This fresh green bean casserole is made with crisp-tender green beans, a creamy homemade mushroom sauce, and plenty of crispy fried onions. It's classic, comforting, and easy to make ahead for Thanksgiving.
Want to save this recipe?
Enter your email below and get it sent straight to your inbox. Plus, I'll send you easy and delicious recipes every week!
This Thanksgiving green bean casserole combines crisp-tender green beans with a creamy homemade mushroom sauce and the classic French's crispy onion topping. After testing the timing, I found that briefly blanching the beans and letting the mushroom sauce fully thicken before assembling keeps the casserole creamy-not watery-and prevents the green beans from becoming mushy in the oven.
It's a classic Thanksgiving side dish to serve alongside favorites like my easy sourdough cornbread and savory vegetarian mushroom stuffing.
Jump to:
Why You'll Love This Homemade Green Bean Casserole
- Fresh green beans stay crisp-tender rather than mushy
- Deep mushroom flavor: A splash of soy sauce boosts the savory flavor of the homemade mushroom sauce (and there's no condensed soup)
- Crispy onion topping provides contrast to the creamy filling
- Can be assembled ahead for Thanksgiving
Ingredient Notes
- Fresh green beans: Blanch them just until crisp-tender so they don't become overly soft after baking.
- Mushrooms: I use cremini (baby bella) mushrooms as they have a deeper flavor than button mushrooms; cooking them until they've released their moisture helps concentrate their flavor and prevents excess liquid in the sauce.
- Soy sauce: A small amount adds savory, umami depth to the mushroom cream sauce without making it taste like soy sauce.
- French's crispy fried onions: I use French's Crispy Fried Onions for the classic green bean casserole flavor and crunchy topping.
How To Make Green Bean Casserole without Canned Soup
*See recipe card for printable instructions.
Blanch the green beans. Cook just until bright green and crisp-tender. They should still have some bite because they'll continue cooking in the oven.
Make the mushroom sauce. Brown the mushrooms properly before building your sauce; then cook until the sauce has thickened enough to coat a spoon.
Assemble. Drain/dry the beans thoroughly before combining with the sauce.
Bake. Add the crispy onion topping and bake until bubbling and golden.
Expert Tips
- Don't overcook the green beans. They should still have some bite after blanching because they'll continue cooking in the casserole.
- Dry the beans thoroughly. Excess water can thin your mushroom cream sauce.
- Cook the moisture out of the mushrooms. Let them brown rather than simply soften. This gives the sauce deeper mushroom flavor and prevents a watery casserole.
- Thicken the sauce before assembling. It should coat the back of a spoon rather than look loose or soupy.
- For make-ahead casserole, keep the topping separate until baking.
Can I Make Green Bean Casserole Ahead of Time?
Yes! Assemble the green beans and mushroom sauce, transfer to the baking dish, cover, and refrigerate for up to 48 hours. Keep the crispy onions separate and add them just before baking so they don't become soggy.
Storage & Reheating
Cover leftovers and refrigerate for up to 3 days. For the best texture, reheat larger portions in the oven; the microwave is fine for individual servings, but the onion topping won't remain as crisp.
More Thanksgiving Side Dishes
Fresh Green Bean Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds fresh green beans, ends trimmed and beans cut in half
- 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 10 ounces baby bella (or button) mushrooms, coarsely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1.5 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon low-sodium soy sauce or tamari
- 6 ounces crispy fried onions
- ½ cup Panko breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375ºF.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Prepare an ice bath in a large bowl and set aside. Add green beans to boiling water and cook for 5 minutes. Drain beans and immediately place in an ice bath to stop the cooking. Drain and set aside.
- Over medium-high heat, melt the butter in a large skillet. Add the mushrooms and cook for 4-5 minutes. Add garlic, salt, and pepper, and cook for an additional minute.
- Sprinkle flour over mushrooms and stir until mushrooms are well-coated. Add the broth, ⅓ cup at a time, while continuing to stir. Simmer for 1-2 minutes, then add heavy cream and soy sauce. Bring back to a simmer, stirring frequently and cooking until sauce has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon, around 5 minutes.
- Add the beans to mushroom sauce, and stir to combine well. Transfer mixture to a 9"x13" casserole dish.
- In a small bowl, stir together crispy fried onions and breadcrumbs. Sprinkle over green bean mixture in baking dish.
- Bake for 15 minutes, or until sauce is bubbling. If the onions start to brown too quickly, cover with foil. Serve immediately.
Leave a Reply