Food & Cooking Recipes Main Dish Recipes Casserole Recipes Green Bean Casserole 4.1 (258) 13 Reviews This saucy, bubbling casserole is a lighter, from-scratch take on the classic side. By Martha Stewart Martha Stewart Martha Stewart is a bestselling author, entrepreneur, and lifestyle expert who has taught millions of people through generations the joy of entertaining, cooking, gardening, collecting, crafting, and home renovating via her eponymous magazine, Martha Stewart Living, Emmy-winning television shows, and 99 books (and counting). Based in Katonah, N.Y., where she helms her 156-acre Bedford Farm, Martha is America's first self-made female billionaire. Editorial Guidelines Updated on September 25, 2024 Rate PRINT Share Prep Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 40 mins Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins Servings: 8 Jump to recipe Shake up your Thanksgiving menu with this fresh green bean casserole. In our rendition, the traditional canned soup and store-bought crispy onions are replaced with a savory homemade mushroom sauce and golden, lightly fried shallots. We lean on fresh green beans instead of frozen, which turn bright green after a quick boil in salted water and retain just a bit of bite for plenty of pleasing texture. After a short stint in the oven, all that’s left is to shower the casserole with a few handfuls of crispy shallots before this saucy, bubbling delight is ready to hit the table. Filled with homemade touches—but not fussy in the least—this fresh take on a classic may just become a new holiday tradition. 16 Easy Vegetable Side Dish Recipes for Thanksgiving Brie Goldman Dos and Don'ts for Making Fresh Green Bean Casserole Don't overcook your beans: One of the highlights of this easy side dish is the color, flavor, and texture of the green beans themselves. To maintain that brightness, be sure to not overcook the beans while boiling them in step three. Since the beans will continue to cook in the oven, it’s important to pull them out of the water when they’re crisp tender and not fully softened, which should take about six minutes. Do use an ice bath: Have an ice bath—or cold running water—ready to shock the green beans right when they come out of the boiling water, which will stop the cooking process. Skipping this step can result in mushy, overcooked beans. Do watch your shallots carefully: When frying the shallots, it’s important to keep a close eye on them as they can go from lightly browned to overly dark in a short amount of time. Use a slotted spoon to keep them moving, which you can also use to remove them to the oil to drain. Don't rush the mushrooms: The key to getting the most flavor out of the mushrooms—which will give you an ultra savory sauce to bathe the green beans in—is to cook them slowly in butter until they release their moisture and become deliciously concentrated in flavor. Take your time cooking them, waiting to add the flour and stock until they are beautifully browned and tender. How to Make Green Bean Casserole Ahead From the crispy shallots and mushroom sauce to the green beans themselves, we've got easy ways to prep this dish ahead to save you time and energy on the big day: Two days ahead: Cook and shock the green beans, then pat them dry and refrigerate in a resealable bag. Fry the shallots and let cool completely, then store them at room temperature in an airtight container lined with paper towels.One day ahead: Make the mushroom sauce and let it cool. Transfer to a lidded container and press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the sauce to keep it from forming a skin, then cover. Reheat the sauce, either on the stovetop or in the microwave, before tossing with the beans. If you have a mandoline, it will make quick work of slicing the shallots. If not, be sure to use a sharp chef's knife and take your time while cutting to achieve thin, even rings. Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 3 cups vegetable oil 6 large shallots, cut into very thin rounds, rings separated 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour Coarse salt and ground pepper 2 pounds green beans, trimmed and halved ¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter 1 pound button mushrooms, trimmed and coarsely chopped 14 ½ ounces low-sodium chicken broth 1 cup whole milk Directions Brie Goldman Preheat oven; heat oil and coat shallots: Preheat oven to 425°F. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium. Line a baking sheet with paper towels. In a large bowl, toss together shallots and 1 1/4 cups flour until shallots are evenly coated. Brie Goldman Fry shallots; transfer to prepared sheet to drain: In batches, shake off excess flour from shallots and fry until golden and crisp, about 5 minutes, adjusting heat if shallots are browning too quickly. With a slotted spoon, transfer to sheet and season with salt. Set aside. Brie Goldman Don't toss the flour after dredging the shallots; you can use one-quarter cup of it to thicken the mushroom sauce (and even your gravy!). Cook beans, then shock or rinse to cool; pat dry: In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook green beans until crisp-tender, 6 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking. Pat dry. Brie Goldman Cook mushrooms; stir in flour: In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium-high. Add mushrooms and cook until liquid has evaporated, about 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add 1/4 cup flour and cook, stirring, until incorporated, about 1 minute. Brie Goldman Whisk in broth and simmer until thickened; Whisking constantly, gradually add broth, then milk. Bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Reheat before using.) Brie Goldman Toss beans with sauce; transfer to pan and bake, then top with shallots: Add green beans to mushroom sauce and toss to coat. Transfer mixture to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Bake until bubbling around edges, about 15 minutes. Serve topped with fried shallots. Brie Goldman Brie Goldman How to Store Leftover Green Bean Casserole Leftover green bean casserole can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to four days. Reheat in a 400 degree Fahrenheit oven until heated through and shallots are crispy, 10 to 15 minutes. Variations Other Mushrooms: In place of the button mushrooms, you can use cremini or shiitake mushrooms. A richer, creamier sauce: Replace the milk with half-and-half or heavy cream. Frozen beans: In a pinch, you can use frozen, french-cut green beans instead of fresh; be sure to thaw them well and pat thoroughly dry before tossing with the mushroom sauce. Other Green Bean Recipes to Try: Green Bean Casserole With Bacon Sautéed Green Beans Stewed Green Beans With Bacon Green Bean and Artichoke Casserole Harissa-Roasted Green Beans Green Beans With Crispy Oven-Fried Onions Originally appeared: Everyday Food, November 2009 Rate It PRINT Updated by Esther Reynolds Esther Reynolds Esther Reynolds is an experienced recipe developer, recipe tester, food editor, and writer with over a decade of experience in the food and media industries.