Description
This Green Bean Casserole recipe features fresh green beans smothered in a creamy mushroom sauce and topped with crispy, homemade fried onions. Perfect for holiday dinners or any comforting meal, the casserole is baked until bubbly and garnished with golden fried onions for an irresistible crunch.
Ingredients
Scale
Fried Onions
- 2 inches oil (for frying)
- 1 large red onion (thinly sliced)
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1 1/2 cups Panko bread crumbs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- Pinch cayenne pepper
- 3 tablespoons chopped parsley (optional)
Green Beans
- Large pot of water
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt (for water)
- 2 pounds green beans (trimmed and halved)
Mushroom Sauce
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 pound white button mushrooms (sliced or quartered)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 cloves garlic (smashed and minced)
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme
- 2 1/2 tablespoons flour
- Pinch cayenne pepper
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1 1/2 cups half-and-half
- 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese (shredded)
Instructions
- Heat Oil: Add 2 inches of oil to a wide, high-sided skillet or a large pot. Turn the burner to medium heat and heat the oil to about 360°F.
- Slice Onion: Thinly slice a large red onion lengthwise, aligning the knife with the root and tip to get long slices.
- Soak Onions: Place the onion slices in a medium bowl, cover with 1 1/2 cups buttermilk, and stir to coat. Let soak for about 15 minutes, or up to an hour. If soaking longer, you can turn off the heating oil after 15 minutes.
- Prepare Coating Mixture: In a shallow bowl, mix 1 1/2 cups flour, 1 1/2 cups Panko bread crumbs, 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, a pinch of cayenne pepper, and 3 tablespoons chopped parsley.
- Fry Onions: Drain soaked onions, dredge them in the flour mixture until fully coated, and fry in hot oil in batches for 2-3 minutes until lightly browned. Remove and place on paper towels to drain. Repeat for all onions.
- Boil Water & Salt: Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and add 1 tablespoon kosher salt, making the water taste like the ocean.
- Cook Green Beans: Add trimmed and halved green beans to the boiling water, cover immediately, and boil for about 6 minutes until crisp-tender. Add one extra minute if needed, but avoid mushiness.
- Drain and Cool Beans: Drain beans and rinse with cold water to stop cooking. For make-ahead, wrap in paper towels and refrigerate up to 2 days; otherwise, blot dry with paper towels.
- Preheat Oven: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Sauté Mushrooms: Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 pound sliced mushrooms and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook for 7-8 minutes until browned and tender.
- Add Aromatics: Stir in 3 minced garlic cloves and 2 teaspoons fresh thyme. Sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add Flour & Seasoning: Sprinkle 2 1/2 tablespoons flour and a pinch of cayenne pepper over the mushrooms. Stir to coat and cook for 1 minute.
- Make Sauce: Gradually whisk in 1 1/2 cups half-and-half and 1 1/2 cups chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, whisking occasionally until thickened, about 5-7 minutes.
- Finish Sauce & Mix Beans: Remove from heat, stir in 3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese and the drained green beans until evenly coated.
- Assemble Casserole: Transfer the mixture to a 9×13 inch or similarly sized shallow baking dish. Cover and refrigerate if preparing ahead (up to 4 hours). Leave fried onions at room temperature.
- Bake Casserole: Bake uncovered at 375°F for 15 minutes until bubbling. If chilled beforehand, allow a few extra minutes.
- Add Topping and Bake Again: Sprinkle fried onions evenly over casserole and bake for another 5-10 minutes until warmed through.
Notes
- For best texture, do not overcook the green beans; they should remain crisp-tender.
- If soaking onions longer than 15 minutes, turn off the oil heat to avoid overheating the oil.
- Fried onions can be prepared in advance and stored at room temperature.
- The casserole can be assembled ahead and refrigerated for up to 4 hours before baking.
- Use fresh green beans for a brighter flavor and better texture compared to canned or frozen.
