It’s no wonder that the Green bean casserole ranks high when it comes to Thanksgiving side dishes. It’s one that this food writer considers a favorite, too. What’s not to like about a creamy concoction with a crispy fried topping?
This iconic dish has graced many Thanksgiving tables for decades. The Campbell’s company, where the beloved casserole and holiday staple was created back in 1955, recent “State of the Sides” survey, says the dish appears on more than half of Thanksgiving tables. And in the Midwest, it ranks even higher, with 61% saying its on their tables, according to the survey.
While the original recipe is an easy and tasty dish to prepare with just six ingredients, there are many variations of the dish. It’s an ideal dish to put a creative spin on, as simple as sauteing extra mushrooms and using more fried onions.
How the green bean casserole came about
The dish was originally called Green Bean Bake, and it didn’t become a Thanksgiving staple until the recipe appeared on the label of Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom soup in the 1960s. On Thanksgiving Day, the Campbell’s recipe is viewed more than a million times, according to the green bean casserole history on the Campbell’s website. It’s so popular during the holidays that half of Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom soup sales take place from November through January.
A favorite recipe
One version I like best is the make-ahead recipe below that I adapted from a Cook’s Country Magazine recipe and tweaked over the years. This version uses no canned soup; rather, you make your creamy base with half-and-half and use fresh sauteed cremini mushrooms. You can put this together a day ahead — minus the topping — or freeze it days ahead. The topping for this version is a mix of torn bread, crispy fried onions and butter, which is delicious.
Make-ahead green bean casserole
Serves: 12 / Preparation time: 15 minutes / Total time: 1 hour, 20 minutes (not all active time)
TOPPING2 slices sandwich bread, torn into pieces
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups French-fried onions
CASSEROLE
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
10 ounces white or cremini mushrooms, washed, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
4 garlic cloves, minced
½ teaspoon dried thyme, optional
¼ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup white wine, optional
1 ½ cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 ¼ cups half-and-half
2 pounds frozen cut green beans, partially thawed and patted dry
¼ cup cornstarch
To make the topping: In a food processor, pulse the bread pieces with butter and salt until coarsely ground. Transfer to a freezer bag, add the fried onions and freeze if making days ahead.
To make the casserole: In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, salt and pepper and cook until the mushrooms release their liquid, about 5 minutes. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook until the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and thyme (if using) and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the flour and cook until golden, about 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the wine (or substitute broth), broth and half-and-half and bring just to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened. Remove from the heat.In a large bowl, toss the green beans with the cornstarch and transfer to a 13-by-9-inch baking dish or 3-quart casserole dish. Pour the mushroom mixture evenly over the beans and stir to combine. If freezing, let cool completely. Wrap with plastic wrap and cover with foil. Freeze.
To bake and serve: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the casserole in the oven and bake until heated through, about 35 minutes. Add the topping mixture and bake until golden brown, about 8 minutes more. If cooking from frozen, remove the foil and plastic, then put the foil back on the baking dish. Bake until sauce is bubbling and beans are tender, about 50 minutes. Remove the foil and sprinkle the topping mixture over the beans. Bake until golden brown, about 8 minutes.
Tested by Free Press food writer Susan Selasky and adapted from Cook’s Country magazine.
Contact Detroit Free Press food and restaurant writer Susan Selasky and send food and restaurant news and tips to: sselasky@freepress.com. Become a subscriber. Follow @SusanMariecooks on Instagram and X, formerly known as Twitter. Subscribe to the Eat Drink Freep newsletter for insider scoops on food and dining in metro Detroit.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Prep green bean casserole before Thanksgiving with make-ahead recipe
Reporting by Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
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