Marie Saba

From My Kitchen To Yours

Green Bean Casserole

Green bean casserole is a Thanksgiving classic. But instead of canned green beans and cream of mushroom soup, this green bean casserole starts with fresh French green beans and a pound of sliced mushrooms. Yum!

For the sauce, we use chicken broth and half and half, thickened with flour and sour cream, for a ultra-creamy but not overly-heavy texture. To add layers of flavor, we use fresh thyme and garlic, along with stone-ground mustard and Worcestershire sauce. And then to brighten things up, we sprinkle in a little lemon zest before cooking, and then lemon juice at the end.

For the topping, grab jar of French fried onions, or try your hand at some home-fried shallots! Either one adds a salty, crispy, indulgent crunch to a creamy green bean casserole. Can’t wait for you to try it!

Looking for some other Thanksgiving favorites? Try our homemade dinner rolls, marinated broccoli salad, p umpkin pie, bourbon pecan pie, or favorite apple pie.

Green Bean Casserole

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs. French green beans, trimmed and cut into thirds
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 lb. sliced mushrooms
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 sprigs fresh thyme (leaves only)
2 Tablespoons flour
1 1/4 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups half-and-half
1 teaspoon stone-ground mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 Tablespoons sour cream
1 teaspoon lemon zest
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (divided)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice

For topping: fried onions or shallots

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 10x8x2.5-inch baking dish.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt and wait until the boil returns. Add green beans and cook until tender, 8-10 minutes. Using tongs, transfer cooked green beans to an ice bath to stop the cooking and maintain bright green color. Drain water and dry beans thoroughly. Transfer to the baking dish.
In a large saute pan, melt butter over medium high heat. Add olive oil and mushrooms. Cook 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently, until mushrooms are starting to brown and liquid is evaporated. Add garlic and thyme leaves, stir, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute (mixture will be very dry). Add chicken brown, stir, and cook 2-3 minutes until mixture starts to thicken. Add half-and-half, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce; stir to combine. Cook 5 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Add sour cream, lemon zest, 1/2 cup grated Parmesan, salt, and pepper; stir to combine. Pour sauce over green beans and gently stir to combine.
Bake casserole at 375 degrees F for 30-40 minutes, or until filling is bubbly and green beans are soft. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice and remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan. Stir to combine. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. Top with crispy fried onions or shallots and serve.

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