Green Bean Casserole from Scratch (Fresh + Homemade!)

Green Bean Casserole From Scratch on plate with fresh green beans, homemade mushroom sauce, and breadcrumb topping.

Green Bean Casserole from Scratch (Fresh + Homemade!)

Green Bean Casserole from Scratch is creamy, savory, and easy to make, loaded with fresh ingredients and topped with a golden Parmesan-Panko crust for a perfect upgrade to the traditional holiday side dish that’s sure to impress your family and guests!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 20

Total Time 50

Servings to 12 servings

Calories 125kcal

Author Samantha Skaggs

Equipment

Ingredients

2 pounds fresh green beans cleaned, trimmed, & cut in half
1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon butter
8 ounces white mushrooms chopped
3 cloves garlic minced
Salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup half-and-half
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

For the Topping:

½ cup Panko breadcrumbs
½ cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions

Place rack in center position of oven and preheat to 350°F.
Bring a large pot of salted water (or chicken broth) to a boil. Add the green beans and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes (see NOTES). Drain and set aside.
Set a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and butter until melted; swirl the pan. Add the mushrooms and garlic and sauté, stirring occasionally, for 4 to 7 minutes or until the liquid has evaporated. Reduce the heat to medium and season with ½ teaspoon salt and pepper, to taste.
Sprinkle the mushrooms with the flour and cook for two minutes, stirring continuously.
Slowly and gradually whisk in the chicken broth until smooth, and then stir in the half-and-half and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook (whisking regularly) for about 5 minutes or until nicely thickened. Taste and adjust the seasonings, adding more salt and/or pepper if necessary.
Add the drained green beans to the pot of mushroom sauce; stir to combine until all of the beans are coated with sauce. Transfer the mixture to a 9- by 13-inch (3-quart) baking dish, smoothing the green beans into an even layer.
In a medium bowl, stir together the Panko breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan, garlic powder, and olive oil until well-combined. Evenly sprinkle the mixture over the green beans in the baking dish.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until hot and bubbly with a golden-brown topping.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days.

Video

Notes

You may opt to boil your green beans in chicken broth for extra flavor. Rather than using a couple boxes of chicken broth, I typically use water + a big spoonful of Organic Chicken Better than Bouillon instead.
My family prefers their green beans pretty tender, so I boil them for the full 15 minutes. For beans with more bite, boil them for just 10 minutes instead. Or if you prefer very crisp green beans in your casserole, you can blanch your beans by boiling them for 5 minutes, draining, and then plunging into a bowl of ice water to halt the cooking process.
If you use French green beans (AKA, haricot verts), keep in mind that since they’re skinner and more delicate than regular beans, they will become tender more quickly (in about half the time).
I recommend making the mushroom sauce in a large pot or Dutch oven (rather than a skillet or pan) so that after the sauce is done, there’s room to stir in and coat the cooked green beans before transferring everything to the baking dish.
If you’re a green bean casserole traditionalist, you may substitute a 6-ounce container of French fried onions for the breadcrumb topping. However, fried onions will brown more quickly than breadcrumbs, so cover the baking dish with foil before popping it into the oven and then remove the foil for only the final 5 minutes of cooking time.
Mixing caramelized onions into the mushroom mixture before topping the casserole with the breadcrumb mixture is another option.
MAKE-AHEAD INSTRUCTIONS (up to 2 days ahead of time): (1) Cook the green beans. (2) Make the mushroom sauce. (3) Combine the two and transfer to baking dish; cover and refrigerate for up to 48 hours. (4) One hour before baking, remove the baking dish from the fridge to the counter and allow it to come to room temperature. (5) Preheat the oven and give the green beans a stir if it looks like the mushroom sauce has settled at the bottom. (6) Mix up the breadcrumb/Parm topping and sprinkle over the casserole. (7) Bake as directed.

Nutrition