Gourmet Green Bean Casserole

This dish is so spectacular, it is truly something to be thankful for.

This is a dish that has been loved by many for numerous generations. We will show you how to take the casserole to amazing culinary heights. It just may steal the show from the turkey! And the great thing is that much of it can be prepared in advance, helping you create a feast that loved ones won't soon forget!

An overhead view of a large black oval baking dish that is filled with an untouched gourmet green bean casserole that is topped with fried onion strips.

How To Make Gourmet Green Bean Casserole

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The Ingredients You Will Need

The ingredients in this elevated dish are anything but exotic. Fresh is best. Here's what you'll need to have on hand:

For the Fried Onions

Onions - 1 large onion, or 2 medium onions, cut into strips and then cut into 1/2 inch strips.
Milk - Whole.
Egg - Lightly beaten.
Flour - All-purpose.
Breadcrumbs - Panko is a thicker breadcrumb and is a great choice, but regular fine breadcrumbs work well, too. You can use a combination of the two if desired.
Salt - Kosher is recommended but table salt will work, too.
Oil - Vegetable oil is best for frying.

For the Casserole

Green beans - We love fresh string beans. We snip the ends and then cut them in half. Simmering in water (or broth) will soften them and make them tender. If you prefer, you can go with canned green beans, drained.
Butter - Unsalted.
Mushrooms - White button are perfect, sliced.
Garlic - Minced.
Flour - All-purpose.
Broth or stock - Chicken, turkey, or vegetable stock/broth are all great options.
Cream - Heavy, whipping, or double cream. Half and half or whole milk can be substituted.
Worcestershire sauce - This helps to deliver the classic taste. Don't skip this ingredient.
Seasonings - Salt, pepper, ground nutmeg.

EXPERT TIP: The onions can be fried up to 1 day in advance of serving the casserole. Don't worry if they lose some of their crispiness, when they bake, they'll crisp up again.

Tips For Making the Perfect Gourmet Green Bean Casserole

Keep an Eye on the Fried Onions - The fried onions, in our opinion, are what put this casserole over the top. But, be careful when frying them. They only take 2 to 3 minutes. If they fry too long, they will get too dark and have an unpleasing almost burnt taste.

Use Fresh Green Beans - Instead of canned or frozen, opt for fresh green beans for a vibrant color and crisp texture. For beans with a little more "bite," simmering them for 10 minutes. For tender beans, simmer them for about 20 minutes. Give them a taste test before draining them to ensure they are at the desired doneness.

Find the Right Consistency for the Sauce - After whisking in the broth and the cream, continue stirring until the lumps are gone and the sauce has thickened. It should reach the consistency of a cream soup. Not too thin, but not too thick. This takes about 4 to 5 minutes. If the sauce is too thin, create a cornstarch slurry with 2 tbsp cornstarch and 2 tbsp water, mix and stir in. If the sauce is too thick, slowly pour in more cream until you've reached the right consistency. The sauce will thicken a bit as the casserole bakes.

Let the Casserole Rest - The sauce will thicken after it comes out of the oven just a bit. Allow the casserole to rest for at least 10 minutes before serving, however, the dish will stay warm for at least 30 minutes.

EXPERT TIP: To prepare the beans, simply snip the ends, and then cut them in half. This allows the beans to be more bite-size for the finished green bean casserole.

How To Serve

As mentioned, allow the casserole to rest for about 10 minutes after it comes out of the oven.

If covered with foil, the casserole will stay for nearly an hour. If you do this, simply add the onions to the top just before serving.

Remember when you are preparing the dish, it will need to finish off in the oven. A large cast-iron skillet (at least 12") is perfect for this purpose. However, you can easily prepare the filling and then transfer to a large baking dish (9x13").

Other Classic Thanksgiving Side Dishes

For us, and so many others, Thanksgiving is our favorite holiday of the year. Of course, it's all about love, family, friends, and giving thanks. But, it's also the food! Here is a collection of classic Thanksgiving side dishes that we think you and your family will cherish for many years!

These are amazing and perfect for the big feast. But, in the meantime, isn't this gourmet classic calling your name?

How To Ensure Everything Is Ready at the Right Time

There's no doubt about it, pulling off a feast the size of Thanksgiving dinner is no easy feat.

Planning is critical. Make a timeline, starting with when you want to serve the food and working back from there. Think about what can be done in advance for each dish that you are preparing.

