Description
Elevate your holiday meals with this Best-Ever Green Bean Casserole, a comforting side dish that blends rich flavors and creamy textures. Featuring a homemade Parmesan cream sauce, savory caramelized mushrooms, and fresh green beans, this casserole is perfect for Thanksgiving or Christmas gatherings. It’s easy to prepare, make-ahead friendly, and guaranteed to impress your guests. The combination of crispy French’s fried onions on top adds the finishing touch, making every bite a delightful experience.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 lb fresh green beans
- 1 lb crimini mushrooms, sliced
- 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, divided
- 4 large sprigs thyme, divided
- 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1¼ cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 4 cloves garlic, finely grated
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- ¾ cup French's fried onions
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Position the oven rack in the middle.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook green beans in batches until bright green and halfway tender (about 3 minutes). Drain well and let cool before trimming stem ends.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat 1 Tbsp. of olive oil. Add half the sliced mushrooms without stirring; cook until golden brown underneath (about 2 minutes) and continue cooking until browned on both sides (about another 3 minutes). Add 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter and 2 large thyme sprigs; cook until butter is browned and mushrooms are tender (about 4 minutes). Season with kosher salt and transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining butter, oil, mushrooms, thyme sprigs, and seasoning.
- In a large saucepan over medium-low heat, melt remaining 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter. Whisk in flour; cook until roux is golden brown (about 4 minutes). Gradually whisk in whole milk and heavy cream; bring to simmer while whisking often until thickened (about 5 minutes). Remove from heat; mix in garlic and Parmesan cheese; season with salt and pepper.
- In a baking dish (2-qt.), arrange cooked green beans and sautéed mushrooms evenly. Pour the cream sauce over them; it may seem insufficient but will thicken while baking. Cover tightly with foil; bake until sauce is bubbling (25–30 minutes). Uncover and bake until lightly browned on top (15–20 minutes more). Top with fried onions; bake until they’re slightly darker and fragrant (about 3 minutes). Let sit for about 10 minutes before serving.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup (240g)
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 540mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 45mg