There is nothing quite as classic as green bean casserole for the holidays. Ditch the classic canned soup recipe for this homemade skillet green bean casserole, with a creamy homemade mushroom base instead. Tender yet crisp green beans are baked together with a savory creamy sauce, and topped with those iconic fried onions for a classic vegetable side - The best part is you only need one pan!
This classic green bean casserole goes perfectly with other classic holiday sides, including roasted garlic mashed potatoes, roasted hot honey carrots, and creamy bacon corn. Don't forget the a show-stopping butter basted turkey and homemade garlic dinner rolls to round things out and to mop up any leftover creamy mushroom sauce!
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👩🏽🍳Why This Recipe Works
🥘Ingredients
- 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.
- Chicken broth: Chicken broth adds a nice depth of flavor and savory elements to the base of the cream sauce. I recommend using a good quality broth, as it will form the base of this recipe.
- Heavy cream: Heavy whipping cream is an important element in this recipe, to ensure that you get that creaminess that is so reminiscent in the canned soup recipes. I always recommend using the high-fat version for a dish like this, as lower fat varieties simply do not give you the same result of richness.
- Spices & seasoning: You will need your favorite Cajun spice blend - I used Tony's. 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.
- 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 things vegetarian, use vegetable or mushroom broth.
- Fresh thyme: Dried thyme is a great substitute for fresh, but be sure to use much less as the flavor is concentrated.
- Heavy cream: In a pinch, you can use half and half cream. I do not recommend using a cream with a lower fat content than that.
- Onion: Shallots will work in place of regular yellow onions.
🔪Variations
- Meaty: Add some crisped bacon or sausage to the filling or topping, for a meaty twist.
- Cheesy: Add some 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!
⏲️ Step-by-Step Instructions
Prep Work Before Cooking
Collecting all your 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 slice the mushrooms, and finely dice the onions and mince the garlic.
Preheat the oven - Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Heat a cast iron or oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Add two tablespoons of butter and the diced onions to the skillet. Allow the onions to sweat and get translucent and soft. Add the mushrooms and garlic, and saute until the mushrooms have browned. [photo 2]
Lower the heat to medium-low. Add the remaining two tablespoons of butter to the skillet, and sprinkle in the flour. Combine, and cook the butter through for 2-3 minutes to get rid of the raw taste of the flour. [photo 3]
Stir in the chicken broth vigorously, to ensure there are no lumps formed with the flour. Combine until a sauce has formed, and season with the cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, salt and fresh thyme. Let the sauce simmer and thicken for 3-5 minutes. [photo 4]
Once the sauce has thickened, lower the heat to low. Stir in the heavy cream and combine. [photo 5]
Toss in the green beans with the prepared sauce, and flatten into one uniform layer. [photos 6 & 7]
Top the green beans with the french fried onions, and sprinkle with half of the shredded parmesan cheese. Bake the casserole for 20-25 minutes. [photo 8]
Finish the casserole with the remaining shredded parmesan cheese, and serve.
💭 Expert Tips
Cook the flour out: If you do not give the flour enough time to cook out, your sauce will have an overwhelming taste of raw flour. A couple of minutes make a big difference!
Blanch the green beans: If your green beans are not as vibrant as you like them, blanch them in boiling water for 1-2 minutes, and then shock them in ice water. Use the blanched green beans in the recipe.
Manage your heat: Keep your heat low when you are adding cream to the sauce. This will prevent the sauce from breaking, which can happen is your heat is too high.
🍽 Make Ahead & Storage
- The 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.
- Top with the crispy onions and parmesan cheese before baking.
- Refrigerate the pre-assembled casserole covered.
- Leftover green bean casserole will keep well in the fridge for 2-3 days.
- Reheat in the oven to ensure the onions stay crisp.
⭐ 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.
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Skillet Green Bean Casserole {No Soup!}
Ingredients
- 1 lb Green beans trimmed, cut in half
- 4 tablespoon Salted butter divided in half
- ½ Yellow onion finely diced
- 2 cups Cremini mushrooms sliced
- 4 cloves Garlic minced
- 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 whipping cream
- 2 cups French fried onions
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese divided
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Heat a cast iron or oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Add two tablespoons of butter and the diced onions to the skillet. Allow the onions to sweat and get translucent and soft. Add the mushrooms and garlic, and saute until the mushrooms have browned.4 tablespoon Salted butter, ½ Yellow onion, 2 cups Cremini mushrooms, 4 cloves Garlic
- Lower the heat to medium-low. Add the remaining two tablespoons of butter to the skillet, and sprinkle in the flour. Combine, and cook the butter through for 2-3 minutes to get rid of the raw taste of the flour.4 tablespoon Salted butter, 2 tablespoon All purpose flour
- Stir in the chicken broth vigorously, to ensure there are no lumps formed with the flour. Combine until a sauce has formed, and season with the cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, salt and fresh thyme. Let the sauce simmer and thicken for 3-5 minutes.2 cups Chicken broth, 2 teaspoon Sea salt, 1 tablespoon Fresh thyme, 1 teaspoon Tony's Cajun Seasoning, 1 teaspoon Smoked paprika
- Once the sauce has thickened, lower the heat to low. Stir in the heavy cream and combine.½ cup Heavy whipping cream
- Toss in the green beans with the prepared sauce, and flatten into one uniform layer.1 lb Green beans
- Top the green beans with the french fried onions, and sprinkle with half of the shredded parmesan cheese. Bake the casserole for 20-25 minutes.2 cups French fried onions, ½ cup Parmesan cheese
- Finish the casserole with the remaining shredded parmesan cheese, and serve.½ cup Parmesan cheese
Notes
- Cook the flour out: If you do not give the flour enough time to cook out, your sauce will have an overwhelming taste of raw flour. A couple of minutes make a big difference!
- Blanch the green beans: If your green beans are not as vibrant as you like them, blanch them in boiling water for 1-2 minutes, and then shock them in ice water. Use the blanched green beans in the recipe.
- Manage your heat: Keep your heat low when you are adding cream to the sauce. This will prevent the sauce from breaking, which can happen is your heat is too high.
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