A Homemade Green Bean Casserole recipe that you will absolutely love! The scratch-made, extra flavorful creamy mushroom sauce is the heart of this recipe (not a can in sight!). Tender yet crisp green beans, lots of nutty parmesan, and homemade crispy fried shallots that top this beauty. Loaded with flavor, textures, and ample deliciousness! Perfect side dish to pair alongside holiday mainstays and beyond! This recipe features a scratch-made, creamy mushroom sauce, that is loaded with flavor!
What Is Green Bean Casserole?
Great question! A traditional green bean casserole is made with a can of cream of mushroom soup, green beans and crispy French-fried onions. Perhaps the classic recipe came from the back of the can of soup? I will have to Google it. I do know that it is a time-honored tradition that many people enjoy making for Thanksgiving.
Ingredients Needed for This Recipe:
(Note: the full ingredients list, including measurements, is provided in the recipe card directly below.)
- Shallots
- Oil & Cajun seasoning
- Green beans
- Butter
- Mushrooms
- Garlic
- Flour
- Chicken broth:
- Lemon juice
- Dijon mustard
- Worcestershire
- Spices
- Heavy cream
- Parmesan
How To Make This Homemade Green Bean Casserole:
(Note: please see the recipe card directly below for the complete written instructions.)
We’ll start with the fried shallots & prepping the green beans:
- Place the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Once the oil is heated, add shallots to the pan and cook until they achieve a golden-brown color.
2. Remove the crisp shallots and place onto a paper towel-lined plate to blot excess oil.
3. Season the crispy shallots with Cajun seasoning (to taste) and then set them to the side until the green bean casserole is ready to assemble.
4. Strain the oil over a fine-meshed sieve and save shallot-infused oil for future use!
4. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
5. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add in the green beans and cook for 3 minutes. Drain and place green beans into a bowl filled with cold water and ice to stop the cooking process. Once they are chilled, drain the green beans and set them aside.
⇢ Blanching the green beans is a way to preserve a crisp, tender texture. Blanching also brings out their bright green color instead of them turning a dull green and becoming overcooked. The ice bath also stops the cooking process. I don’t recommend skipping this step for your green bean casserole!
Homemade Creamy Mushroom Sauce: 😍
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat.
- Melt the butter and then add the mushrooms and garlic and sauté until the mushrooms are tender.
- Next, add the flour and stir well. Pour in the chicken broth and use a wooden utensil to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan.
- Stir in the lemon juice, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire, thyme, red pepper flakes, ground nutmeg, and salt/pepper- to taste, stirring well to fully combine. Bring this mixture to a simmer for 2-3 minutes.
- Next, stir in the heavy cream along with half of the parmesan, stir until well incorporated, about 1-2 minutes.
- Place the blanched green beans into an oven-safe casserole dish and pour the creamy mushroom sauce on top and toss, until well coated. Evenly sprinkle the remaining parmesan over the green bean mixture.
7. Transfer the casserole dish into the oven and bake for 20 minutes Transfer the casserole dish into the oven and bake for 20 minutes.
8. Remove the casserole from the oven and toss the mixture once more. Evenly sprinkle the fried shallots over the green beans. Place the casserole back into the oven to bake for another 7-10 minutes.
9. Serve this green bean casserole hot out of the oven. Enjoy!
Why You’ll Love This Homemade Green Bean Casserole: ♡
- Quick and easy: Have no fear, while we’re making the creamy sauce from scratch, it’s so easy! After you cook the shallots and blanch the green beans, the sauce comes together in a pinch.
- Super flavorful: This homemade mushroom and parmesan sauce is so creamy and delicious. It is loaded with so many different elements of flavor that you will love.
- Homemade goodness: There is no can of soup in sight for this recipe.
