Fresh green bean casserole from scratch is packed with fresh green beans, garlic, and creamy sauce, then topped with fried onions! This dish is so much more flavorful than anything you could whip up using canned ingredients. In fact, it makes a perfect addition to any of your holiday menus!
Help Us Out!If you love a recipe, be sure to come back and share your ratings. This helps future users, and allows me to continue sharing free recipes! Angela
Instructions
To get started, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and lightly grease a 9x13 casserole dish.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and then add in the green beans, boiling them for 5 minutes.
Next, drain your green beans and immediately put them into a bowl of ice water. This will stop the cooking process so that they do not turn mushy. Drain them and then pour them into the prepared baking dish.
In a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add in the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
Whisk in the flour until it is smooth, cooking for an additional minute while constantly stirring.
Slowly pour in the chicken broth and cook for 3 more minutes, while continuing to stir.
Add in the heavy cream and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently while the sauce thickens. Then add in the salt and pepper.
Once thickened, pour the sauce over the green beans and sprinkle with the breadcrumbs, fried onions, and the optional crumbled bacon.
Bake in the oven at 375°F (190°C) for 20-25 minutes. If the onion topping is browning too quickly, place some aluminum foil over top.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes before serving.
Notes
Feel free to add some crumbled bacon to your topping mix for some extra savory and tasty flavor!
I strongly recommend using the ice bath and not skipping this step! It is the key to having fresh and crisp green beans that aren't mushy!
To make in advance: Prepare the recipe as directed up until the point of adding the topping, since it will get soggy. Cover the dish and store it in the fridge. When ready to finish, add the topping and bake as directed.
To store: Keep any leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 4 days.
To freeze: Prepare your casserole as directed leaving off the topping and stopping before baking. Cover and freeze the casserole until you are ready to bake it. Go ahead and put it in the oven while frozen (no need to thaw), but don't add the onion topping until it has already baked for about 20 minutes.
To reheat: Reheat your casserole in the oven until heated to your liking. You can also use the microwave for smaller portions.