Holiday family gatherings just don’t seem complete if there isn’t a homemade green bean casserole on the table. Lucky for all of us, this is quite possibly the easiest side dish to make.
Green Bean Casserole with Fresh Green Beans
The original green bean casserole recipe was called a Green Bean Bake and was developed in the test kitchen of the famous Campell’s soup company. Its rise to popularity is due to it being printed on the Cream of Mushroom soup can label.
While the original is irreplaceable, I admit my family loves this homemade green bean casserole version even more. The simple made-from-scratch mushroom cream sauce is just perfect with any meal, holiday, or weeknight.
When you make a green bean casserole with fresh green beans it lends crispness and bright color to the dish that grandma’s recipe just didn’t have. Using fresh green beans has made me fall in love with this casserole all over again.
While fresh are my preference you can make green bean casserole with frozen green beans. If you use frozen, just skip the blanching step. I would let them thaw slightly before mixing in the mushroom cream sauce.
Whether baking or using the crock pot, with frozen green beans just keep an eye on your cooking time. They might take 5-10 minutes longer in the oven or as long as 45 minutes in the crock pot since they were colder at the start.
Did you wind up with more green beans than you’d planned to use for the recipe? Tender crisp Thai Green Beans with peanut sauce can be made as mild or as spicy as you like – in under 15 minutes!
Can you make Green Bean Casserole ahead of time?
In short “YES,” green bean casserole from scratch can absolutely be made ahead of time and then cooked or baked in the oven or the crock pot.
If making this to get a jump start on your meal planning just keep the three main components in separate containers. Trust me when I say you will have this assembled and your oven will still be preheating. It really is that fast!
For prepping wash and trim your green beans, blanch them and drain them after the cold water bath. Wrap them in a paper towel to store in the refrigerator.
Make the mushroom cream sauce by sauteing the mushrooms in butter with the garlic and seasonings. Once the liquid has evaporated sprinkle with flour to coat the mushrooms, keep stirring to prevent burning. Add the broth and keep stirring.
As the sauce gets a bit thicker, reduce the heat and add heavy cream. Keep stirring and simmer until it thickens. Pour into an air-tight container and after it has cooled store it in the refrigerator until it is needed.
When you are ready to make the green bean casserole just assemble it in the pan, green beans first, then mushroom sauce, bake, and top with fried onions just before serving.
If you are using the crockpot, stir the green beans and mushrooms sauce together in the crock pot and cook on high for one hour or low for 2-3 hours. Top with the fried onion when ready to serve.
Green bean casserole from scratch really is one of the easiest side dishes you can have on your menu.
Green Bean Casserole in the Crockpot
Slow cookers or crockpots are an appliance of which I have more than one. If you are an avid slow cooker user like I am, you might understand the need for more than one. So, let’s talk about my favorites:
First up is this 6-quart slow cooker that has a locking lid. These crockpots are fantastic for transporting foods. Mine has gone everywhere from church potlucks to barbecues, game nights to Thanksgiving dinner. However, fair warning, these slow cookers run crazy hot. Low is closer to a boil than a simmer, the warm setting actually simmers. So trust me when I say HIGH is high.
My everyday slow cooker is this 8-quart Crockpot. It’s my go-to appliance for cooking large roasts and big batches of chili. Fun fact: did you know that a full 4-quart cooker, actually cooks more slowly than a half-full 8-quart cooker?
For just cooking a few pounds of chicken to shred for enchiladas or other smaller recipes, this 3-quart version is perfect.
Thanksgiving has become a breeze since I have mastered how to hold all of the side dishes using these medium-sized round slow cookers.
If you aren’t a fan of the idea of keeping more than one slow cooker in the house, these CrockPockets are a game-changer when it comes to preparing and holding multiple dishes at the same time. They slide into a standard 6-quart crockpot, dividing it into two sections that are perfect for serving different side dishes or keeping taco fillings warm for parties.
Green Bean Casserole Recipe
- fresh green beans
- butter
- fresh mushrooms
- garlic
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- all-purpose flour
- chicken broth
- heavy cream
- canned fried onions
How to make Green Bean Casserole
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add green beans and 2 tablespoons salt to boiling water. Cook beans until bright green and crisp-tender, about 5-6 minutes.
- Fill a large bowl with ice water while beans are cooking. Set it next to the sink. Drain beans in a colander and plunge immediately into ice water to stop cooking. Once cooled, drain beans again in the colander.
- Add butter to the empty pot and melt over medium-high heat until foaming subsides. Add mushrooms, garlic, salt, and pepper; cook until mushrooms are tender and all liquid evaporates about 5 minutes.
- Sprinkle mushrooms with flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in broth and bring to simmer, stirring constantly. Add cream, reduce heat to medium, and simmer until sauce thickens, about 2-3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Oven Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the green beans in a 9×13 baking dish. Pour the sauce over the beans. Top with an even layer of fried onions. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the beans and sauce are hot and bubbling.
Slow Cooker Directions
- Add green beans to a 4-QT slow cooker. Pour the sauce over the beans and stir to mix. Spread in an even layer and cover with lid. Cook on HIGH until bubbling, about 1 hour, or cook on LOW for 2-3 hours.
- When the green beans are bubbling and hot, reduce the heat to WARM or sprinkle with fried onions and serve immediately. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Note: This recipe can be prepared up to three days in advance. To prepare in advance and cook later, store the green beans wrapped in a paper towel in a gallon size freezer bag in the refrigerator. Store the sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Set aside the fried onions until ready to serve.
Crock Pot Side Dishes
Being able to cook and/or hold side dishes is the crockpot is one of my superpowers. There is no shame in the fact I own over half-dozen crock pots and have even used them all at the same time before.
If you are meal planning for any occasion I have found this timeline and guide to be full of make-ahead tips as well as delicious recipes.
Green Bean Casserole (oven and crock pot recipes)
Ingredients
- 2 pounds fresh green beans ends trimmed and chopped into 2-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt for cooking
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 pound fresh mushrooms chopped into ½-inch pieces
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1½ cups chicken broth
- 1½ cups heavy cream
- 3-6 ounces canned fried onions for topping
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add green beans and 2 tablespoons salt to boiling water. Cook beans until bright green and crisp-tender, about 5-6 minutes.
- Fill a large bowl with ice water while beans are cooking. Set it next to the sink. Drain beans in a colander and plunge immediately into ice water to stop cooking. Once cooled, drain beans again in the colander.
- Add butter to the empty pot and melt over medium-high heat until foaming subsides. Add mushrooms, garlic, salt, and pepper; cook until mushrooms are tender and all liquid evaporates, about 5 minutes.
- Sprinkle mushrooms with flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in broth and bring to simmer, stirring constantly. Add cream, reduce heat to medium, and simmer until sauce thickens, about 2-3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Oven Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the green beans in a 9×13 baking dish. Pour the sauce over the beans. Top with an even layer of fried onions. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the beans and sauce are hot and bubbling.
Slow Cooker Directions
- Add green beans to a 4-QT slow cooker. Pour the sauce over the beans and stir to mix. Spread in an even layer and cover with lid. Cook on HIGH until bubbling, about 1 hour, or cook on LOW for 2-3 hours.
- When the green beans are bubbling and hot, reduce the heat to WARM or sprinkle with fried onions and serve immediately. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Notes
Nutrition
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