For this casserole, the onions can be fried 6 hours in advance. The casserole can be prepared all the way up to baking several hours in advance. Remember don't add the fried onions on top until the last five minutes of baking.

The casserole will keep warm for up to 30 minutes before serving. Remember, planning in advance is the key!

Thanksgiving is a special time. We hope and pray that yours is filled with joy, laughter, and good food.

On such a special day, where food is such a critical component, why not go the extra distance and bring your standard green bean casserole to the next level?

Trust us, your loved ones will love you even more when they take their first bite! It is a dish to be thankful for, without a doubt!

Ready to make the best Turkey Day side dish of all time? Go for it!

And don't forget, when you make it, be sure to take a photo, post it to Instagram, and tag #HowToFeedaLoon and hashtag #HowToFeedaLoon!

This Gourmet Green Bean Casserole is a kicked-up version of your average Thanksgiving green bean casserole. No need to open a canned soup, or boxed fried onions. This is all from scratch and just a tad more effort than the original. And over-the-top delicious.

Print Pin Rate

Course: Side

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Casserole, Green bean casserole, Thanksgiving recipes, Thanksgiving side dish recipe

Prep Time: 35 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Resting time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes

Servings: 8 people

Calories: 398kcal

Equipment

Deep fryer, or sturdy skillet for frying
12-inch cast iron skillet, or 9"x13" baking dish

Instructions

Make the Fried Onions (Can be done up to 6 hours in advance)

Heat oil to 350°F. Use a deep-fryer or sturdy skillet on your stove (only fill the skillet about halfway).
Vegetable oil
In a medium bowl, add the egg to the milk and gently mix.
1½ cups milk, 1 large egg
In a separate pan, mix ½ cup of the flour with ½ cup of the breadcrumbs and salt. (You'll use the rest of the flour and breadcrumbs as you continue to bread the onions).
1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 cup bread crumbs, 1 tsp Kosher salt
Working in batches, add the onions to the milk/egg mixture, then dredge in flour. Place on a large platter or plate. Repeat. You'll most likely need to add another ½ cup of flour and another ½ cup of breadcrumbs (with a pinch of salt) to finish up all the onions.
2 medium onions
Fry the onions until golden, about 4 minutes per batch. Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with a little more salt.
Prepare the Casserole
Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to a boil.
Add the beans, and cook for 8 minutes for al dente beans and 20 minutes for tender beans. Drain and set aside.
1½ lb green beans
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
4 tbsp butter
Add the mushrooms. Sauté them, stirring often, until mushrooms start to release their liquid, about 10 minutes. If after 5 to 8 minutes the mushrooms seem dry, add another tbsp of butter. Cook until very soft. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and black pepper.
16 oz mushrooms
Add the garlic to the mushrooms and cook for another 1 minute. Add the flour and stir to coat the mushrooms. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2 cloves garlic, ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
Whisk in the stock and cream and continue whisking until most of the lumps are gone, about 2 minutes. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, bring to a simmer, and cook, stirring often, until thickened, about 4 to 6 minutes. Stir in the salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Remove from the heat.
2½ cups chicken stock, 1 cup heavy cream, 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 1½ tsp Kosher salt, ½ tsp black pepper, 1 tsp nutmeg
Stir in about ⅓ of the fried onions and all of the green beans. Mix until well combined. If not using a cast iron skillet, transfer the mixture to a baking dish.
Bake for 20 minutes, adding the remaining onions on top of the casserole in the last 5 minutes of baking (after 15 minutes). Remove and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Or, cover, and serve within 30 minutes.

Notes

For firmer green beans, only simmer for about 7 to 10 minutes. For soft beans, simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Sample a bean to make sure the texture is to your liking. See the video near the top of the blog post for visual guidance. If you liked the video, please subscribe to our YouTube channel. For an extra bump of flavor, simmer the beans in chicken (or vegetable) stock, and then use 2 cups of the liquid to make the sauce. The fried onions can be made up to a day in advance. Store in an air-tight container. They will also be fine if left out in a bowl on the counter. (Just be careful, folks like to munch on them, if they see them sitting out!). The entire casserole can be made 4 to 6 hours prior to baking. Just don't stir in the 1/3 of the onions until right before baking. If you do prepare the dish ahead of time, we recommend waiting to add the onions for the topping until after the baking is finished. Remove the heated casserole from the oven, and then give it a good stir. Do this because the sauce may have settled while resting. Then top with remaining fried onions. Leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in a covered (with foil) baking dish in the oven at 350°F for 20 minutes, or until heated through.

Nutrition

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