Description
Creamy Holiday Green Bean Casserole is an easy, comforting side for festive meals. This homemade version skips the can for fresh flavor. So delicious!
Ingredients
Scale
- Base Ingredients:
- 1 ½ lbs fresh green beans, trimmed
- 8 oz cremini or button mushrooms, sliced
- 1 yellow onion, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- Cream Sauce Essentials:
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- Flavor & Seasoning:
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
- ½ tsp salt, or to taste
- ¼ tsp black pepper, or to taste
- Toppings & Finish:
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 ½ cups crispy fried onions (store-bought or homemade)
Instructions
- Prep Your Green Beans:: First things first, hon, let’s get those green beans tender-crisp. Trim the ends off your fresh green beans – you know, the fiddly bit. Bring a big pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Drop those beans in and blanch them for about 3-4 minutes. You want them bright green and still a little snappy, not mushy. Immediately plunge them into an ice bath to stop the cooking, then drain them really well. This step is a game-changer for texture. I always forget to salt the water, oops, but it makes a difference!
- Sauté the Flavor Base:: While your beans are chilling, melt half of your butter in a large oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Toss in your diced yellow onion and sliced mushrooms. Sauté them until they’re softened and the mushrooms have released their liquid and started to brown a bit – this usually takes about 8-10 minutes. This is where all that amazing savory depth starts to build. I love how the kitchen smells at this point, all earthy and sweet.
- Build the Creamy Sauce:: Now, add your minced garlic to the skillet and cook for just another minute until fragrant – don’t let it burn, that’s a sad smell! Sprinkle in the flour and stir constantly for about 1-2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste; this is your roux. Slowly whisk in the chicken broth, then the heavy cream, stirring until the sauce thickens and smooths out. Add the Worcestershire sauce and fresh thyme. Season with salt and pepper to taste. This creamy base is what makes the casserole so irresistible.
- Combine and Bake:: Stir your blanched green beans into the creamy mushroom sauce, making sure they’re all nicely coated. If you’re using an oven-safe skillet, you’re all set! If not, transfer the mixture to a 9×13 inch baking dish. Sprinkle a generous layer of freshly grated Parmesan cheese over the top. I sometimes get a little heavy-handed with the cheese, but honestly, is that ever a bad thing? Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese is golden brown.
- Add the Crispy Topping:: This is the grand finale! Pull your casserole out of the oven. Carefully, because it’s hot! Now, sprinkle those crispy fried onions all over the top. You want a good, even layer for maximum crunch. If you’re using homemade ones, they might need a bit less time in the oven for this next step. I once piled them on too thick and they got a bit soggy, so spread them out.
- Final Bake and Serve:: Pop the casserole back into the oven for another 5-10 minutes, or until those fried onions are beautifully golden brown and super crispy. Keep an eye on them, they can go from perfect to burnt pretty fast! Once it’s out, let it rest for a few minutes before serving. It allows the sauce to set a little, and honestly, it just tastes better when it’s not scorching hot. Enjoy your gorgeous, homemade Creamy Holiday Green Bean Casserole!