The casserole of ALL Thanksgiving casseroles. Remember this one?
Created in the Campbell test kitchen in 1955 by Dorcas Reilly. It was labeled as creamy and simple with only six ingredients and would only take 10 minutes to put together. This casserole has adorned every Holiday table for more than 60 years! You’ve had it, right?
This dish would qualify as the vegetable on the Thanksgiving table. So, in kid-like fashion, I would push away the mushy canned green beans and only eat the crispy French’s fried onions. Did you know the original recipe had soy sauce in it? Did most homes even have a bottle of kikomans in the pantry in 1955? I’m thinking they added this as either a marketing ploy or because it tasted so flat it needed some Umami. It was always left on my plate…nothing could compare to Mama’s buttery mashed potatoes or my Mom’s traditional stuffing.
Soon after, I caught an old episode of Good Eats. Alton Brown revisited this casserole and blew my mind. I have adapted it a little over the years and I think I’ve really got something here. I feel like it takes just as much effort to whisk the roux and cream together as it does opening all those cans. You will too.
Who knew it could be this good?
Green Bean Casserole 2.0
Ingredients
For the Crisp Onions:
- 3-4 large Shallots ( you may use 1 large medium onion ) peeled, and sliced into 1/8-1/4" rings
- 1/4-1/2 cup All purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- Fresh ground pepper
- Avocado oil or Canola oil, for frying
For the Mushroom Cream Sauce:
- 3 Tablespoons Unsalted butter
- 12 ounces Mushrooms, such as crimini or portobello white are fine
- Salt and pepper
- 1 clove Garlic minced
- 1/2 teaspoon Dried Thyme
- 3 Tablespoons Flour
- 3/4 cup Heavy Cream
- 1/2 cups Chicken or Turkey stock
For the green beans
- 12-14 oz. Fresh green beans, ends trimmed and then steamed I love the Taylor farms fresh bagged green beans~ you can steam them in the bag in the microwave! You may also use frozen, thawed green beans here too.
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 400 and butter an approximate 9x9 casserole dish.
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Lets make Crispy Onions!:
Toss the shallots or onions in the flour, salt and pepper. Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat and then add the oil. I add enough oil so it reaches about 1/4" up the sides of the pan. When the oil is very hot, add the onions. I fry about a handful at a time and in a single layer and until nicely golden brown. Repeat with the rest of the onions and set on a plate lined with a paper towel~ set aside. Wipe out your cast iron for the cream sauce.
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Mushroom Cream Sauce:
In the wiped out cast iron skillet, melt the butter on medium high heat. Fry the mushrooms and salt and pepper to taste until golden ~ don't crowd them in the pan or they will just steam. You want to brown them. Give them color.
Add the garlic and saute for a minute or two. Don't burn the garlic.
Add the flour and cook the flour and mushroom mixture until the mushrooms are coated.
Add the stock a little at a time and bring to a simmer
Add the heavy cream and thyme and salt and pepper to taste again. The sauce will thicken and bubble. About 5 minutes.
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Assembly:
Remove from the mushroom cream from heat and add the steamed green beans. Toss until the beans are coated nicely with the cream sauce. Pour into the buttered casserole and top with the crispy shallots.
* Bake for approx 10-20 minutes until the sauce bubbles again and the onions begin to brown a little more. ( the should be a nice golden brown)
Serve immediately.
