Description
A classic and creamy green bean casserole made with fresh or frozen green beans, a rich cream sauce seasoned with spices and Dijon mustard, topped with crispy French fried onions for a perfect holiday side dish.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 2 pounds fresh or frozen green beans
- 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
- 1 ½ cups French fried onions
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 375°F with a rack in the center position to ensure even baking of the casserole.
- Blanch Green Beans: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat and prepare a large bowl of ice water. Add the green beans to the boiling water and cook until almost tender—about 3 minutes for fresh or 2 minutes for frozen. Drain and immediately transfer the beans to the ice bath for 2 minutes to stop the cooking process. Drain and pat dry, then add them to a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- Make Cream Sauce: Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisk in the flour, onion powder, garlic powder, sea salt, black pepper, ground nutmeg, and Dijon mustard. Cook, whisking occasionally, until fragrant and slightly bubbling, about 2 minutes.
- Add Liquids: Gradually whisk in the chicken or vegetable stock until smooth, then slowly whisk in the half and half. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat and cook until thickened, stirring occasionally, approximately 5 minutes.
- Combine Sauce and Beans: Pour the thickened cream sauce over the blanched green beans in the baking dish and toss gently to coat the beans evenly.
- Bake Casserole: Place the casserole in the preheated oven and bake until the sauce starts to bubble, about 20 minutes.
- Add Topping and Finish Baking: Remove the casserole from the oven, toss the green beans lightly, then sprinkle the French fried onions evenly on top. Return the casserole to the oven and bake until the onions are golden brown and crispy, about 10 more minutes.
Notes
- Using fresh green beans gives a firmer texture, while frozen beans give a slightly softer bite — both work well.
- For a vegetarian version, use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock.
- French fried onions can be found in most grocery stores or made at home by frying thinly sliced onions.
- Make sure to pat the green beans dry well after blanching to prevent thinning the sauce.
- This casserole can be prepared a day ahead; just add the topping before baking.
- Use half and half for a creamy texture with less fat than heavy cream.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 350 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
