepper Flour – This is for thickening the creamy sauce that takes the place of the typical canned soup used in green bean casserole. Chicken Broth – Adds a savoriness to the sauce, but if you want a vegetarian version you could use vegetable broth instead. Half-and-Half – Adds to the creaminess of the sauce. You can use half cream and half milk if you don’t have half-and-half in the fridge. Panko Breadcrumbs – These are crunchier than regular breadcrumbs for a delicious topping that doesn’t get soggy. French Fried Onions – You can make these from scratch too, but I usually pick them up from the store because it’s so much easier than heating oil and dealing with the messy business of frying onions.
How to make Green Bean Casserole with Fresh Green Beans
Can I make this Green Bean Casserole Recipe ahead of time?
Yes, you can make most of this fresh green bean casserole recipe up to a day in advance. Just follow all of the steps up to topping with the breadcrumbs and fried onions, since those will get soggy in the fridge overnight. Cover tightly with foil or plastic wrap before refrigerating. Make-ahead green bean casserole is an easy way to save yourself some of the stress on Thanksgiving Day since all you need to do is heat it in the oven and top with French’s fried onions right before sticking it in the oven to bake.
Can I make this recipe for Green Bean Casserole in the slow cooker?
Yes, you can make this in the slow cooker! If you are tight on oven space, sometimes it makes sense to use another appliance! To make this green bean casserole recipe in the slow cooker, just skip the step where you blanch the green beans and instead just throw them in the slow cooker after washing and trimming first. Then make the sauce as directed and pour that over the beans. Mix everything together and cook on LOW for 2 hours, then stir well and top with the french fried onions. Cook for another 30-60 minutes before serving. It won’t crisp up as much as it does in the oven, but it’s still delicious and will save you space!
Tips for the Best Green Bean Casserole
I’ve already harped on this, but it’s worth repeating that fresh green beans are going to make a big difference in this dish. Yes, it’s kind of a bother to blanch them, but it’s worth it. You could skip the french fried onions and just use all panko bread crumbs instead if fried onions aren’t your thing. Chop your beans in half or in thirds for easier eating or leave them whole. Either approach works. Even though I’m a HUGE fan of mushrooms, my family prefers green bean casserole without them. But there is a note at the end of the recipe with instructions on when and how to add the mushrooms to this dish if you prefer it that way.
More Thanksgiving Recipes
Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows & Pecans Cranberry Jello Salad with Cream Cheese Topping Homemade Mashed Potatoes Juicy Roast Turkey with a Butter Herb Rub
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Best Cranberry Sauce Recipe
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