Description
Whip up a creamy, homestyle Easy Green Bean Casserole for Thanksgiving dinner. This simple recipe brings classic flavor and warm memories to your holiday table.
Ingredients
Scale
- Garden Freshness:
- 1 ½ lbs fresh green beans, trimmed and snapped
- 8 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced
- Creamy Dream Base:
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- Flavor Boosters:
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves, chopped
- ½ tsp salt, or to taste
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
- Crispy Topping:
- 1 (6 oz) can crispy fried onions
Instructions
- Prep the Beans & Veggies: First things first, get those green beans ready! I usually trim the ends and cut them into bite-sized pieces; no one wants a super long bean strand, trust me. Then, blanch them in boiling salted water for about 5 minutes until they’re tender-crisp. You want them bright green, not mushy. I always forget to salt the water here, then remember halfway through and scramble! Drain them well and set aside. While they’re chilling, dice your onion and mince that garlic.
- Sauté the Aromatics: In a large skillet or Dutch oven, melt a good knob of unsalted butter over medium heat. Add your diced yellow onion and let it soften, stirring occasionally, for about 5-7 minutes until it’s translucent and smells sweet. Then, toss in that minced garlic and those lovely cremini mushrooms. Sauté for another 3-5 minutes until the mushrooms have released their moisture and started to brown. Oh, the smell at this point is just heavenly, a real kitchen hug!
- Make the Creamy Base for Your Easy Green Bean Casserole: Now for the magic! Sprinkle the flour over the sautéed onions and mushrooms, stirring constantly for about a minute. This creates a roux, which is fancy talk for our thickener. Slowly, and I mean slowly, whisk in the whole milk and chicken broth. Keep whisking to avoid lumps – I’ve had many a lumpy sauce disaster! Bring it to a gentle simmer, letting it thicken for about 5-7 minutes. It should coat the back of a spoon.
- Season and Combine: Once your sauce is thick and dreamy, stir in the Worcestershire sauce, fresh thyme, and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Taste it! This is where you adjust it to your liking. I’m a bit heavy-handed with the pepper, personally. Fold in those blanched green beans, making sure they’re all coated in that luscious, creamy sauce. This is starting to look like the Easy Green Bean Casserole we all adore for Thanksgiving.
- Bake the Casserole: Pour the green bean mixture into a 9×13-inch baking dish. You can use an 8×8 for a thicker casserole, just adjust baking time slightly. I usually give the dish a quick spray with cooking oil first, just in case. Pop it into a preheated oven at 375°F (190°C) and bake for 20-25 minutes. You’re looking for it to be bubbly around the edges and warmed through. The kitchen will smell incredible, trust me!
- Add Crispy Topping and Finish: After 20-25 minutes, pull the casserole out of the oven. Now for the best part: generously sprinkle those crispy fried onions all over the top. Gently press them down a little so they stick. Return the Easy Green Bean Casserole to the oven for another 5-10 minutes, just until the onions are golden brown and extra crispy. Watch them carefully, they can burn quickly! Let it rest for a few minutes before serving.