This skillet cajun green bean casserole is a fresh take on a holiday classic! Ditch the canned mushroom soup for this casserole with a creamy, homemade mushroom sauce. Topped with freshly fried crispy shallots, you have all the flavors and elements you love, with no extra ingredients - The best part is you only need your stovetop!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Classic, comforting side: Green bean casserole is a Thanksgiving and holiday staple. This recipe keeps all the comforting elements you know and love, with fresher ingredients.
No canned ingredients: Many classic recipes are made with canned green beans and canned cream of mushroom soup. This recipe has no shelf-stable ingredients and uses fresh, crisp green beans, and a homemade creamy mushroom sauce. You know exactly what goes into this recipe!
One skillet recipe: Aside from the fresh crispy shallots, this casserole comes together in one skillet. You don't even need to bake it in the oven!
Ingredient Notes
- Green beans: You can use pre-packaged and trimmed green beans, or loose beans from the grocery store. Green beans are sometimes named haricots verts, which is the French term for green beans. If you do not buy pre-trimmed beans, be sure to cut off the stringy tough ends as they are unpleasant to bite and chew into.
- Cremini mushrooms: Cremini mushrooms offer a meatiness and earthiness that is deeper than classic button mushrooms. They also help to give the creamy sauce a golden brown colour, instead of a pale white cream sauce. These are sometimes labeled as baby bella mushrooms, meaning baby portobello.
- Chicken broth: I recommend using a good quality broth, as it will form the base of this recipe. I also recommend using a low-sodium or no-sodium broth. This will allow you to control the salt content of the dish.
- Heavy cream: Heavy cream has a 35% fat content. This is sometimes labeled as whipping cream in the grocery store.
- Fresh shallots: Shallots are usually more mellow than regular onions, making them the perfect topping for homemade green bean casserole.
- Spices & seasoning: I recommend Tony's or your favorite Cajun spice blend. You will also need fresh thyme, smoked paprika and salt.
A full list of ingredients with measurements is located on the recipe card, below.
Substitutions
- Green beans: You can use frozen green beans, or canned green beans if you cannot find fresh ones.
- Cremini mushrooms: Button mushrooms or regular white mushrooms will work as a good substitute in this recipe. You can also use portobello mushrooms that are cut into smaller pieces.
- Chicken broth: To keep this recipe vegetarian, use vegetable or mushroom broth for a deeper flavor.
- Fresh thyme: Dried thyme is a great substitute for fresh, but reduce the quantity as the flavor is concentrated.
- Heavy cream: You can use half-and-half cream, sour cream, or Greek yogurt instead of heavy cream.
- Onion: Shallots will work in place of regular yellow onions.
- Freshly fried shallots: Substitute with store-bought french-fried onions.
Variations
- Meaty: Add crisped bacon or sausage to the filling or topping, for a meaty twist.
- Cheesy: Add shredded parmesan or romano cheese to the sauce of the casserole, for an even cheesier twist to this recipe.
- Spicy: Mix in some crispy fried jalapenos with the fried onion topping, for a spicy twist.
- Zesty: For some added zest, try this Green Bean Artichoke Casserole.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Prep Work Before Cooking
Collecting all ingredients: This will make cooking so much easier. Gather all the spices you will need, and keep them nearby.
Prep the vegetables: Trim the green beans and cut them in half so they are bite-sized. Clean and thinly slice the mushrooms, and finely chop the onions and garlic.
Prep the shallots: Slice the shallots into thin, round rings. Separate the rings as much as possible.
Heat the oil: Heat a deep pot with enough neutral cooking oil to fry the crispy shallots. The ideal temperature is around 375°F.
Soak the Shallots
Mix the milk and Louisiana hot sauce in a medium-sized mixing bowl.
Add the sliced shallots and steep in the milk mixture to cover the shallot rings.
Dredge the Shallots
Using tongs, let the excess milk drip off of the shallots. Add the shallots to the seasoned flour mixture, and toss to coat the shallot rings in the flour.
Deep fry the Shallots
Gently drop the dredged shallots into the pot of hot oil. Let the shallots fry until they are a light golden brown color.
Drain Excess Oil
Using a spider strainer, remove the crispy shallots from the oil and drain the excess oil on a wire rack.
Saute Onions & Garlic
Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat.
Add butter to the skillet, and saute the chopped onions and garlic until translucent and fragrant.
Saute the Mushrooms
Add the cremini mushrooms to the sauteed onions and garlic, and season with a pinch of salt to help soften the mushrooms. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the mushrooms are soft and brown.
Make the Mushroom Sauce
Add the remaining butter to the mushrooms and onions and let it melt. Sprinkle in the all-purpose flour, and cook the roux for 1 minute.
Stir in the chicken broth and bring the sauce to a simmer. Season the sauce with the dried spices and fresh thyme, and mix in heavy cream.
Finish the Casserole
Toss the beans in the creamy mushroom sauce and fully coat them.
