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This Homemade Green Bean Casserole, a traditional green bean casserole that is made from scratch with fresh green beans and a homemade mushroom sauce and topped with french fried onions, will be a hit with your family and friends on Thanksgiving.
I have been told by some members of my family that it is not Thanksgiving if there is no green bean casserole on the table.
It does not matter if there is cornbread dressing (stuffing), creamed corn, or a sweet potato casserole, mashed potatoes, Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce, or cranberry fluff, or other Thanksgiving side dishes. If there is no green bean casserole, it does not feel like Thanksgiving.
However, after decades of the same green bean casserole made with canned french-style green beans and canned soup, I grew tired of it.
However, some have not and requested the traditional green bean casserole this year. What I decided to do was to make a green bean casserole with fresh green beans, a homemade mushroom sauce, and had originally planned to make homemade french fried onions. However, after burning “homemade” fried onion rings, I decided to go ahead with the canned french fried onions. However, the rest of the casserole is homemade.
Start with fresh green beans that have been rinsed and had the ends trimmed off. Place them in boiling water for 5 or 6 minutes. Then remove them and place in cold ice water.
Then over medium heat, melt butter (I did not claim this was low calorie) and add mushrooms and sprinkle with salt.
Cook until the mushrooms are golden brown. Then, if you like, you can add some sliced onion.
Add Chicken broth (I use low sodium) and worcestershire. (Sorry I forgot to get a photo of that.) Then add in half and half or heavy cream. (I told you it was not low calorie!) You can use milk also but I would not recommend skim milk.
Place the green beans in a 9×13 casserole dish and pour the mushroom sauce over them.
Top with french fried onions. I used canned but if you have the time and motivation, make homemade.
Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 25 minutes.
When it comes out of the oven you have the nice, crispy golden brown onions on top of hot creamy mushroom sauce covered green beans. It is the perfect side for a traditional Thanksgiving dinner.
Serve hot!
And a close up view of a serving of green bean casserole.
It takes a little more time but the taste and flavor are worth it. Mr Flavor Mosaic loved it, and so did I. I thought it tasted much better than the ones with canned green beans and canned soup.
Will this be the year that you make a homemade green bean casserole?
Love mushrooms? Then also try my Creamy Mushroom Chicken and Rice Recipe for a creamy mushroom chicken main dish.
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Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds fresh green beans trimmed
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 onion thinly sliced
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1/2 pound white button mushrooms sliced or chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1 cup low sodium chicken stock
- 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire
- 1 cup heavy cream (or half-and-half or milk)
- 1 can french fried onions
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add a generous amount of salt, and add the green beans and cook for 5 to 6 minutes. Remove the green beans, and place them in a bowl filled with ice water. Remove and set aside to dry. (The ice water stops the green beans from cooking.)
- Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until softened. Add the mushrooms and cook until lightly browned. Add the garlic and stir for about a minute. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add the flour and stir to coat the mushrooms and onions. Slowly pour in the chicken broth, whisking vigorously to remove any lumps. Pour in the heavy cream (or half and half or milk). Simmer for 3 minutes stirring continuously. Add more salt and pepper as needed.
- In a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, sprayed with cooking spray, add the green beans, and then pour the mushroom cream sauce over them. Stir until all the green beans are covered with the mushroom sauce. Sprinkle the fried onions over the top.
- Bake for about 25 minutes. Let the casserole rest for 5 minutes. Serve.
Video
Recipe was originally published Nov 23, 2014 and updated with additional photos on October 19, 2020.
Below are more recipe ideas for Thanksgiving side dishes.
For a lighter, healthier Thanksgiving green bean side dish recipe try my Oven Roasted Green Beans.
For a flavorful yet somewhat healthier green beans, try my Balsamic Bacon Green Beans.
For a dressed up version of a Thanksgiving traditional mashed potatoes try my Bacon, Onion and Horseradish Mashed Potatoes.
You may also love this Homemade Buttermilk Cornbread to make the easy cornbread dressing.
This Easy Cornbread Dressing (or stuffing) will be a popular side dish on your holiday table.
Visit our Flavor Mosaic Thanksgiving Sides category for more recipe ideas for your Thanksgiving holiday table.
Jen says
Sounds like a great recipe. How would I make this ahead of time so I could travel with it?
Brenda says
A definite family favorite!!!
Lila Glade says
Absolutely delicious— the best I ever ate!
Michele says
Hi Lila,
Thank you so much. I’m so happy you liked it. Be sure to share with your family and friends and check out our other recipes.
Thanks,
Michele
Jeanenne says
I made this for the first time yesterday and it was delicious. Making the mushroom soup was so easy and it tasted wonderful. The hardest thing of the recipe – prepping the green beans – ughhh
I need to find a store where I can buy them already cleaned and chopped.
The one fail I had was buying store brand fried onions they were to thin and over cooked. For that reason I didn’t take a picture.
I’m sold on this recipe and will not go back to my old ways of canned goods. I might try making the onions in my air fryer next time.
Michele says
Hi Jeanenne,
I’m so glad you liked it. I understand about trimming the green beans. My husband and I were talking about next time buying the green beans already trimmed to save time. However, I think the taste of the fresh green beans still makes it worth the effort. Yes, some times the store brands are not the same as the named brand. Anyway, I’m glad that overall you liked it.
Thanks,
Michele
Kathy Clark says
Great recipe!
Michele says
Hi Kathy,
Thank you. I’m glad you like it.
Michele