Classic Green Bean Casserole with tender green beans smothered in a creamy mushroom sauce topped with crispy fried shallots, all from scratch.

A classic Thanksgiving must-have recipe that your family will request again and again. With tips on how to make it ahead of time for a hassle-free holiday dinner.

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From Scratch Classic Thanksgiving Green Bean Casserole

Classic Green Bean Casserole is a staple on many holiday tables made with canned green beans, canned mushroom soup, and canned fried onions.

While I love a quick and easy dish, Green Bean Casserole made from scratch is so much better. Even if you substitute just one or two of the canned components with homemade, it will make a noticeable difference.

Why make Green Bean Casserole from scratch?

The fresh beans are tender and bright green.
The rich, creamy mushroom sauce is all natural and full of fresh mushrooms.
The fried shallot topping is crispy and so delicious.

These crispy fried shallots are everything!

Homemade fried shallots are so crispy and so delicious! Crispier and much more flavorful than canned. Frying the shallots brings out their sweet, caramelly goodness. You can also use onions instead of the shallots.

Make in advance for a hassle-free Thanksgiving dinner

Green Bean Casserole can be made in advance to free up some holiday time.

The fried shallots can be made a few weeks in advance, cooled thoroughly, and stored in an airtight container at room temperature. (Refrigerating will make them soggy.)

The beans and creamy mushroom sauce can be made up to 3 days in advance. On the day of the dinner, mix the beans and mushroom sauce together.

Or, the assembled casserole can be made and stored up to 2 days in the refrigerator.

It may need a little extra baking time since it’s starting out cold. Let it rest at room temperature while oven preheats. Bake covered, without putting on the fried shallots until hot and starting to bubble, about 30 to 40 minutes. Remove foil, sprinkle on shallots, and bake until nice and bubbly, about 10 more minutes. Be sure to keep an eye on the shallots and cover them with a tented piece of foil if they start to over brown.

Ingredients you’ll need for this recipe:

Fresh green beans
Butter
Mushrooms – use your favorite. I use Baby Bellas but any kind of white or brown will do.
Salt and pepper
Garlic
Flour
Chicken broth
Half and half – makes the mushroom sauce rich and creamy
Parmesan cheese – for that yummy umami flavor
Shallots or onions – homemade fried shallots or onions are incredible!
flour

How to make

Fry the shallots

Slice the shallots (or onions). Toss with flour and salt. Fry in batches in 350° F oil until golden, light brown. Drain on paper towels.

Cook the beans

Trim the ends off of the beans and cut in half.

Cook in salted, boiling water until tender, about 3-5 minutes. Immediately plunge into a bowl of ice water and let chill. Drain.

The easy way to chop mushrooms

This is the easiest way I've found to chop mushrooms and definitely the most satisfying.

Squash the mushrooms with the bottom of a pan. This breaks them into unevenly sized pieces which is perfect in this mushroom sauce.

Chop any too large pieces with a knife.

Make the creamy mushroom sauce

Sauté the mushrooms in butter. Cook with a lid on for the first few minutes so they release their moisture, then remove the lid and cook until the liquid has evaporated and the mushrooms are golden brown, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute longer.

Sprinkle in flour and stir while cooking for about 30 seconds. Slowly whisk in the chicken broth and half and half.

Bring mixture to a simmer and let simmer a few minutes until thickened. If you run a finger along the back of the cooking spoon, it should leave a path.

Turn off the heat and slowly whisk in parmesan. Salt and pepper to taste.

Put it all together and bake

Combine the mushroom sauce and the green beans and toss to evenly coat. It’s optional, but I like to crunch up a handful of the fried shallots and stir them into the beans.

Sprinkle with crispy fried shallots (or onions).

Cover with a sheet of foil and bake 20 minutes, uncover and bake until bubbly, about 10 minutes longer.

