Our delicious Cheesy Green Bean Casserole is a classic holiday side dish that the whole family is going to love as part of your next Thanksgiving menu! Made with fresh green beans, a homemade mushroom sauce, crispy french onions, and lots of melty cheese!
The Best Cheesy Green Bean Casserole
Our family is big on holiday tradition, especially traditions related to food, and a classic green bean casserole is no exception! This traditional side dish recipe is a staple at our holiday table on Thanksgiving Day or for Christmas dinner. As much as we love to keep things consistent with traditions and the classic version, we also know that, on occasion, it is fun to make some slight tweaks. We love our Green Bean Casserole with Bacon and now we have this easy cheesy green bean casserole recipe! Either way, you will have a classic dish that is sure to be a crowd pleaser!
Dietary restrictions? We also have a Dairy-Free Green Bean Casserole and Gluten-Free Green Bean Casserole!
What You Will Need
- green beans – we have to use fresh green beans and give them a quick blanch, but you can also use canned green beans or frozen green beans.
- butter – a little to sauté the flavor starters and then add more to make a creamy roux.
- garlic & yellow onion – traditional flavor starters for so many casserole recipes.
- fresh mushrooms – just pick-up some baby bella mushrooms at your local grocery store. Simple button mushrooms or white mushrooms are great too.
- all-purpose flour – the thickening agent to create a creamy mushroom sauce.
- chicken broth – option to grab a store-bought version or make your own homemade chicken broth.
- cream – to keep things a little lighter and dairy-free we suggest unsweetened/un-flavored NutPods, but you can also use heavy cream or half-and-half.
- salt & pepper – simple seasonings that are always a must!
- shredded cheddar cheese – we love a sharp cheddar cheese, but any variety of shredded cheese works.
- french-fried onions – that classic crunchy topping that can’t be skipped!
How To Make Cheesy Green Bean Casserole
The first steps to making this easy recipe are to blanch the fresh green beans. This is done by adding the cut green beans to a large pot of boiling water to cook for 2-4 minutes, add the cut green beans to cook for 2-4 minutes, and then transfer the blanched green beans to an ice bath to cool and stop the cooking process
Now bring a large skillet to a medium heat and melt butter. Add the garlic and onion to soften for about 2-3 minutes. Then add the mushrooms to cook for another 2-3 minutes.
Add the rest of the butter to melt and then mix in the flour to create a bit of a paste around the onions and cooked mushrooms. Keeping the pan at a simmer, gradually whisk in the broth and cream. Let it simmer for a couple of minutes to get a thick, creamy texture.
Remove the hot pan from the heat and add the salt, pepper, and 1.5 cups of the cheese. Mix to fully combine and melt the cheese.
Place the tender green beans in a casserole dish and then pour the soup mixture over the top. Mix in 3/4 cup of crispy onions and then bake in a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes of cook time.
Finally, sprinkle the remaining french fried onions and shredded cheese on top and place it back in the oven for 5-10 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown.
Best Ways To Serve Cheesy Green Bean Casserole
There is simply nothing better than this homemade green bean casserole recipe that can be served alongside a classic turkey, no matter how you cook it (roasted, grilled, smoked, or deep-fried). Of course it’s the holidays, so we also suggest adding some mashed potatoes, stuffing, turkey gravy, cranberry sauce, and any of your other favorite side dish recipes.
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Other Green Bean Recipes You Might Like
Cheesy Green Bean Casserole Recipe
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Stove Top + Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
Cheesy Green Bean Casserole is your classic holiday side dish made from scratch with fresh green beans and a cheesy twist!
Ingredients
- 2 pounds fresh green beans
- 7 tablespoons butter, divided
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 1 small sweet yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
- 8–12oz baby bella mushrooms, sliced
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup chicken broth
- 1 1/2 cups unsweetened/unflavored Nutpods OR heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, freshly shredded, divided (more if desired)
- 2 cups crispy fried onions, divided (more if desired)
Instructions
- Oven: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Blanch Green Beans: Fill a medium saucepan 3/4 full of water and bring to a simmer. Meanwhile, take a large bowl and fill 3/4 of the way with water. Add ice to create an ice bath. Set aside. Add green beans to the simmering water. Let cook 2-4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, carefully remove the green beans from the simmering water and place them directly into the ice bath. Let sit for 5 minutes or until fully cooled. Remove and place into a 9×13 baking pan.
- Cook Onions + Mushrooms: Bring cast iron skillet to medium/medium-high heat. Add 3 tablespoons of butter and let melt; swirl to coat the pan. Add garlic and onion. Move around pan until until the onions have softened, approximately 2-3 minutes. Add mushrooms and move around pan until they have softened, another 2-3 minutes.
- Make Sauce: Add remaining 4 tablespoons of butter to pan and let melt. Add flour and mix to combine. Slowly add in the chicken broth and then the creamer, whisking the entire time and ensuring the mixture is hot enough to just barely simmer. Let simmer, uncovered, 3-5 minutes. Once thickened remove from heat and add in the salt, pepper, and 1 1/2 cup cheese. Stir to combine. Taste and adjust salt or pepper, as needed.
- Combine: Pour the creamy sauce over the green beans in the baking dish and add approx. 3/4 cup of the french fried onions; stir to combine.
- Bake: Place in oven, middle rack and uncovered, for 20-30 minutes or until bubbly. Remove and cover with remaining cheese and french fried onions. Return to oven for an additional 5-10 minutes.
- Cook + Serve: Remove and let cool sightly at room temperature before serving (sauce will thicken as it cools).
Notes
- Mushrooms + Onions: you can remove these from the pan before Step 4 if you prefer and then add them back in after the Sauce has been made if that is easier for you.
- Gluten-Free: use gluten-free flour and gluten-free french fried onions.
- Storage: store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6 oz
- Calories: 130
- Sugar: 4.3 g
- Sodium: 235.2 mg
- Fat: 8.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 11.9 g
- Protein: 4.1 g
- Cholesterol: 21.5 mg
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