The Best Homemade Green Bean Casserole ditches the canned soup for a rich, velvety mushroom sauce made from scratch. We are talking about tender-crisp fresh green beans, earthy sautéed mushrooms, and a luxurious creamy base, all topped with those classic crunchy fried onions.
If you grew up eating the mushy canned version, this fresh recipe will completely change your mind. It is vibrant, flavorful, and surprisingly easy to make.
It is the perfect side dish for the holidays, or simply to accompany a comforting weeknight meal like my Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
No Processed Soup: The homemade sauce is made with real butter, cream, and fresh mushrooms. No metallic can taste!
Perfect Texture: Blanching fresh beans ensures they stay snappy, not mushy.
Make-Ahead Friendly: You can assemble the casserole up to 2 days in advance and bake it when you’re ready.
Crowd Pleaser: It keeps the nostalgic flavor everyone loves but elevates the quality.
The Science of the Roux
- How do we thicken the sauce without canned soup?
- The Roux Power: We use a Roux (a cooked mixture of fat and flour). When flour is cooked in butter, the starch granules swell and absorb the liquid (broth and cream). This creates a stable emulsion that stays thick and creamy even after baking, unlike dairy alone which might split.
- Blanching: Boiling the beans briefly and shocking them in ice water locks in their bright green color (chlorophyll) and sets their texture so they don’t overcook in the oven.
Ingredients You Need
- Fresh Green Beans: Trimmed and halved.
- Mushrooms: Fresh Cremini or button mushrooms, sliced.
- Garlic: Freshly minced for a flavor punch.
- The Thickener: Butter and All-Purpose Flour to make the roux.
- The Liquids: Chicken Broth (for savory depth) and Half-and-Half (for creaminess).
- Seasoning: Salt and Black Pepper.
- The Crunch: Crispy Fried Onions (Essential for the topping!).
How to Make It (Step-by-Step)
Step 1: Blanch the Beans
Boil fresh green beans in salted water for about 5 minutes until tender-crisp. Drain and immediately plunge into a bowl of ice water to stop cooking. Drain well.
Step 2: Sauté Mushrooms & Make Roux
In a large oven-safe skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and cook until browned (about 5 mins). Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Sprinkle flour over the mushrooms and stir for 1 minute to cook out the raw flour taste.
Step 3: Create the Sauce
Slowly whisk in the chicken broth and half-and-half. Simmer for 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 4: Assemble and Bake
Remove from heat. Stir in the blanched green beans and half of the fried onions. Smooth the top. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 20 minutes. Top with the remaining fried onions and bake for 5 more minutes until golden and bubbly.
3 Mistakes That Ruin Homemade Casserole
- Skipping the Blanching: If you put raw beans directly into the sauce, they will be tough and rubbery. You must boil them first.
- Soggy Topping: Don’t put all the onions on at the beginning. Adding the top layer in the last 5 minutes keeps them crispy.
- Watery Sauce: Make sure you drain the beans very well after the ice bath. Any extra water will dilute your rich creamy sauce.
What to Serve with Green Bean Casserole
Holiday Feast: Essential with Roast Turkey, Ham, or Prime Rib.
Weeknight Dinner: Serve alongside Crispy Roasted Potatoes and grilled chicken.
Homemade Green Bean Casserole (From Scratch)
Ingredients
Method
- Step 1: Blanch the BeansBoil fresh green beans in salted water for about 5 minutes until tender-crisp. Drain and immediately plunge into a bowl of ice water to stop cooking. Drain well.
- Step 2: Sauté Mushrooms & Make RouxIn a large oven-safe skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and cook until browned (about 5 mins). Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Sprinkle flour over the mushrooms and stir for 1 minute to cook out the raw flour taste.
- Step 3: Create the SauceSlowly whisk in the chicken broth and half-and-half. Simmer for 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Season with salt and pepper.
- Step 4: Assemble and BakeRemove from heat. Stir in the blanched green beans and half of the fried onions. Smooth the top. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 20 minutes. Top with the remaining fried onions and bake for 5 more minutes until golden and bubbly.
Notes
