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My aunt made the green bean casserole every November for thirty years, and she let the whole family know that hers had never once seen a can of soup. She said it the same way every year, and every year somebody rolled their eyes. Then they went back for seconds. Her beans were bright green and tender, the sauce was rich with browned mushrooms, and the crispy onions on top were ones she fried herself, so crunchy you could hear them when the spoon went in.
A from-scratch green bean casserole takes a little more time than the can, but every part of it can be done ahead, and the difference is plain on the first bite. The part people are most nervous about is the crispy onions. They are easier than you think: thin rings, a dusting of seasoned flour and a shallow pan of hot oil. Here is how to make the crispy onions at home so they stay crunchy on top, and how to make a mushroom sauce that is smooth and never gluey.
Why this green bean casserole works
- Fresh beans, blanched. A quick boil and an ice bath keep the beans bright green and tender-crisp, never gray.
- Mushrooms browned hard. Browning gives the sauce a deep, savory taste that canned soup never has.
- A real white sauce. Butter, flour, milk and broth make a creamy sauce that thickens in the oven without turning stiff.
- Homemade crispy onions. Thin onions fried in seasoned flour are lighter and crunchier than anything in a can.
- Onions on in two stages. Half go in with the beans for flavor, half go on at the end so they stay crisp.
Ingredients
Serves 8 as a side dish, in a 2 1/2 quart or 9x13 inch baking dish. The measurements are in US cups with grams in brackets.
For the crispy onions
- 2 medium yellow onions, sliced into very thin rings
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (95g)
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
- Vegetable oil, about 1 1/2 cups (360ml), for shallow frying
For the beans
- 2 pounds fresh green beans (900g), trimmed and cut into 2 inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon salt, for the boiling water
For the mushroom sauce
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 10 ounces white or brown mushrooms (285g), sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (30g)
- 1 cup chicken broth (240ml)
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk (360ml)
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Slice the onions as thin as you can, about 1/8 inch. A mandoline makes it quick. Thin rings fry crisp; thick ones stay soft in the middle.
How to make green bean casserole
- Make the crispy onions. Mix the flour, salt, garlic powder and paprika in a large bowl. Separate the onion rings, toss them in the flour until coated, and shake off the extra.
- Heat about 1/2 inch of oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat to 350 degrees (175°C). Fry the onions in small batches, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes until deep golden. Lift them onto a paper towel lined tray and sprinkle with a little salt. They crisp more as they cool.
- Heat the oven to 375 degrees (190°C). Butter the baking dish.
- Blanch the beans. Bring a large pot of water to a boil with the tablespoon of salt. Add the beans and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until bright green and just tender. Drain and plunge them into a bowl of ice water, then drain again and pat dry.
- Make the sauce. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and leave them alone for 3 minutes, then stir and cook for 5 to 6 minutes more, until brown and their liquid has cooked away. Add the garlic for 30 seconds.
- Sprinkle in the flour and stir for 1 minute. Slowly pour in the broth, stirring, then the milk. Simmer gently, stirring, for 4 to 5 minutes until the sauce is smooth and thick enough to coat a spoon. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
- Fold the beans and half of the crispy onions into the sauce and spread it in the baking dish.
- Bake uncovered for 20 minutes, until the sauce bubbles at the edges.
- Scatter the rest of the crispy onions over the top and bake 5 minutes more. Let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Tips that make the difference
- Fry the onions in small batches. Too many at once lowers the oil temperature and they turn greasy.
- Make the onions up to 2 days ahead and keep them in an airtight container at room temperature.
- Dry the blanched beans well, or their water thins the sauce in the oven.
- If the sauce gets too thick before baking, loosen it with a splash of milk.
Variations
- Cheesy. Stir 1 cup shredded white cheddar (100g) into the sauce off the heat.
- Shortcut onions. Bake the floured onion rings on an oiled sheet at 425 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes, turning once, instead of frying.
- Frozen beans. Use 2 pounds of thawed frozen cut green beans and skip the blanching.
- Almond crunch. Scatter toasted sliced almonds over the top with the last of the onions.
Storage and make-ahead
Assemble the beans and sauce up to a day ahead, cover and refrigerate. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes and add the top onions at the end.
Keep leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheat in a 350 degree oven so the onions crisp again. The microwave makes them soft.
Frequently asked questions
Can I make green bean casserole without canned soup?
Yes. A quick sauce of browned mushrooms, butter, flour, broth and milk replaces the can and tastes far better.
Why did my crispy onions go soft?
They were put on too early or they were cut too thick. Slice them thin, and add the top layer for only the last 5 minutes.
Can I make it the day before?
Yes. Make the beans and sauce, keep them covered in the refrigerator, and keep the onions separate. Bake on the day.
Can I use frozen green beans?
Yes. Thaw and pat them dry, and skip the blanching step.
Make it from scratch once, set it on the table, and you will understand why my aunt told everybody about it every single year.
Green Bean Casserole from Scratch (No Can of Soup, Homemade Crispy Onions)
Green bean casserole made from scratch: fresh green beans, a creamy homemade mushroom sauce instead of canned soup, and crispy onions fried at home, half inside and half piled on top.
Ingredients
- 2 medium yellow onions, sliced into very thin rings
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
- Vegetable oil, about 1 1/2 cups (360ml), for shallow frying
- 2 pounds fresh green beans (900g), trimmed and cut into 2 inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon salt, for the boiling water
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 10 ounces white or brown mushrooms (285g), sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Instructions
- Make the crispy onions. Mix the flour, salt, garlic powder and paprika in a large bowl. Separate the onion rings, toss them in the flour until coated, and shake off the extra.
- Heat about 1/2 inch of oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat to 350 degrees (175°C). Fry the onions in small batches, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes until deep golden. Lift them onto a paper towel lined tray and sprinkle with a little salt. They crisp more as they cool.
- Heat the oven to 375 degrees (190°C). Butter the baking dish.
- Blanch the beans. Bring a large pot of water to a boil with the tablespoon of salt. Add the beans and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until bright green and just tender. Drain and plunge them into a bowl of ice water, then drain again and pat dry.
- Make the sauce. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and leave them alone for 3 minutes, then stir and cook for 5 to 6 minutes more, until brown and their liquid has cooked away. Add the garlic for 30 seconds.
- Sprinkle in the flour and stir for 1 minute. Slowly pour in the broth, stirring, then the milk. Simmer gently, stirring, for 4 to 5 minutes until the sauce is smooth and thick enough to coat a spoon. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
- Fold the beans and half of the crispy onions into the sauce and spread it in the baking dish.
- Bake uncovered for 20 minutes, until the sauce bubbles at the edges.
- Scatter the rest of the crispy onions over the top and bake 5 minutes more. Let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.
