Thanksgiving Sides

Green Bean Casserole from Scratch

No can of soup, no tub of store-bought onions. Fresh green beans folded into a garlicky mushroom cream sauce and topped with a mountain of onions you fry yourself. It’s the version that makes people ask for the recipe.

Serves 8 · 30 min active · 25 min bake

Made by Olivia Noceda

Ingredients

Ingredients:

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•   2 onions
•   .5 cup all-purpose flour
•   .5 tsp garlic powder
•   1 cup neutral oil
•   1.5 lbs fresh green beans
•   4 tbsp unsalted butter
•   12 oz cremini mushrooms
•   3 garlic cloves
•   1.5 cups whole milk
•   .5 cups heavy cream
•   .5 tsp dried thyme

Ingredients are subject to availability at local stores. Unavailable items will be automatically substituted at best-effort.

Cremini mushrooms give the sauce the most flavour, but white button mushrooms work fine. Fry the onions first — they hold their crunch better at room temperature while everything else comes together.

Directions

Fry the onions

1. Coat: Separate the sliced onions into rings. In a large bowl, toss them with the flour, salt, garlic powder, and pepper until every ring is evenly dusted.
2. Heat the oil: Pour about 1 inch of neutral oil into a heavy skillet and heat to 350°F. A ring dropped in should sizzle immediately.
3. Fry in batches: Fry the onions in small batches for 2–3 minutes until golden brown, stirring so they cook evenly. Don’t crowd the pan or they’ll steam instead of crisp.
4. Drain: Lift out with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper-towel-lined plate. Sprinkle lightly with salt while still hot.

Blanch the green beans

1. Boil: Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the green beans and cook for 4–5 minutes, until bright green and just tender but still with a bite.
2. Shock: Drain and immediately plunge the beans into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Drain again and pat dry.

Make the mushroom sauce

1. Sauté the mushrooms: Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and cook for 6–8 minutes until they’ve released their liquid and browned. Stir in the garlic and cook 1 minute more.
2. Make a roux: Sprinkle the flour over the mushrooms and stir constantly for 1–2 minutes to cook out the raw taste.
3. Add the liquid: Pour in the milk and cream in a steady stream, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Add the salt, pepper, thyme, and nutmeg.
4. Simmer: Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 3–5 minutes until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Assemble and bake

1. Combine: Stir the drained green beans into the mushroom sauce until evenly coated. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
2. Bake: Transfer to a 9×13-inch baking dish and bake at 375°F for 20–25 minutes, until bubbling at the edges.
3. Top and serve: Scatter the fried onions over the top in the last 5 minutes of baking — just long enough to warm through without losing their crunch. Serve hot.

Make-ahead: Fry the onions and blanch the beans up to 2 days ahead; store the onions airtight at room temperature and the beans in the fridge. The sauce can be made a day ahead and reheated gently with a splash of milk before assembling.