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In this old-fashioned green bean casserole recipe, tender canned organic beans get blanketed in a creamy sauce made with shallots and the mushrooms of your choice. Then, it’s topped with that irresistible crunchy onion topping and baked until bubbly and golden brown. It’s hard to think of a dish more essential on Thanksgiving — other than the turkey itself! This dish is easily made ahead of time and reheated.
I always think about the moment when a dish becomes a classic and, in some cases, tips over into the traditional holiday food lexicon. There is no question that this green bean casserole, made with canned green beans, is such a dish for Thanksgiving. Luckily for all of us fans out there, it’s easy to make in advance and is always a surefire hit. (Beyond that, some people get very ornery if there is no green bean casserole on the buffet for certain holidays —and we can’t have that.)
This casserole is the classic partner for a turkey, be it Easy Roasted Thanksgiving Turkey, Cajun Roast Turkey, Lemon-Garlic Turkey Breast, or Grilled Split Turkey Breast. Don’t forget other classic sides like Creamed Pearl Onions and Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows!
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But do think about this dish on other occasions. It could even be a vegetable-centric one-pot main course for a family dinner on a chilly night. Add a salad if you wish, maybe some warm rolls, and be happy you didn’t save this for a once-or-twice-a-year pleasure.
Traditional Green Bean Casserole: An updated version of the classic creamy and crowd-pleasing green bean casserole, perfect for Thanksgiving — and then some!
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The Best Canned Green Beans
Picking your canned green beans wisely is the key to a great vs. good green bean casserole. Green Valley Organic Cut Green Beans are picked at the peak of freshness and then canned without any artificial ingredients. They are committed to the best organic farming practices or farmed and canned in the USA. And if you thought organic = expensive, then you’ll be happily surprised — it turns out that organic is quite affordable.
FAQs
If you want to keep this casserole vegetarian, use vegetable broth instead of chicken and soy sauce instead of Worcestershire sauce, as Worcestershire contains anchovies.
The most classic topping for green bean casserole is crispy onions or shallots. You can certainly crisp up your own onions or shallots if you wish, but there is something about the packaged kind that hits a nostalgia button for all of us. There are several brands available, and they provide the salty crunch that makes this casserole such a classic.
It’s always a good idea to rinse canned beans, as they are packed in a liquid with some preservatives, and this will give them a cleaner, fresher flavor.
Make-Ahead Green Bean Casserole
You can prepare the casserole through the step where it gets transferred to the baking dish and store it in the fridge for up to 2 days. Bring it to room temperature before baking.
Or, if you prefer to cook it straight from the refrigerator (or if you just plain old forgot to take it out of the fridge ahead of time), plan to add an extra 10 to 15 minutes to the baking time.
Leftovers can be reheated in a 350-degree oven for 15 minutes until hot throughout.
Ingredients
- Canned green beans – Rinsed and drained.
- Unsalted butter
- Mushrooms – You can use sliced shiitake, cremini, button mushrooms, or a combination.
- Shallot
- All-purpose flour – For thickening the sauce.
- Half-and-half or whole milk – Half-and-half will result in a richer sauce, while milk will add less fat.
- Chicken or vegetable broth – Preferably low-sodium; use vegetable broth for a vegetarian green bean casserole.
- Worcestershire or soy sauce – Use soy sauce for a vegetarian casserole.
- Prepared fried onions or shallots – You can make your own, but we’re going for a nostalgic classic here!
How to Make Canned Green Bean Casserole
- Sauté the mushrooms: Cook the mushrooms until golden brown at the edges, about 8 minutes. Add the shallots, then stir in the flour, and cook, stirring often, until the flour is well incorporated.
- Make the mushroom sauce: Add the milk and broth, bring the liquid to a simmer, and add the soy or Worcestershire sauce. Simmer until the sauce has thickened.
- Add the green beans: Stir in the drained green beans and season with salt and pepper.
- Transfer the mixture to a 9×13 or 3-quart baking dish.
- Bake: Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes until golden brown and bubbling. Evenly distribute the fried onions on top of the casserole, and bake for another 5 minutes to heat and toast the onions.
- Serve the casserole hot or warm.
What to Serve With Green Bean Casserole
Easy Roasted Thanksgiving Turkey
Sweet Potato Casserole
More Green Bean Recipes
- Fresh Green Bean Casserole
- Green Bean Nicoise Salad
- Green Beans with Tarragon Vinaigrette
- Sautéed Green Beans with Thyme Butter
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Traditional Green Bean Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 (14.5-ounce) cans Green Valley Organic Cut Green Beans (drained and rinsed)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 pound sliced shiitake, cremini, or button mushrooms (or a combination)
- 1 large shallot (thinly sliced)
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups half and half or whole milk
- 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth (preferably low-sodium)
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire or soy sauce
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper (to taste)
- ¾ cup prepared fried onions or shallots
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease a 9×13-inch or 3-quart shallow baking dish.
- In a large, deep pan or skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and sauté them until they have released their liquid, the liquid evaporates, and the mushrooms start to turn golden brown at the edges, about 8 minutes. Add the shallots and sauté for another 3 minutes until the shallots become tender and golden and the mushrooms brown a bit more. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring often for another 2 minutes until the flour is well incorporated.
- Slowly add the milk and broth, stirring, and bring the liquid to a simmer. Add the soy or Worcestershire sauce. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue cooking the mixture at a gentle simmer for about 5 minutes until the sauce has thickened. Stir in the drained green beans, season with salt and pepper, and transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish.
- Bake for about 20 minutes until the top is golden brown and the casserole is bubbling. Evenly distribute the fried onions on top of the casserole, and bake for another 5 minutes to heat and toast the onions. Serve the casserole hot or warm.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
