A green bean casserole made entirely from real food that tastes just like - and yet even BETTER - than "traditional" green bean casserole. Your new Thanksgiving stand-by!
Prep Time30mins
Cook Time25mins
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6as a side
Ingredients
For the casserole
2poundsfresh or frozen green beans, snapped into 2-inch pieces
a dash of traditionally-fermented soy sauce
a dash of Worcestershire sauce
⅛teaspoonblack pepper
For the cream of mushroom soup
½of an onion, coarsely chopped
2clovesgarlic, coarsely chopped
4tablespoonscornstarch or tapioca starch
4tablespoonsbutter, at room temperature
2cupsevaporated milk OR ½ cup heavy cream and 1 ½ cups milk
2tablespoonsWorcestershire sauce
1 ½teaspoonssea salt
½teaspoonblack pepper
⅛teaspoonsmoked paprika, optional
2teaspoonsdried parsley, optional
16-20large mushrooms, any variety, coarsely chopped
For the topping
2cupsFrench fried onions, (see link to homemade recipe below or see notes below)
Instructions
Make the soup base. First, prepare the cream of mushroom soup. Place all ingredients except for the mushrooms in a blender and combine until the mixture is fairly smooth. Add the mushrooms and pulse until well blended but still a bit chunky. Pour the entire mixture into a large saucepan and bring to a very gentle simmer over medium heat, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue to cook until thickened, 6–7 minutes, whisking often.
Prepare the ovens and pans. Preheat the oven to 350°F. See a 9" x 13" casserole dish at the ready.
Cook the beans, if necessary. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then add the beans. Cook until tender but still bright green, 4-6 minutes. Drain well.
Mix all ingredients. Place the beans in a large bowl and add the soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, pepper, and the cream of mushroom soup. Mix well. Scrape into the prepared casserole dish.
Bake the casserole. Bake until bubbly, 15-25 minutes. Add the French fried onions on top and bake for another 5-10 minutes until the onions are crispy and golden. Serve hot.
Notes
Prefer canned beans?
You may substitute canned beans for the fresh green beans for a more "traditional" flavor, if desired. Use (3) 14-oz cans and drain well. No need to cook canned beans before combining them with the other ingredients.
About French-Fried Onions:
The crowning glory of green bean casserole is the fried onions. When I originally published this recipe back in 2013, store-bought french-fried onions without hydrogenated oils and preservatives were few and far between. Now, they're much easier to find, so store-bought French Fried onions can now be a decidedly decent option.However, making homemade ones isn't difficult – they just take a bit of time. They're also delectable for snacking and super-inexpensive, so if you've got the time, I recommend making a double batch. Click here to see the recipe for French Fried onions or visit https://nourishingjoy.com/homemade-french-fried-onions/
How to DIY other parts of this recipe:
See how to make your own homemade cream of mushroom soup to save for later at https://nourishingjoy.com/homemade-condensed-cream-of-mushroom-soup/See how to make your own Worcestershire sauce in my book, The DIY Pantry.