Description
Discover our family’s cherished Classic Green Bean Casserole recipe. Creamy, savory, and topped with crispy onions, it’s pure comfort food.
Ingredients
- Casserole Core:
- Fresh Green Beans (trimmed and snapped, about 1.5 lbs)
- Cream of Mushroom Soup (10.5 oz can, condensed)
- Milk (1/2 cup, whole or 2%)
- Flavor Enhancers:
- Yellow Onion (1/2 cup, finely diced)
- Garlic (2 cloves, minced)
- Unsalted Butter (2 tablespoons)
- Crispy Topping:
- French Fried Onions (1.33 cups, about one 6 oz can)
- Make It Yours:
- Black Pepper (1/2 teaspoon, freshly ground)
- Soy Sauce or Worcestershire Sauce (1 teaspoon, optional, for umami)
Instructions
- Prep Your Green Beans:: First things first, get those green beans ready! Trim the ends and snap them into bite-sized pieces, about 1-2 inches long. Now, here’s where I always forget to salt the water – don’t be me! Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Drop in your fresh green beans and blanch them for about 5-7 minutes. You want them tender-crisp, bright green, not mushy. I remember one time, I boiled them way too long, and they turned this sad, olive-green color. Learned my lesson there! Drain them well, then immediately plunge them into an ice bath to stop the cooking and keep that vibrant color. Once cooled, drain them again and set aside.
- Sauté Aromatics:: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). While the oven gets warm, grab a large, oven-safe skillet or a saucepan. Melt 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter over medium heat. Add your finely diced yellow onion and cook until it’s softened and translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Oh, the smell of sautéing onions always signals comfort food is on its way! Then, stir in your minced garlic and cook for just another minute until fragrant. Don’t let it burn, hon, burnt garlic is a bitter sadness. This step builds the foundational flavor for your Classic Green Bean Casserole, so don’t rush it.
- Crafting Your Classic Green Bean Casserole Base:: Now for the creamy magic! Pour in your condensed cream of mushroom soup, milk, and a good grind of black pepper into the skillet with the onions and garlic. If you’re feeling a little adventurous, add a tiny dash of soy sauce or Worcestershire here for an extra layer of savory depth – trust me, it’s a game-changer! Whisk everything together until it’s smooth and gently bubbling. It should smell incredibly rich and earthy. This is where the sauce for your Classic Green Bean Casserole really comes alive! Taste it, and adjust the seasoning if you feel it needs a little something extra. Sometimes I add a pinch of dried thyme, just because.
- Combine and Transfer:: Carefully fold your blanched green beans into the creamy soup mixture in the skillet. Make sure every single bean is coated in that luscious sauce. If you don’t have an oven-safe skillet, pour the mixture into a 9×13 inch baking dish. I always make sure my dish is lightly greased because I once had a catastrophic sticking incident trying to serve it. Not pretty! This part should look like a beautiful, green, creamy dream. Get ready for some serious comfort food with this Classic Green Bean Casserole!
- First Bake:: Pop your dish into the preheated oven. Bake the Classic Green Bean Casserole for 20 minutes. You’re looking for it to be bubbly around the edges and heated through. The house will start smelling absolutely incredible at this point, trust me. I sometimes peek through the oven door, watching those little bubbles form, feeling that anticipation build. This initial bake ensures the beans are tender and the sauce is perfectly warm and integrated before we add the star topping.
- Add Crispy Topping and Final Bake:: After 20 minutes, pull the Classic Green Bean Casserole out of the oven. Now for the grand finale! Sprinkle a generous layer of French fried onions evenly over the top. Honestly, don’t be shy here; that crunch is everything. Return the dish to the oven and bake for another 5-10 minutes, or until those crispy onions are golden brown and perfectly crunchy. Keep an eye on them, because they can go from golden to burnt in a flash! That gorgeous, golden crust is what makes this Classic Green Bean Casserole truly iconic. Let it cool for a few minutes, then dig in!