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Ultra close-up macro of fresh green bean casserole with velvety mushroom cream sauce and crispy onions

Fresh Green Bean Casserole with Crispy Onions

Ditch the canned soup! This ultimate fresh green bean casserole features tender-crisp haricots verts folded into a rich, velvety homemade garlic cremini mushroom cream sauce, baked until bubbly and crowned with extra crispy golden french fried onions.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 245
Ingredients Method Nutrition

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lbs Fresh green beans (haricots verts) trimmed and halved, blanched tender-crisp
  • 10 oz Cremini (baby bella) mushrooms cleaned and finely sliced
  • 3 tbsp Unsalted butter divided
  • 1 Large shallot finely minced
  • 4 cloves Fresh garlic minced
  • 3 tbsp All-purpose flour for making the velvety roux
  • 1 1/4 cups Vegetable or chicken broth low sodium
  • 1 cup Heavy cream or half-and-half
  • 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese freshly grated for savory umami depth
  • 1 tbsp Fresh thyme leaves chopped
  • 1/8 tsp Ground nutmeg culinary secret for cream sauces
  • 1 tsp Fine sea salt & black pepper to taste
  • 2 cups Crispy French fried onions divided (1/2 cup folded into filling, 1 1/2 cups for crispy topping)

Method
 

  1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 9x13-inch or 2.5-quart ceramic baking dish with butter.
  2. Bring a large stockpot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Add trimmed fresh green beans and blanch for exactly 4 to 5 minutes until vibrant emerald green and crisp-tender. Immediately transfer beans to an ice bath for 2 minutes to halt cooking, then drain thoroughly and pat completely dry.
  3. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sliced cremini mushrooms and sauté undisturbed for 3 minutes until browned. Add minced shallot, garlic, and chopped fresh thyme; cook for 2 minutes until fragrant.
  4. Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter in the skillet. Sprinkle flour over the mushroom mixture and whisk constantly for 1 minute to cook out raw flour taste.
  5. Slowly pour in the broth while whisking continuously to prevent lumps. Whisk in heavy cream, ground nutmeg, salt, and black pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer for 3 to 4 minutes until sauce thickens to a glossy, velvety consistency. Stir in grated Parmigiano-Reggiano until melted, then remove from heat.
  6. Gently fold the blanched green beans and 1/2 cup of crispy fried onions into the warm mushroom cream sauce until evenly enrobed.
  7. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and spread evenly. Bake uncovered at 375°F for 20 minutes until bubbling gently along the edges.
  8. Remove from oven, scatter the remaining 1 1/2 cups of crispy fried onions evenly over the entire top, and return to the oven for 5 to 7 minutes until golden-brown, shattered, and fragrant. Rest for 5 minutes before serving warm.

Nutrition

Calories: 245kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 5gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 42mgSodium: 340mgPotassium: 360mgFiber: 4gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 1150IUVitamin C: 16mgCalcium: 110mgIron: 1.8mg

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