Green Bean Casserole Crispy Onions (Printable version)
Tender green beans in savory mushroom sauce, topped with crispy fried onions for a comforting dish.
# What You'll Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 1 1/2 lbs fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
02 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 8 oz cremini or white mushrooms, sliced
→ Sauce
05 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
06 - 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
07 - 1 cup vegetable broth
08 - 1 cup whole milk
09 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
10 - 1/2 tsp salt
11 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
12 - 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
13 - 1 tsp soy sauce (optional, for umami)
→ Topping
14 - 1 1/2 cups crispy fried onions
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter or cooking spray.
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add green beans and blanch for 4 minutes. Drain immediately and transfer to ice bath to stop cooking. Drain again and set aside.
03 - Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook 2 minutes until softened. Add garlic and mushrooms; sauté 5-6 minutes until mushrooms release liquid and begin to brown.
04 - Sprinkle flour over vegetables and stir well; cook 1 minute. Gradually pour in vegetable broth while stirring constantly. Add milk and heavy cream; bring to simmer.
05 - Cook sauce, stirring constantly, until thickened (4-5 minutes). Stir in salt, pepper, nutmeg, and soy sauce if using. Remove from heat.
06 - Add blanched green beans and half the crispy onions to sauce. Mix until evenly coated.
07 - Pour mixture into prepared baking dish. Spread evenly and top with remaining crispy onions.
08 - Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes until sauce is bubbly and onions are golden brown and crispy.
09 - Let casserole rest for 5 minutes before serving to allow sauce to set slightly.
# Expert advice:
01 -
- The homemade mushroom sauce transforms humble green beans into something people actually get excited about eating
- It comes together faster than you think, leaving you oven space for everything else
02 -
- The ice bath step seems fussy but it prevents your beans from turning that sad army green color everyone associates with bad cafeteria food
- Letting the casserole rest for 5 minutes before serving helps the sauce set slightly so it doesn't run all over the plate
03 -
- Slice your mushrooms thin and they'll disappear into the sauce for kids who claim not to like mushrooms
- A pinch of nutmeg in the sauce is the subtle secret that makes people ask 'what's in this?'