Thanksgiving would not be the same without serving a classic green bean casserole. I have always loved a good green bean casserole. You know the kind I am talking about, soupy, rich, and creamy with those toasty little onions on top! This recipe is a remake of the classic Thanksgiving green bean casserole.
I decided to remake the classic recipe by omitting canned soup and beans and using fresh ingredients instead. Lenny teases me that my name should be starch as I always find of way of making everything “homemade”. I am not going to lie as this recipes does involve a few more steps besides opening a can and dumping it into a bowl. The extra steps are completely worth it, and aren’t the ones you love worth the extra effort too!
I start by cooking some onions with olive oil until golden brown, then I add a little panko to give the recipe some crunch. Blanching the green beans before baking with the mushroom sauce, gives the casserole a shorter cooking time which keeps the beans fresh looking! We love mushrooms so I do add some sliced mushrooms to the green beans before folding in the mushroom cream sauce; adds more texture which is nice with each bite!
Recipe: Green Bean Casserole
Ingredients:
1 lb green beans, trim ends off and cut in half if large
1 large yellow onion, cut in half, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/3 cup panko
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 yellow onion, minced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 pounds cremini or white mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/3 cup vegetable or chicken stock
1/3 cup heavy cream
kosher salt to taste
1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
How To:
Fill a large saucepan full of water and bring to a boil. Add the green beans and cook for 2 minutes.
Drain the beans into a colander and immediately rinse with cold water, then cover the beans with ice to stop the cooking process. Rinse again with cold water until the ice melts, then let drain.
I pat dry with paper towels before adding to the other ingredients.
In a large frying pan add the 1 tablespoon of olive oil and heat over medium-low on the stove.
Add the 1 large yellow onion that has been thinly sliced, stir and cook over low heat until golden. This will take 15 – 25 minutes depending on the heat of your stove. Stir often to prevent burning.
Add the panko and butter, stir and then remove from the stove. Set aside.
Clean the same large frying pan and add the 3 tablespoons of olive oil and the minced onion, stir and cook until soft; about 3 minutes.
Add the mushrooms and cook over medium-low heat until soft; about 5 – 7 minutes. Season with salt and add the black pepper.
Remove 1 1/2 cups of the mushrooms and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350.
Pour the stock into the frying pan with the rest of the mushrooms, stir and simmer over low heat for 5 minutes. Remove and let cool for another 5 minutes. Pour the mixture into a blend and process. Slowly pour in the heavy cream and continue pulsing until smooth.
Place the green beans, reserved mushrooms, and the mushroom cream into a bowl and gently mix.
Pour into a lightly oiled or buttered baking dish, scatter the onion/panko mixture on top and then place it into the oven.
Cook until warmed throughout; about 20 – 30 minutes.
Serve.
Eat.