Green Bean Casserole
User Reviews
5
Green Bean Casserole
Description
Green Bean Casserole starts by boiling fresh green beans briefly with baking soda and chicken bouillon to maintain color and tenderness while developing flavor. After draining and rinsing to stop cooking, the green beans are dried. The filling is prepared by sautéing mushrooms and garlic in butter, then adding more butter and flour to create a roux. This is combined with chicken broth, half and half, and a blend of seasonings including Worcestershire sauce, onion powder, dried parsley, mustard powder, salt, and pepper.
Layered with green beans and topped with shredded cheddar and Parmesan cheeses, the casserole is baked until bubbly. Just before serving, crispy fried onions are sprinkled on top and baked briefly to add a crunchy texture contrast. The result is a creamy, flavorful dish combining soft green beans, savory mushrooms, and rich cheeses with a crisp onion topping.
The casserole offers flexibility in green bean selection; fresh beans require boiling, while frozen beans can be briefly thawed and dried before use, and canned beans are drained and used directly. Baking soda helps keep fresh or frozen green beans vibrant green. The dish can be made ahead by assembling and refrigerating without the fried onion topping, which is added and baked shortly before serving.
This recipe yields eight servings and can be cooked in a crock pot on low for 2-3 hours as an alternative preparation method. It also freezes and reheats well, though topping crispness may lessen. Baking fried onions separately before adding improves texture.
Ingredients
Green Beans
- 1 ½ lbs. Green bean washed. See notes for frozen or canned, fresh
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 chicken bouillon cubes
Filling
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup half and half
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon mustard powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 8 oz. mushrooms plus a pinch of salt for cooking
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 5 tablespoons butter divided
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 3 tablespoons Parmesan Cheese grated
- 2 ¼ cups cheddar cheese shredded
- 1 ½ cup fried onions crispy
Instructions
Boil the Green Beans
- Begin boiling water in a large soup pot or Dutch oven. Once a boil is reached, add the baking soda and bouillon.
- Boil the green beans for 5 minutes. Set a timer to avoid overcooking, we don’t want them to be mushy. When they’re done, they’ll have softened but will still hold their shape nicely.
- Drain well and rinse with cold water to stop them from cooking further. Spread out on a clean dish towel to dry.
Make the Filling
- Preheat oven to 375° F.
- Combine the chicken broth, half and half, Worcestershire sauce, onion powder, parsley, mustard powder, salt, and pepper in a medium measuring cup with a spout. Set aside.
- Dice the mushrooms and cut the green beans in halves or thirds.
- Use the same pot that you used to boil the green beans and melt 3 Tbsp butter over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, garlic, and a pinch of salt and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring continuously.
- Add the remaining butter and the flour and cook for 2 more minutes.
- Add the chicken broth mixture in small splashes, stirring continuously. (Adding it slowly ensures that the mixture is thick and that the roux doesn’t break.)
- Bring it to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Let it bubble gently for 4-5 minutes, or until desired consistency is obtained. Stir occasionally as it cooks.
- Remove from heat. It will thicken a little more upon standing.
Assemble and Bake
- Add the green beans and stir to combine. Stir in the Parmesan cheese along with half of the cheddar cheese and half of the crispy fried onions.
- Transfer to a lightly greased baking dish. (I used a 9x13-inch, but any size that holds the casserole is fine!) Top with remaining cheese and fried onions.
- Bake uncovered for 20 minutes, or until the top is brown and bubbly. Serve!
Notes
- Shredding cheese from blocks improves melt quality and flavor compared to packaged cheese.
- Adding baking soda to boiling water preserves the bright green color of green beans during cooking.
- Use fresh green beans boiled for 5 minutes for tender-crisp texture; increase boiling time slightly for softer beans.
- If using frozen green beans, thaw completely, dry well, and boil for only 3 minutes.
- For canned green beans, simply drain and dry; no boiling needed.
- Assemble casserole up to 2 days ahead, cover without topping, refrigerate, then add fried onions and bake before serving.
- The casserole can also be cooked in a crock pot on low for 2-3 hours.
- Fried onions bake at 375°F for 10-15 minutes before adding to the casserole for extra crispness.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months.
- While the casserole freezes well, the fried onion topping will lose its crispiness when reheated.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 8people
Amount Per Serving
Calories 330 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 330kcal | 17% |
| Carbohydrates | 17g | 6% |
| Protein | 12g | 24% |
| Fat | 25g | 38% |
| Saturated Fat | 14g | 70% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 5g | 25% |
| Trans Fat | 0.2g | 10% |
| Cholesterol | 56mg | 19% |
| Sodium | 886mg | 37% |
| Potassium | 361mg | 8% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 5g | 10% |
| Vitamin A | 1161IU | 23% |
| Vitamin C | 12mg | 13% |
| Calcium | 314mg | 31% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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