Description
A classic Green Bean Casserole featuring tender green beans in a creamy, savory sauce made with butter, flour, spices, Dijon mustard, chicken or vegetable stock, and half and half, topped with crispy French fried onions and baked to golden perfection. Perfect for holiday dinners or comforting family meals.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables
- 2 pounds fresh or frozen green beans
Sauce
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 cup vegetable or chicken stock
- 2 cups half and half
Topping
- 1 ½ cups French fried onions
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F and position the rack in the center of the oven to prepare for baking the casserole.
- Blanch Green Beans: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the green beans and cook until almost tender, about 3 minutes for fresh or 2 minutes for frozen. Drain immediately and transfer to a large bowl of ice water to stop the cooking, leaving them for 2 minutes. Drain again and pat dry.
- Prepare Sauce Base: In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Whisk in flour, onion powder, garlic powder, sea salt, black pepper, nutmeg, and Dijon mustard. Cook this mixture, whisking occasionally, until fragrant and slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.
- Add Liquids: Slowly whisk in the chicken or vegetable stock until smooth, then gradually whisk in the half and half. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes.
- Combine Green Beans and Sauce: Place the blanched green beans in a 9×13-inch baking dish. Pour the creamy sauce over the green beans and toss gently to coat evenly.
- Bake Casserole: Bake uncovered in the preheated oven until the sauce begins to bubble, about 20 minutes.
- Add Topping: Remove from the oven and toss the green beans again to combine. Sprinkle the French fried onions evenly on top of the casserole.
- Final Bake: Return the casserole to the oven and bake until the onions are golden brown and crisp, about 10 minutes more. Remove and serve warm.
Notes
- Blanching the green beans in boiling water and shocking them in ice water helps retain their bright color and crisp texture.
- If you prefer a richer flavor, use chicken stock instead of vegetable stock.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend and ensure the French fried onions are gluten-free.
- Make sure to pat the green beans dry after blanching to prevent the casserole from becoming watery.
- French fried onions can be made from scratch or store-bought for convenience.
