From Scratch Green Bean Casserole Recipe | PasstheSushi.com (2024)

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From scratch Green Bean Casserole is just what it sounds like. There are no canned "cream of" soups harmed in the making of this classic green bean casserole recipe!

Looking for the best homemade green bean casserole?

Forget canned soup. This easy green bean casserole is made with tender green beans, bacon, pimento peppers, sharp cheddar cheese, and a panko breadcrumb crust.

Your next Thanksgiving dinner won't be complete without this green bean casserole recipe. No more mushy green beans. This recipe uses fresh green beans and a homemade sauce instead of the canned version. It's a fun take on the classic green bean casserole we all know and love.

What Is Green Bean Casserole?

First created in 1955, green bean casserole has been a staple at the holiday dinner table, just like cranberry sauce, Thanksgiving dressing, and a Traeger smoked turkey with stuffing.

Traditional green bean casserole is made with canned green beans and cans of cream of mushroom soup. However, this green bean casserole is made from scratch. You get to make your own homemade cream sauce and use fresh green beans. The result is the best green bean casserole recipe you've ever had.

What you'll love about this recipe:

  • CLASSIC - this green bean casserole is a Thanksgiving classic with a creamy sauce that will have everyone talking until Christmas.
  • FRESH - this recipe uses fresh ingredients. No canned stuff here.

What You Need to Make Green Bean Casserole

  • Fresh Green Beans – just plain old fresh green beans. You can use French green beans if you like.
  • Bacon – adds a slightly smoky flavor.
  • Garlic Cloves & White Onion – aromatics to add flavor.
  • Butter – adds a velvety, rich consistency.
  • All-Purpose Flour – thickens the sauce.
  • Whole Milk & Half-and-Half – creates a creamy sauce.
  • Salt
  • Freshly Ground Black Pepper
  • Cayenne Pepper – adds a kick of heat.
  • Sharp Cheddar Cheese
  • Pimento Peppers – adds a kick of heat. Can be found in the latin food section of the grocery store. You may also find fresh ones in the produce section.
  • Extra Milk For Thinning If Necessary
  • Panko Breadcrumbs – creates a crunchy crust.

How to Make Green Bean Casserole from Scratch

  • First, prep your green beans by trimming off the ends. If you prefer smaller pieces, you can cut the green beans in half. Next, blanch the green beans by dropping them into lightly salted boiling water. Let them cook for about 3 to 4 minutes. Then, remove the green beans from the boiling water using a slotted spoon and immediately place them in a bowl of ice-cold water to stop the cooking process. Once they're cool, drain the beans and set them aside.
  • Now, it's time to cook the bacon. Add the bacon pieces to a skillet over medium heat and let them cook for about two minutes. Then, add the diced onion and garlic to the skillet and continue cooking for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the bacon is done but not yet crispy and the onions are golden brown. Once done, remove the skillet from the heat and set it aside.
  • In a separate skillet or saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Once melted, sprinkle the flour into the pan and whisk immediately to mix it evenly into the butter. Let it cook for a minute or two, then pour in the milk and half and half. Keep cooking and whisking constantly until the sauce thickens, which should take about 2 minutes. Then, add salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper. After that, add the grated cheddar cheese and stir until the cheese melts. Now, turn off the heat.
  • Next, add the pimentos to the pan, followed by the bacon and onion mixture. Stir everything together, then pour the mixture over the green beans. Gently stir to combine. Transfer the green beans to a baking dish and sprinkle panko crumbs on top.
  • Finally, bake the dish at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until the sauce is bubbly and the panko crumbs turn golden brown.

Expert Recipe Tips

  • If you want a more traditional green bean casserole, top with crispy fried onions.
  • If you're still longing for that can of cream of mushroom soup, add some chopped cremini or button mushrooms to the sauce.
From Scratch Green Bean Casserole Recipe | PasstheSushi.com (2)

How to Store Leftovers & Reheat

Store leftover green bean casserole in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.

