Description
Easy Homemade Green Bean Casserole: Get my simple, from-scratch recipe. Skip the can for a creamy, crispy dish your family will love for any gathering!
Ingredients
Scale
- Main Stars:
- 1.5 lbs fresh green beans, trimmed
- 8 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- Creamy Base:
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup vegetable broth
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- Flavor Boosters:
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Crispy Topping:
- 1 (6 oz) can crispy fried onions
Instructions
- Prep Your Green Beans:: First things first, snap the ends off your fresh green beans. Then, blanch them in boiling, salted water for about 3-4 minutes until they’re bright green and crisp-tender. Immediately plunge them into an ice bath to stop the cooking. This step is key! Don’t overdo it, or you’ll have sad, mushy beans. I once left them in too long because the phone rang, total disaster, and the Easy Homemade Green Bean Casserole suffered.
- Sauté Aromatics & Mushrooms:: In a large skillet over medium heat, melt a tablespoon of butter. Add your chopped onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Toss in the sliced mushrooms and cook until they release their liquid and start to brown, about 7-8 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic for about 30 seconds until fragrant. It smells amazing already, doesn’t it? Don’t rush this part, let those onions get soft and sweet for your Easy Homemade Green Bean Casserole.
- Make the Creamy Roux:: Melt the remaining butter in the same skillet. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until it forms a pale paste (that’s your roux!). Whisk, whisk, whisk! It’s like a little dance. If it gets lumpy, honestly, just keep whisking, sometimes it sorts itself out, sometimes… well, sometimes you start over, I’ve done it, and it’s okay!
- Build the Velvety Sauce:: Gradually whisk in the whole milk and vegetable broth until the sauce is smooth and thickened. Bring it to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat. Stir in the cream cheese, Dijon mustard, and Worcestershire sauce until the cream cheese is fully melted and the sauce is velvety smooth. Taste it here, season it up with salt and pepper! This sauce is the heart of your Easy Homemade Green Bean Casserole.
- Combine & Transfer:: Gently fold the blanched green beans and sautéed mushrooms into the creamy sauce. Make sure everything is well coated. Transfer this mixture into a 9×13 inch baking dish. Don’t smash them! We want texture in our Easy Homemade Green Bean Casserole. This is where I sometimes make a mess, but it’s all part of the fun, right?
- Bake to Golden Perfection:: Bake in a preheated oven at 375°F (190°C) for 20 minutes, or until bubbly and heated through. Then, remove from the oven, sprinkle those crispy fried onions evenly over the top, and bake for another 5-10 minutes until the onions are golden brown and crunchy. The anticipation is half the fun! That golden, bubbly top… mmm. The Easy Homemade Green Bean Casserole is almost ready!