Green Bean Casserole
- PREP 15min
- COOK 35min
- TOTAL 50min
Our green bean casserole is made completely from scratch with fresh green beans, a creamy mushroom and cheese sauce, and topped with crispy fried shallots. It’s rich, flavorful, and the perfect holiday side dish.
You Will Need
1 ½ pounds fresh green beans, snipped and cut in half (680g)
1 pound crimini mushrooms, finely chopped (450g)
6 tablespoons butter (85g)
3 cloves garlic, minced, about 1 tablespoon minced
2 medium shallots, thinly sliced
½ cup dry white wine, see notes (120ml)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (16g)
2 cups whole milk or reduced-fat milk (470ml)
2 cups shredded Gruyère cheese, see notes (8oz or 225g)
½ teaspoon fine sea salt, or more to taste
Homemade fried shallots or store-bought fried onions
Directions
1Prepare the oven and dish: Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C) and set aside a large casserole dish.
2Blanch the beans: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the green beans and cook for 5 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool completely (or add to an ice bath). Set aside.
3Cook the mushrooms: Melt the butter in the pot used to cook the green beans over medium heat. Add mushrooms, garlic, and shallots. Cover and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat if they begin to brown too quickly.
4Make creamy sauce: Add white wine and cook, uncovered, until almost completely reduced. Stir in the flour and cook until the mixture is no longer lumpy. Then, gradually whisk in the milk and bring to a simmer. When thickened, stir in the optional cheese until smooth. Season with salt to taste, starting with ¼ teaspoon.
5Bake: Add the cooked green beans to the sauce and toss until they are well-coated. Transfer the mixture to a casserole dish. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling around the green beans.
6Serve: Let the casserole rest for 5-10 minutes after baking. Then, when ready to serve, top with crispy shallots (adding them too soon can cause the shallots to steam and turn soggy).
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Storing: This lasts stored in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge. To reheat, slide it into a 350°F oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes. For a smaller portion, use the microwave (1 to 2 minutes should do the trick). The crispy shallots will lose their crispiness, so add more once reheated.
- Make ahead tips: Blanch green beans and toss with the homemade sauce. Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Add 2 to 5 minutes to bake time when cooking from chilled. We do not recommend freezing green bean casserole.
- Wine: Choose a dry white wine you enjoy. We typically look for a dry, crisp white wine such as Pinot Grigio, Albarino, Sauvignon Blanc, and unoaked Chardonnay.
- Wine substitute: Use vegetable broth or chicken broth.
- Gruyère cheese: We love the flavor and melt factor of Gruyère but sometimes find it expensive. It’s not vegetarian-friendly due to animal rennet, so to save on cost or to make this casserole vegetarian-friendly, substitute the Gruyère for your favorite white cheddar.
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.