To reheat, place a portion of the casserole in a baking dish and reheat at 350ºF for 20-30 minutes.

What to Serve With Green Bean Casserole

Since this is a Thanksgiving recipe, it's best served alongside a juicy oven-roasted turkey, sausage cornbread stuffing, and Mama's mashed potatoes.

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Make your Thanksgiving day memorable with this homemade green bean casserole. If you try this recipe, please rate the recipe card and leave a comment down below to help out the next reader!

📖 Recipe

From Scratch Green Bean Casserole Recipe | PasstheSushi.com (7)

From Scratch Green Bean Casserole

From scratch green bean casserole is just what it sounds like. There are no canned “cream of” soups harmed in the making of this classic green bean casserole recipe!

5 from 1 vote

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From Scratch Green Bean Casserole Recipe | PasstheSushi.com (8) American

Author: Kita

45 minutes mins

Serves: 8

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds Fresh Green Beans - Ends Cut Off
  • 4 slices Bacon - Cut Into ¼ Inch Pieces
  • 3 cloves Garlic - Minced
  • ½ whole Large Onion - Chopped
  • 4 tablespoon Butter
  • 4 tablespoon flour
  • 2-½ cups Whole Milk
  • ½ cups Half-and-half
  • 1-½ teaspoon Salt - More To Taste
  • Freshly Ground Black Pepper - To Taste
  • teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
  • 1 cup Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese
  • 1 4 oz jar Sliced Pimentoes - Drained
  • Extra Milk For Thinning If Necessary
  • 1 cup Panko Bread Crumbs

Instructions

  • Prep your green beans by trimming the ends off. Cut green beans in half if you like pieces to be a little smaller.

  • Blanch the green beans: drop them into lightly salted boiling water and allow green beans to cook for about 3 to 4 minutes.

  • Remove them from the boiling water with a slotted spoon and immediately plunge them into a bowl of ice cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain beans once they’re cool and set aside.

  • Add bacon pieces to a skillet over medium heat.

  • Cook bacon for two minutes, then add diced onion and garlic and continue cooking for 3 to 5 minutes, or until bacon is done (but not crisp) and onions are golden brown. Remove from heat and set aside.

  • In a separate skillet or saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.

  • Sprinkle flour into the pan and whisk immediately to evenly mix it into the butter. Cook for a minute or two, then pour in milk and half and half.

  • Continue cooking, whisking constantly, while sauce thickens, about 2 minutes.

  • Add salt, pepper, and cayenne then add the grated cheddar. Stir while cheese melts. Turn off heat.

  • Add pimentos to pan, then add bacon/onion mixture.

  • Stir to combine and pour over green beans. Stir gently to combine.

  • Transfer the green beans into a baking dish and top with panko crumbs.

  • Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until sauce is bubbly and panko crumbs are golden.

Notes

from The Pioneer Woman

Nutritional informations provided as a courtesy and is only an approximatation. Values will changes based on ingredients used.

⭐ Tried this recipe? Rate it ⭐

Help out the next person and give it a star rating below!

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Recipe FAQs

Yes. Make this recipe the day before and reheat in the oven using the reheating instructions above.

Absolutely. Just toss all of your ingredients into the crock pot and cook on LOW for 5-6 hours.

Kita

Kita is a world traveled photographer and writer with over a decade of experience. An award-winning co*cktail developer and not-so-secret BBQ aficionado.

From Scratch Green Bean Casserole Recipe | PasstheSushi.com (2024)

FAQs

How do you make green bean casserole not runny? ›

Mistake #5: A Runny Casserole

If you don't, the excess water from the beans can leak out into the casserole and make it thin and runny. If you sense it's a little watery, "add a thickener like roux or starch to absorb the additional liquid or cook a little longer," she says.

Should green bean casserole be soupy before cooking? ›

Mistake No.