Let the bean mixture simmer for 5-7 minutes to cook the green beans.
Top the cooked casserole with the fried shallots, and serve.
Expert Tips
Neutral oil suggestions: The best oil for frying will have a light taste. Some examples of neutral oils are vegetable, canola, peanut, or sunflower oil.
Cook the flour: Give the flour enough time to cook out so that you do not have an overwhelming taste of raw flour in the sauce.
Blanch the green beans: If you prefer softer green beans, or want to keep the color as vibrant as possible, blanch the green beans in boiling water for 1-2 minutes. Shock the blanched beans in ice water to stop the cooking process.
Make Ahead & Storage
- The green bean casserole can be assembled without the crispy onions in a baking dish or the skillet, and covered with tin foil up to 1 day in advance.
- Refrigerate the pre-assembled casserole covered.
- I recommend frying the shallots fresh so that they stay crispy.
- When you are ready to serve, bake the green bean casserole in the oven. Top the cooked casserole with crispy fried shallots.
- The leftover green bean casserole will keep fresh in the fridge for 2-3 days.
- Reheat in the oven to ensure the onions stay crisp.
Serving Suggestions
- Mains: Serve this skillet cajun green bean casserole with classic holiday mains, like butter-basted turkey, air fryer cajun turkey breast, air fryer glazed ham or prime rib roast beef.
- Sides: You'll want all the delicious sides on your holiday table, including steakhouse-style mashed potatoes, roasted hot honey carrots, cheesy scalloped potatoes, garlic butter roasted potatoes, baked macaroni and cheese, and of course, sourdough bacon stuffing!
- Bread & rolls: Since we are ditching the canned mushroom soup, you will want to sop up all of this homemade goodness with your favorite bread and rolls. Some of my favorites include garlic parmesan dinner rolls, air fryer ciabatta garlic bread, or black pepper focaccia.
Recipe FAQs
You can freeze leftover green bean casserole. Store in a freezer-safe container, and thaw before heating in the oven for best results. Frozen green beans will keep for 2-3 months.
To ensure your green beans become tender, I recommend submerging them in the sauce completely before baking. Give your green beans enough time in the oven as well, to cook through.
Skillet Cajun Green Bean Casserole (Without Soup)
Ingredients
- 2 lbs Green beans - trimmed, cut in half
- 2 tablespoon Salted butter
- 1 Yellow onion - finely diced
- 4 cloves Garlic - minced
- 2 cups Cremini mushrooms - sliced
- 2 tablespoon Salted butter
- 2 tablespoon All purpose flour
- 2 cups Chicken broth
- 2 teaspoon Sea salt
- 1 tablespoon Fresh thyme - chopped
- 1 teaspoon Tony's Cajun Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Smoked paprika
- ½ cup Heavy cream
Fried Shallots
- 6 Large Shallots - cut into rings
- 1 cup Whole milk
- 1 tablespoon Louisiana hot sauce
- 1 cup All purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon Garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Sea salt
- 1 teaspoon Smoked paprika
Instructions
- Heat a large pot of neutral oil to 375°F.
- Mix the milk and Louisiana hot sauce in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Add the sliced shallots and steep in the milk mixture to cover the shallot rings.1 cup Whole milk, 1 tablespoon Louisiana hot sauce, 6 Large Shallots
- Season the all purpose flour with the dried seasoning. Using tongs, let the excess milk drip off of the shallots. Add the shallots to the seasoned flour mixture, and toss to coat the shallot rings in the flour.1 cup All purpose flour, 1 teaspoon Garlic powder, 1 teaspoon Sea salt, 1 teaspoon Smoked paprika
- Gently drop the dredged shallots into the pot of hot oil. Let the shallots fry until they are a light golden brown color. Using a spider strainer, remove the crispy shallots from the oil and drain the excess oil on a wire rack.
- Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add butter to the skillet, and saute the chopped onions and garlic until translucent and fragrant.2 tablespoon Salted butter, 1 Yellow onion, 4 cloves Garlic
- Add the cremini mushrooms to the sauteed onions and garlic, and season with a pinch of salt to help soften the mushrooms. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the mushrooms are soft and brown.2 cups Cremini mushrooms
- Add the remaining butter to the mushrooms and onions and let it melt. Sprinkle in the all-purpose flour, and cook the roux for 1 minute.2 tablespoon Salted butter, 2 tablespoon All purpose flour
- Stir in the chicken broth and bring the sauce to a simmer. Season the sauce with the dried spices and fresh thyme, and mix in heavy cream.2 cups Chicken broth, 2 teaspoon Sea salt, 1 tablespoon Fresh thyme, 1 teaspoon Tony's Cajun Seasoning, 1 teaspoon Smoked paprika, ½ cup Heavy cream
- Toss the beans in the creamy mushroom sauce and fully coat them. Let the bean mixture simmer for 5-7 minutes to cook the green beans.2 lbs Green beans
- Top the cooked casserole with the fried shallots, and serve.
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