I finally decided to dip my toes into the wonderful (??) world of GBC – the green bean casserole. I have a problem with soggy foods and to me this was always a soggy meal. It’s normally made with cream of mushroom soup from a can, cans of green beans, and cans of fried onions. No thank you. I knew it wouldn’t be that hard to upgrade it and with my extra time at home now I wanted to give it a try.
This is a pretty easy to make meal and only requires a few tools. It’s also great to make the filling ahead of time and save time on actual Thanksgiving day.
I also made this as a talk through youtube video which you can view here!
Homemade Green Bean Casserole
Ingredients
4 tbsp unsalted butter, divided into 2
8 oz sliced cremini or baby portobello mushrooms
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
4 large cloves garlic, grated or minced
1 cup vegetable or chicken stock
1 cup heavy whipping cream, half and half, or whole milk
2/3 cup grated good parmesan cheese – not the stuff from a shaker that’s shelf-stable.
1 lb green beans, steamed or blanched, cut into 1 – 2 inch pieces (optional to slice in half lengthwise)
zest from half a lemon
salt & pepper
pinch of nutmeg
Crispy Shallots Ingredients
4 large shallots, thinly sliced
kosher salt
2 cups vegetable oil
Tools
3 qt or larger sauté pan OR 10″ cast iron skillet
2 qt baking dish if not making it all in the cast iron skillet
spatula
whisk
small saucepan
mesh strainer
liquid measuring cup
serving spoon!
Crispy Shallot Instructions
In a small saucepan, add the oil and turn on to medium heat. Add the thinly sliced shallots and cook them until a golden brown, about 15 minutes. Drain the shallots and save the oil. Sprinkle the shallots with salt, set them aside until ready to use. Store in an airtight container once cooled.
Casserole Instructions
If you’re making this the same day you’re going to eat it, preheat the oven to 400°F.
In your sauté pan or cast-iron skillet, heat 2 tbsp of butter over medium heat, adding the mushrooms once melted and sautéing until mushrooms have cooked down and released most of their water. Remove the mushrooms from the pan and set them aside. In the same pan, add the remaining 2 tbsp butter and melt it completely. Once melted, add in the flour and whisk until it’s a nice toasty brown color. Whisk in the garlic. Combine the stock and cream, slowly add it into the roux 1/2 cup at a time, stirring until completely smooth before adding more. Stir in the parmesan, mushrooms, green beans, and lemon zest. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Transfer to a baking dish if using one and bake for 20 minutes. If making ahead, transfer to a baking dish and let cool, cover, and put in the fridge. Once the dish is baked, add your crunchy shallots to the top and serve.
Happy Thanksgiving Eating!
Kelly