Green bean casserole should have a nice thick sauce that coats the green beans—it should not resemble soup. One common cause of a watery casserole is not adding enough thickener, such as flour or cornstarch, to your sauce.

Which is better frozen or canned green beans for green bean casserole? ›

My mother always made green bean casserole with store-bought canned green beans because that's what her mother did. When I make green bean casserole, I skip canned beans all together. Frozen green beans are the best green beans to use for green bean casserole.

Can you substitute fresh green beans for canned? ›

Using blanched fresh green beans instead of canned or frozen yields a brighter color and a crisp-tender texture. A homemade mushroom sauce, made with butter, cream, chicken stock, and a touch of soy sauce, lends the casserole extra nutty and savory flavors.

How long can green bean casserole sit out before baking? ›

How Long Can Green Bean Casserole Sit Out? The casserole can sit out at room temperature for about an hour, then it should be reheated or stored in the fridge.

Why is my green bean casserole soggy? ›

Your Crispy Onion Topping Is Soggy

Yet it's one of the most common green bean casserole mistakes a home chef can make. If this happens to you, it may be due to adding that topping too early; toppings should be added at the very end of the cooking process, shortly before you pull it out of the oven.

How many ounces are 4 cups of green beans? ›

Notes: ✿ 4 cups of green beans is about 1½ pounds fresh or 16 ounces frozen or 2 cans (15 ounces each) drained.

Why is green bean casserole so good? ›

Fans love the dish in part because of how simple it is to throw together. It calls for ingredients that could be found in a typical home kitchen pantry: canned or fresh green beans, mushroom soup, milk, soy sauce and black pepper.

Can you overcook green bean casserole? ›

Overcooking the beans won't just drain them of their appealing color, but it will also make them too soft and mushy, resulting in a less appetizing casserole.

How many days is green bean casserole good for? ›

How many days is green bean casserole good for? Leftover green bean casserole is good for up to 4 days.

Should you drain and rinse canned green beans? ›

Unless the recipe tells you to keep the canned beans in their liquid, you should drain your can and give the beans a good rinse before using. This will improve the flavor and texture of your finished dish. Open your cans of beans using a can opener. There may be sharp edges from opening the can.

How do I thicken up my green bean casserole? ›

Start making a slurry, a tool for thickening sauces, by whisking a small amount of cornstarch or flour with water or broth. Whisk until there aren't visible lumps. It should be thick but drizzly in consistency. As you constantly stir, add small amounts of the slurry to the filling.

What can I add to green beans for flavor? ›

Soy sauce is one of the easiest answers to how to flavor green beans. You can throw in some of this soy sauce, sesame oil, olive oil, ginger, and garlic and pan fry until glassy and green and you may never want to eat green beans any other way again.

Should you drain canned green beans before cooking? ›

One of the primary reasons for draining and rinsing canned beans, or any canned food, is to remove some of the excess salt.

What to do if casserole is too runny? ›

How to Thicken Runny Sauces and Soups
  1. Pre-Cooking Adjustments/ Add Less Water. ...
  2. Let the Sauce Cool Down. ...
  3. Remove the Lid, Allowing some of the Liquid to Evaporate. ...
  4. Make a Roux and Add It to Your Sauce Mid-Cooking. ...
  5. Adding Cornstarch Slurry.
Mar 7, 2022

How do you make beans less liquidy? ›

Either drain off some of the excess liquid, add a thickener such as a starch slurry, or simply cook the beans longer until the liquid reduces out.

Why are my green beans so watery? ›

If you toss frozen green beans straight into a pan, all the ice around them will thaw and create a pool of water in the bottom of the pan, which then has to cook off before the green beans start to saute. This results in overcooked, soft, soggy, and rubbery green beans.

How do you thicken watery beans? ›

Starch-based thickeners are a reliable way to achieve the perfect consistency in refried beans. For immediate results, one can create a slurry by mixing equal parts of cornstarch, all-purpose flour, or arrowroot powder with water, and then gradually stirring the mixture into the simmering beans.

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