Creamy Green Bean Casserole
- PREP 15min
- COOK 35min
- TOTAL 50min
Our homemade green bean casserole is made from scratch, starting with fresh green beans tossed in a creamy sauce. The sauce is super flavorful, thanks to mushrooms and melty cheese. Then, to take this casserole over the top, we add lots of homemade crispy shallots right before serving.
You Will Need
1 ½ pounds (680g) green beans, snipped and cut in half
1 pound (450g) crimini mushrooms, finely chopped
6 tablespoons (85g) butter
3 cloves garlic, minced, about 1 tablespoon minced
2 medium shallots, thinly sliced
1/2 cup (120ml) dry white wine, see notes
2 tablespoons (16g) all-purpose flour
2 cups (470ml) whole or reduced-fat milk
2 cups shredded (8oz or 225g) Gruyère cheese, see notes
1/2 teaspoon (3g) fine sea salt, or more to taste
Homemade fried shallots or store-bought fried onions
Directions
Prepare Green Beans
Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C).
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add green beans and cook for 5 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool. Set aside.
Make Mushroom Sauce
Melt butter in the pot used to cook the green beans over medium heat. Add mushrooms, garlic, and shallots. Cover and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat if the vegetables begin to brown too quickly.
Add white wine and cook, uncovered, until almost completely reduced.
Stir in flour and cook until no longer lumpy.
Gradually whisk in milk and bring to a simmer.
Stir in cheese until melted and the sauce is smooth. Season with salt to taste, starting with 1/4 teaspoon.
Bake Casserole
Add cooked green beans to the sauce and toss until well coated. Transfer the mixture to a casserole dish.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling around the green beans.
Let the casserole rest for 5 to 10 minutes after baking. Top with crispy shallots just before serving (adding them too soon can cause the shallots to steam and turn soggy).
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Storing: This lasts stored in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge. To reheat, slide it into a 350°F oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes. For a smaller portion, use the microwave (1 to 2 minutes should do the trick). The crispy shallots will lose their crispiness, so add more once reheated.
- Make ahead tips: Blanch green beans and toss with the homemade sauce. Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Add 2 to 5 minutes to bake time when cooking from chilled. We do not recommend freezing green bean casserole.
- Wine: Choose a dry white wine you enjoy. We typically look for a dry, crisp white wine such as Pinot Grigio, Albarino, Sauvignon Blanc, and unoaked Chardonnay.
- Wine substitute: Use vegetable broth or chicken broth.
- Gruyère cheese: We love the flavor and melt factor of Gruyère but sometimes find it expensive. It’s not vegetarian-friendly due to animal rennet, so to save on cost or to make this casserole vegetarian-friendly, substitute the Gruyère for your favorite white cheddar.
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.