Dairy-Free or Vegan Green Bean Casserole:
This recipe can easily accommodate a dairy-free or vegan diet, here’s how:
- Use dairy-free butter & parmesan
- Use vegetable broth
- Use coconut milk or coconut cream
- Omit the Worcestershire (replace w/coconut aminos or tamari)
Make-Ahead Prep:
Make the recipe as directed, including the parmesan topping and fried shallots (Do Not Bake Yet). Cover tightly with foil and place into the fridge up to 2 days in advance.
When you are ready to bake:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees, cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.
2. Uncover and continue baking casserole until the shallots are nice and crispy (be careful not to burn it), about 7-10 more minutes.
More Recipe Suggestions:
Cream Cheese and Corn Casserole
French Onion and Chicken Casserole
Rustic Ground Beef and Potato Bake
Cheesy Potato & Smoked Sausage Casserole
If you make this Homemade Green Bean Casserole, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. If you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram @northeast.nosh! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Homemade Green Bean Casserole
Equipment
Ingredients
For the fried shallot topping:
- 4 medium shallots halved lengthwise & then sliced thinly into half moons
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- Creole Cajun Seasoning– homemade or store-bought (or seasoned salt), to taste
For the green bean casserole:
- 24 ounces fresh green beans ends trimmed
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 8 ounces baby bella mushrooms sliced
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced or paste
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard smooth or whole grain
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream or half and half
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan divided
Instructions
For the fried shallots:
- Place the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Then add shallots into the pan, no need to wait for the oil to warm up. Cook the shallots, gently stirring often, for about 15-20 minutes. If you notice the shallots browning too quickly, lower the heat, as needed until the shallots achieve a golden-brown color.
- Use a fish spatula (or similar utensil) to remove the crisp shallots and place onto a paper towel-lined plate to blot excess oil. Season crispy shallots with Creole Cajun seasoning or seasoned salt- to taste. Set aside until green bean casserole is ready to assemble. Then place a fine-meshed sieve over a bowl to remove any shallot debris and save shallot-infused oil for future use!
For the green bean casserole:
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, add in the green beans and cook for 3 minutes. Drain immediately and place green beans into a bowl filled with cold water and ice to stop the cooking process. Once cool, drain the green beans and set aside.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, add the butter. Once melted, add the mushrooms and garlic and sauté until the mushrooms are tender and lightly golden, about 3-4 minutes.
- Next, add the flour and stir until well combined and the flour has mostly dissipated. Slowly pour in the chicken broth and stir well to combine, be sure to hit any hidden pockets of flour. Use a wooden utensil to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan.
- Stir in the lemon juice, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire, thyme, red pepper flakes (if using), ground nutmeg, and salt/pepper- to taste, stirring well to fully combine. Bring this mixture to a simmer for 2-3 minutes.
- Then stir in the cream (or half and half) along with half of the parmesan, stirring until well incorporated, about 1-2 minutes.
- Place the blanched green beans into an oven-safe casserole dish (like a 10×10-inch or 9×13-inch baking dish) and pour the creamy mushroom sauce on top and toss until well coated. Evenly sprinkle the remaining parmesan over the green bean mixture.
- Transfer the dish into the oven and bake for 20 minutes.
- Then remove from the oven and toss the mixture once more. Evenly sprinkle the fried shallots over the green beans. Place back into the oven to bake for another 7-10 minutes, careful not to burn.
- Serve this green bean casserole immediately. Enjoy!
Notes:
- Gluten-free needs? Swap out the all-purpose flour and replace with any gluten-free baking flour as a 1:1 ratio. Other alternative options for gluten-free needs include arrowroot, tapioca, and cassava flour.
- Make-ahead: Prepare the recipe as directed, including the parmesan topping and fried shallots- just don’t bake. Cover tightly with foil and place into the fridge up to 2 days in advance. Once ready, keep dish covered and bake at 375°F for 20 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Uncover and continue baking casserole until the shallots are nice and crispy (careful not to burn), about 7-10 more minutes.
- Please read the blog post in its entirety for more tips + tricks.
