This isn’t the green bean casserole you grew up with. No cans, no shortcuts, just tender green beans baked in a creamy mushroom sauce and topped with crunchy onions. It’s simple enough for a weeknight, but it feels right at home on a Thanksgiving table.
Green Bean Casserole Without the Can
Forget the can of mushroom soup. This green bean casserole tastes like the holidays but without that gloopy shortcut. Fresh green beans get tossed in a silky mushroom cream sauce that you make yourself in about the same amount of time it would take to open the can and dump it in.
Bake it until bubbling, then top the whole thing with a layer of crispy onions. You can use ones from a can, but if you’ve ever made your own homemade crispy onions, you already know they’re worth every extra step.
Down South, we love a vegetable casserole at any gathering. But I could never get excited about the old-school version with mushy beans and condensed soup. This one is different. It’s fresh, it’s creamy, and it actually tastes like green beans.
At Thanksgiving try making it right alongside your favorite sweet potato casserole, or a cheesy broccoli rice casserole that also skips the canned soup. Once you try this from-scratch version, I think you’ll understand why it’s become my go-to holiday side.
The trick is simple: real mushrooms, fresh beans, and cream. That’s it. A few pantry staples round it out, but those three are the backbone of the dish. Check the recipe card for exact amounts and the rest of what you’ll need.
Easy steps for making a fresh green bean casserole
Step 1– slightly cook the beans
Step 2– make the mushroom cream sauce
Sauté some mushrooms and onions and then add flour, making a roux.
Step 3 – Top and bake
Step 4 – Add the onions
Remove from the oven and add crispy onions to the top and bake an additional 5 minutes.
How do you make homemade crispy onions
If you really want your green bean casserole to be the star of the show, make homemade crispy onions.
Slice onions very thin with a mandolin and let them soak in buttermilk for about 15 minutes. Drain and toss them with flour and cook in a skillet with vegetable oil for about 7 minutes until golden brown. For step by step directions, go to my post for crispy onions.
Even my mushroom hater loved this casserole! I was thrilled that I could make a green bean casserole that had so much flavor and that everyone loved.
Green bean casserole doesn’t have to be heavy or canned to taste like tradition. With fresh ingredients and a little extra love, it becomes one of those sides everyone goes back for. Honestly, it might even outshine the turkey.
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The Best Green Bean Casserole from Scratch
Ingredients
- 2 lbs fresh green beans
- MUSHROOM SAUCE
- 8 ounces sliced mushrooms
- 1 cup sweet onion
- ¼ cup butter
- 3 tablespoons flour
- ½ cup white wine or chicken broth
- 1 ½ cups half-and-half
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese grated
- 2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- TOPPING
- 3 tablespoons panko breadcrumbs
- 3 tablespoons parmesan cheese grated
- CRISPY ONIONS
- 2 onions
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup flour
- vegetable oil
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º. Lightly grease a 9 x 13 baking dish.
- Bring salted water to a boil in a large pot and add green beans. Cook until al dente, then remove and place in ice water bath to stop cooking. Drain and pat dry.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, add butter and saute mushrooms and onions until golden brown. Stir in flour and garlic and cook, stirring constantly for about 1 minute. Gradually add wine until incorporated and then gradually add half-and half, stirring constantly until thickened. Remove from heat and add cheese, Worcestershire sauce and salt and pepper.
- Combine green beans and sauce and place in prepared baking dish. Top with panko, 3 tablespoons of parmesan cheese. Bake for 20-25 minutes until bubbly. Remove and add crispy onions and bake an additional 5 minutes.
- CRISPY ONIONS: Cut onion in half and with a mandolin slice into very thin slices. Place in a bowl and pour buttermilk over the top. Let them sit in the buttermilk for 15 minutes. Drain well.
- Toss onions with flour and shake off excess.
- Bring about ¼ inch of vegetable oil to 300º over medium heat in a heavy skillet. Add onions and cook until golden brown, about 7-9 minutes. Turn and brown the other side. Remove to a paper towel lined plate and immediately salt.
Barbara’s Tips + Notes
- You can substitute heavy cream or whole milk for half-and-half but don’t use skim.
- You can use French’s crispy onions if you don’t want to make your own.
- This can be made ahead, just don’t add the panko. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Remove from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before baking.
- You can bake this at a different temperature, just adjust the time. It should be bubbly.
- For left overs, re-heat in 350º oven for about 15 minutes.
- For best results use fresh or frozen green beans. Canned beans will result in a mushy casserole.
Nutrition
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