Recipe

Green Bean Casserole

Kelly

Classic Green Bean Casserole with tender green beans smothered in a creamy mushroom sauce topped with crispy fried shallots, all from scratch. A classic, Thanksgiving must-have recipe! Classic
Green Bean Casserole with tender green beans smothered in a creamy mushroom sauce topped with crispy fried shallots, all from scratch. A classic, Thanksgiving must-have recipe!

5 from 14 votes

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 15

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Servings servings

Calories 251 kcal

Ingredients

For the fried shallots:

1 lb shallots (or onions) sliced thin (See Note 1) 454g
¼ cup all-purpose flour 35g
½ teaspoon salt
4 cups vegetable oil for deep-frying (peanut, canola, sunflower) about 1 liter

For the beans:

2 lbs. fresh green beans, ends trimmed, halved 907g

For the mushroom sauce:

4 tablespoons butter 57g
1 lb mushrooms, cleaned (can use any kind of brown or white mushrooms, I used Baby Bella.) 454g
1 tablespoon minced garlic
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 27g
1 ½ cups chicken broth 341g
1 ½ cups half and half 341g
½ cup finely shredded parmesan cheese 45g
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

For the fried shallots (onions):

Line a tray with 3 - 4 layers of paper towels.
Toss onions with flour and salt.
Heat about one inch of oil in a heavy skillet or large pan to 350° F. (See Note 2)
If you don’t have a thermometer, to test the oil put in 1 shallot ring. If it sizzles immediately, the oil is ready.
Fry the shallots in about 4-5 batches, don’t overcrowd the pan. Fry until light golden brown. (The time will depend on the heat of the oil, the type of pan, and the size of the shallots, about 2 minutes.)
Transfer to paper towel covered tray in a single layer, spread out. Let cool completely without covering or putting into a closed container.
The shallots can be made a few weeks in advance. Let them cool completely then store in an airtight container at room temperature. Do not refrigerate.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

To cook the green beans:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook green beans until just tender, about 5 - 6 minutes, or to your taste. Meanwhile fill a large bowl with ice water.
Drain green beans and put into the bowl of ice water. Once chilled, drain green beans well from ice water.

To make the creamy mushroom sauce:

In a large skillet melt butter over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and sauté. Cook with a lid on for the first few minutes so they release their moisture, then remove the lid and cook until the liquid has evaporated and the mushrooms are golden brown, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute longer.
Sprinkle in flour and stir while cooking for about 30 seconds. Slowly whisk in the chicken broth and half and half.
Bring mixture to a simmer and let simmer a few minutes until thickened. If you run a finger along the back of the cooking spoon, it should leave a path.
Turn off the heat and slowly whisk in parmesan.
Salt and pepper to taste.

To finish the casserole:

Combine the mushroom sauce and the green beans and toss to evenly coat.
Optional: Crunch up a handful of the fried shallots and stir them into the beans.
Sprinkle with crispy fried shallots (or onions).
Cover with a sheet of foil and bake 20 minutes, uncover and bake until bubbly, about 10 minutes longer.
If the fried shallots begin to get too brown, tent a piece of foil on top of the casserole dish.
Serve warm.

Notes

Note 1:

I’ve used shallots, but feel free to use onions. You can either slice them into circles, or cut the shallot (onion) in half and then slice, creating half-moon shapes.
I try to separate the slices into individual rings for more even cooking, however this isn’t necessary. If you don’t separate them into individual rings some may brown faster than others. Cutting the shallots (onions) in half first makes it easier to separate into individual pieces.
Using bigger shallots makes this much easier.
Slice the shallots into thin slices, thicker or thinner as you like. The ones showed above are cut into ¼ inch slices. ⅛ inch makes a nice thin ring.

Note 2:

A pan with higher sides makes less mess on the stove and prevents any oil from bubbling over.

Nutrition

Calories: 251kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 10gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 36mgSodium: 498mgPotassium: 695mgFiber: 6gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 1170IUVitamin C: 20mgCalcium: 194mgIron: 3mg

Keyword green bean casserole

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Enjoy, friends!