Green Bean Casserole (from scratch!)

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Scratch made green bean casserole is easy to make and loads tastier than the canned version! This green bean casserole is the BEST version I've ever made!

Y'all. I could eat this for dinner, all by itself, straight from the pan. I adore green bean casserole - it's by far my favorite holiday side dish. And yes, I know, it traditionally shows up about once a year, right next to the turkey and stuffing, but I don't see why you have to wait all year to enjoy the deliciousness that is green bean casserole. Especially when it's so easy! This version is heaps healthier and SO much tastier than a canned version.


Cooking up comfort food these cold, winter days? This would be perfect alongside a roast chicken, pork tenderloin, or pork roast.

 

Green Bean Casserole

1.5 pounds fresh green beans, ends trimmed and longer beans snapped in half

2 tablespoons butter

1 small onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 large portabello mushroom caps, chopped

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 cup chicken broth

1 cup half & half

1/2 cup breadcrumbs

6 ounces french fried onions

salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 375.

 

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the green beans and boil for 5 minutes. Drain into a colander and then plunge into a large bowl of ice water (this stops the cooking process). Drain and set aside.

In a large cast iron skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions begin to soften, around 4-5 minutes. Add the mushrooms, salt, and pepper, and continue cooking another 2 minutes.

Sprinkle the flour over top, stir to combine, and cook 2 minutes. Add the chicken broth and whisk to combine. Add the half & half and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens, around 6-8 minutes.

Remove from heat and carefully stir in drained green beans until well combined. Sprinkle breadcrumbs over top followed by french fried onions.

Bake until bubbly, around 20 minutes. If your onions begin to burn, simply cover the pan with foil.

Source: adapted from The Novice Chef

 

Southern Style Green Beans

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These are the beans your grandma made! Cooked low and slow, well seasoned, and topped with crispy bacon. You won't have to remind anyone to finish their veggies!

We have a battle of the green beans at our house. I prefer them roasted until crispy and firm. He prefers them straight from a can. Needless to say, green beans aren't on the menu very often! Though I still can't go for beans straight from the can, I do love southern style green beans even though they are not crispy nor firm!

Side note: if you don't like mushy beans, you won't like these!

I'm not a soggy bacon fan so I fry the bacon first to infuse the bacon grease flavor throughout the beans but then remove them until the very end. Fat back is also something that seriously infuses loads of southern flavor if you can find it. I lucked out at the grocery store and they had a whole rack of it! If you can't find it but have access to a ham hock, that would be worth throwing in instead.

Southern Style Green Beans

8 slices thick cut bacon, diced

2 pounds green beans, trimmed and longer beans snapped in half

4 cups chicken broth

1 teaspoon seasoning salt

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon onion powder

pinch of red pepper flakes

2-3 slices fat back, optional

salt, to taste (add at the end)

1 tablespoon butter

In a large pot, fry the diced bacon until crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Add the green beans to the pot and stir to coat. Add the chicken broth, seasoning salt, garlic powder, black pepper, onion powder, red pepper flakes, and fat back; stir to combine. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to medium-low. Barely simmer (don't let boil) for 1-1.5 hours, stirring occasionally. 

Once finished, remove the fat back and drain the beans. Return the beans to the pot and add the butter, stirring until melted. Taste and add salt or other seasonings if needed. 

Sprinkle with reserved bacon before serving.