This green bean casserole recipe features fresh green beans, baked in a luscious creamy sauce, and crowned with crunchy, golden-brown onions. Made without mushroom soup or bacon, it comes together quickly and with minimal effort.
For your holiday table, try some of these tasty dishes like spicy deviled eggs, roasted sweet potato cubes, butternut squash casserole or cabbage pie.
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🛒Ingredients
- Fresh Green beans - use cleaned and trimmed fresh, unblemished green beans to maintain their mild sweetness and earthy flavor. While I like to use fresh-cut green beans or French-style green beans, you can use frozen or canned green beans too. I appreciate the crispy texture that fresh or frozen green beans bring to the casserole; canned beans simply don't offer the same crunch.
- French-Fried Onions - these crispy fried onions are a must-have for texture and flavor in the casserole. You can find them in small cans, and they add a delightful crispiness and additional flavor to the dish.
- Milk - for that creamy texture and making the roux.
- Butter - I typically use salted butter in this recipe, but unsalted butter works equally well. If using unsalted butter, consider adding a touch more salt to suit your taste preferences.
- All-purpose flour - It serves as the thickening agent, ensuring the casserole isn't too wet or runny in consistency.
- Note on herbs - elevate the flavor profile of the green bean casserole with a blend of fresh thyme, ground nutmeg, kosher salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika. Optionally, for a subtle spicy kick, consider adding a pinch of red pepper flakes.
- All-purpose flour - crucial for thickening the sauce of the green bean casserole as part of the roux.
- Enhanced umami flavors - add soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce to boost umami in your mushroom-free cheesy green bean casserole. Adjust to taste, considering the saltiness of these ingredients. I recommend modifying the salt amount accordingly to avoid an overly salty dish.
- Cheese - strong cheeses like white cheddar and parmesan provide savory umami flavors. Adjust cheese types according to preference, with Colby Jack, Monterey Jack offering a buttery, mildly sweet taste. You can adjust the amount to suit your preference; I prefer a lesser amount, so I often use less than the 1 cup recommended for a less cheesy casserole.
For the full list of ingredients and step by step, please scroll down to where you'll find the recipe card.
Toppings Ideas
- Panko breadcrumbs: use one cup of toasted panko breadcrumbs mixed with two tablespoons of parmesan cheese.
- Crumbled croutons: use pre-seasoned and crispy crumbled croutons.
- Crackers: buttered and crunchy crackers, like Ritz crackers.
- Cornflakes: similar to my ham & potato casserole, sprinkle one cup of crumbled cornflakes on top of the casserole before baking.
- Caramelized onions: add separately prepared caramelized onions to the dish along with the blanched green beans.
- Crispy bacon cooked to your liking!
📋Tips
- Seasonings to taste - Don't compromise on flavor. Taste the casserole sauce as you cook and adjust the seasoning to reach your desired taste profile.
- Making the roux - Take your time cooking the flour for the roux until it achieves a light brown color before gradually adding liquids. Whisk constantly to prevent clumps and ensure proper blending and boiling.
- Fresh mushrooms (optional) - While this recipe excludes mushrooms or cream soup, you can easily incorporate fresh mushrooms like cremini or baby bella. Saute sliced mushrooms in a tablespoon of butter, set aside, prepare the roux, and then add the sauteed mushrooms to the sauce mixture along with the green beans. Coat them thoroughly before proceeding.
- Covering the top - To prevent the topping from browning too quickly while baking, cover the casserole with aluminum foil for most of the baking time. Uncover it for the last few minutes until it reaches the desired browning.
- Resting time - Once out of the oven, allow the green bean casserole to rest for 10 minutes. This resting period allows the sauce to set before serving.
Can I Use Frozen or Canned Green Beans Instead Of Fresh?
- Using frozen beans: When using frozen green beans thaw them and consider blanching based on your preference for texture—testing their thawed state can help you decide whether to blanch or not.
- Canned beans: Canned green beans aren't my preferred choice for this casserole due to their soft and watery nature, but they can suffice if needed. Ensure thorough draining before adding them directly to a large bowl without blanching.
Storage Instructions
- 🍱To Store. Store leftover green bean casserole in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- 🥶Freezing. This recipe, relying on a roux base with flour-thickened sauces, doesn't freeze well. Additionally, the fried onion topping will lose its crispiness and become soggy during freezing and thawing.
