Fresh Green Bean Casserole From Scratch

By Foodology Geek

Ingredients

2 medium onions (thinly sliced)
½ cup buttermilk (substitute regular milk in a pinch)
1 tsp kosher salt
¼ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup bread crumbs (panko)
cooking oil spray (I use olive oil in an oil mister)
1 pound haricots verts (or green beans, rinsed and trimmed)
10 cups water
2 tablespoons kosher salt
10 cups ice water
12 ounces mushrooms (trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cloves garlic (minced)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (or use 1 tbsp cornstarch)
1 cup chicken broth (or veggie broth)
1 cup half-and-half (or heavy cream)
1 teaspoon fresh thyme

Prep Time20mins
Cook Time50mins
Servings10

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425.

Make the onion rings

Line the baking sheet with parchment paper.

Combine the onions with the salt and the buttermilk. Let them sit for 5-10 minutes.

In a large shallow dish, combine the flour and the panko bread crumbs and toss to combine. Add in the onion rings a little at a time. Toss to coat with the breading mixture and then set them on the baking sheet until you cook them.

Spray a thin coat of spray on the onion rings.

Place the pan on the middle rack of the oven and bake until golden brown, approximately 20 minutes.

Watch closely as oven temperatures vary. Toss the onions 2 to 3 times during cooking.

Once done, remove from the oven and set aside until ready to use. Turn the oven down to 400.

Blanch the green beans

While the onions are cooking, prepare the beans.

Bring the water and 2 tablespoons of salt to a boil in an 8-quart saucepan.

Add the beans and blanch for 5 minutes.

Drain in a colander and immediately plunge the beans into a large bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Once they thoroughly cooled, drain off the water and set aside.

Creamy Mushroom Sauce

Heat the butter and olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the sliced mushrooms and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, occasionally stirring, until the mushrooms are a deep golden brown, approximately 10 minutes.

Stir in the garlic and cook for another 1 to 2 minutesseason with black pepper. Adjust the salt if needed.

Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and stir to combine. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes. You want to cook the flour and brown it slightly.

Add the broth, stir and simmer. The flour and broth will combine to thicken the sauce.

Decrease the heat to medium-low and add the half-and-half. Cook until the mixture thickens, stirring occasionally, approximately 6 to 8 minutes.

Finish the sauce with a sprinkle of fresh thyme.

Remove the mushroom mixture from the heat and stir in 1/4 of the onion rings. Stir to combine.

Assemble The Green Bean Casserole

Combine the green beans and the creamy mushroom sauce. This can be done by adding the green beans to the mushroom sauce and then adding the mixture to your baking dish. OR The green beans can be added to the dish and then the mushroom sauce poured over the beans.

Top with the remaining onion rings. (Right before baking.)

Bake @ 400. Place the casserole into the oven and bake until bubbly, approximately 20 to 30 minutes. Remove and serve immediately.