Creamy mushroom sauce, tender green beans, and crispy onions—holiday comfort that even picky eaters surrender to.

This green bean casserole from scratch keeps the holiday nostalgia but upgrades the flavor—fresh mushrooms, real cream sauce, and crunchy onions on top. No canned soup, no weird aftertaste, just pure Christmas comfort that works on any family table worldwide.

Why You’ll Love This Dish

• Real mushroom cream sauce (no canned soup)
• Make-ahead friendly for stress-free holidays
• Crunchy onion topping everyone fights over
• Works with turkey, chicken, ham, pernil—anything

Kitchen Tools

Large pot, skillet, whisk, 9×13 in (23×33 cm) baking dish, colander, measuring cups/spoons.

Ingredients (Serves 8–10)

Green Beans

• 900 g (2 lb) green beans, trimmed (fresh is best)
• Salt (for blanching water)

From-Scratch Mushroom Sauce

• 4 tbsp butter
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 450 g (1 lb) mushrooms, sliced (button/cremini)
• 1 tsp salt (start here)
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp thyme (dried) or 1 tsp fresh
• 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 2 cups milk
• 1 cup chicken or vegetable stock
• 1/2 cup heavy cream (or evaporated milk)
• 1 tbsp soy sauce or Worcestershire (optional, for depth)
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan (optional)

Topping

• 2 cups crispy fried onions (store-bought is fine)
  (Optional upgrade: add 1/2 cup toasted breadcrumbs for extra crunch.)

Instructions

1. Blanch beans: Boil salted water. Add green beans and cook 3–4 minutes until bright green. Drain and shock in cold water. Drain well.
2. Cook mushrooms: Melt butter in a skillet over medium-high. Add onion; cook 3–4 minutes. Add mushrooms and salt; cook until mushrooms release liquid and start browning 8–10 minutes. Add garlic and thyme for 30 seconds.
3. Make sauce: Sprinkle flour over mushrooms; stir 1 minute. Slowly whisk in milk, then stock. Simmer 4–6 minutes until thick and creamy. Stir in cream and soy/Worcestershire. Taste and adjust salt/pepper.
4. Assemble: Heat oven to 190°C / 375°F. Combine green beans with sauce in the baking dish. Stir in 1 cup crispy onions.
5. Bake: Bake 20 minutes. Top with remaining 1 cup crispy onions and bake 5–8 minutes more until bubbling and golden.

Pro Tips & Substitutions

• Fresh vs frozen: Frozen beans work—thaw and pat dry; skip blanching.
• Extra savory: Add 1 tsp Dijon mustard to the sauce.
• Gluten-free: Use GF flour blend or cornstarch slurry; top with GF crispy onions.
• Lighter: Use all milk (skip cream) and reduce butter to 2 tbsp.
• Make it “grown-up”: Add a splash of white wine while cooking mushrooms.

Make-Ahead

• Assemble (without final onion topping), cover, and refrigerate up to 24 hours.
• Bake as directed, adding 5–10 minutes if cold. Add topping at the end.

Storage & Reheating

• Fridge: 3 days
• Reheat: 170°C/340°F until hot. Add fresh crispy onions right before serving.

Serving Suggestions

• Perfect with roast chicken, ham, pernil, lasagna, or turkey
• Add cranberry sauce or a bright salad to balance the creaminess

Nutritional Information (per serving, approx., 10 servings)

• Calories: 230
• Protein: 6g
• Carbohydrates: 16g
• Fat: 16g
• Sodium: 420mg
  (Varies by crispy onions brand and seasoning.)

Did You Try This Recipe?

Show us your crunchy-topped casserole and tag @comfortdishesofficial — Simple meals, big comfort.