- 🔥To Reheat. Reheat the casserole by placing it in a 350 degrees Fahrenheit oven for 7-10 minutes or until thoroughly heated.
- To Make Ahead. To prepare your no-mushroom green bean casserole in advance, follow the recipe until you transfer the green beans into the casserole dish. Allow the mixture to cool, cover it tightly with aluminum foil, and refrigerate for up to one day. When ready to serve, bake as directed.
👪Serving Suggestions
The irresistible richness of a hearty, vegetable-filled green bean casserole is simply irresistible.
This dish isn't just suitable for Christmas or Thanksgiving feasts (especially when paired with roasted turkey, cranberry sauce, sweet potato casserole, and mashed potatoes!), glazed carrots, but also serves as a delectable side for a Sunday supper.
How do you prevent watery green bean casserole?
From my testing, It's best to use fresh or frozen green beans. Make sure to blanch and drain them thoroughly. Canned green beans or unthawed frozen ones might introduce excess water, potentially affecting the casserole's consistency.
📖Recipe
Green Bean Casserole (No Mushrooms)
Ingredients
- 2 cups green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
- ½ cup fried onion
- 1 cup grated cheddar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 cup milk
- 2 tablespoon all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
- ⅓ teaspoon salt or more to taste
- ⅓ teaspoon pepper
- ⅕ teaspoon nutmeg, optional
Instructions
- Begin by preheating the oven to 370F. Then, melt the butter and add all-purpose flour whisking continuously for 2 minutes.2 tablespoon all purpose flour
- Next, pour in the milk and use a spatula or whisk to stir the sauce thoroughly, ensuring there are no lumps. Add salt, soy sauce, and spices, and blend well. If the sauce appears too thick, incorporate more milk and continue stirring. The sauce will thicken even more once cooled.1 cup milk, 2 tablespoon unsalted butter, ⅓ teaspoon salt or more to taste, ⅓ teaspoon pepper, ⅕ teaspoon nutmeg, 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- Combine green beans, ⅔ cup of grated cheddar, and most of the fried onion (reserving 3 tablespoons) in a mixing bowl.2 cups green beans, 1 cup grated cheddar, ½ cup fried onion
- Pour the prepared sauce over the bean mixture and gently mix using a spatula.
- Transfer the mixture to a baking dish approximately 12*12 inches in size. Bake for 25 minutes in the preheated oven.
- After the initial bake, sprinkle the remaining cheese and crispy onions on top of the casserole, then bake for an additional 10 minutes until the top is golden brown.
- Once done, allow to rest for 10-15 minutes and serve the hot casserole by slicing it into pieces and enjoy!
Notes
- To Store. Store leftover green bean casserole in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Freezing. This recipe, relying on a roux base with flour-thickened sauces, doesn't freeze well. Additionally, the fried onion topping will lose its crispiness and become soggy during freezing and thawing.
- To Reheat. Reheat the casserole by placing it in a 350 degrees Fahrenheit oven for 7-10 minutes or until thoroughly heated.
- Using frozen beans. When using frozen green beans thaw them and consider blanching based on your preference for texture—testing their thawed state can help you decide whether to blanch or not.
- Canned beans. Canned green beans aren't my preferred choice for this casserole due to their soft and watery nature, but they can suffice if needed. Ensure thorough draining before adding them directly to a large bowl without blanching.
Nutrition
❤️Did you make this recipe? Please be sure to leave a rating and a comment below. Thank you!❤️
🥘 Step By Step
Begin by preheating the oven to 370F. Then, melt the butter and add all-purpose flour whisking continuously for 2 minutes.
Next, pour in the milk and use a spatula or whisk to stir the sauce thoroughly, ensuring there are no lumps.
Add salt, soy sauce, and spices, and blend well. If the sauce appears too thick, incorporate more milk and continue stirring. The sauce will thicken even more once cooled.
Combine green beans, ⅔ cup of grated cheddar, and most of the fried onion (reserving 3 tablespoons) in a mixing bowl.
Pour the prepared sauce over the bean mixture and gently mix using a spatula.
Transfer the mixture to a baking dish approximately 12*12 inches in size. Bake for 25 minutes in the preheated oven.
After the initial bake, sprinkle the remaining cheese and crispy onions on top of the casserole, then bake for an additional 10 minutes until the top is golden brown.
Once done, allow to rest for 10-15 minutes and serve the hot casserole by slicing it into pieces and enjoy!
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