Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram I don’t know what your family has massive texting conversations about, but this is how we do. Christmas movies forever!! The other day Eric read me a Tweet that the official Netflix account sent out last year: “To the 53 people who have watched A Christmas Prince every day for the past 18 days: Who hurt you?” Guys, I might have been one of them. Okay not really I’m kidding, but I AM a total sucker for a feel good Christmas movie. Even the Hallmark ones. They are so charmingly unbelievable. What are your favorites? My top 3 are Home Alone (I mean, that’s a given), It’s a Wonderful Life, and White Christmas. I never get tired of them. Okay actually that’s not true, I think I would after 18 days in a row, but let’s not try that. Even though we never served it, of course I’ve tried green bean casserole, in all its gluttonously gloppy glory. You see it at potlucks occasionally, right? I’ve always found it to be rather pitiful. Soggy canned green beans in a can of cream of mushroom soup. There’s just no getting away from that distinctly canned flavor, in my opinion. But I always thought the idea had potential. Fresh green beans are one of God’s greatest gifts to produce, and serving them in a creamy white sauce sounds pretty amazing to me. Plus real fried onions on top?? Yes please. Oh, did I mention the Parmesan cheese? I’m pretty sure there is no cheese called for in the original Green Bean Casserole recipe, but I feel like adding cheese is never a bad idea, right? Especially when that cheese is freshly shredded Parmesan.
Omit the mushrooms. Some of you (or your family members) may have a personal vendetta against mushrooms. I don’t know what they did to hurt you, but if you must leave them out to preserve the Thanksgiving peace, here’s how. In step 12, melt the butter as directed but do not add mushrooms. As soon as the butter is melted, skip straight to step 13 and proceed as directed, watching the garlic and thyme carefully so they don’t burn. Continue on through the remaining steps. You’ll have a creamy gravy to coat the beans with nary a mushroom in sight. Since you’re omitting approximately 2 cups of cooked mushrooms, you will have a higher sauce-to-green beans ratio. Buy the crispy onions. Maybe frying scares you, or you have lots of tiny people at your house milling around your ankles while you’re cooking with hot oil. I like the homemade crispy onions better, but you can totally just go buy a can at the store. That’s how green bean casserole is usually made, and I’m pretty sure most people are INTO IT. Substitute a different cheese (or leave it out). I love Parmesan here but you could consider shredded Gruyere, mozzarella, or aged white cheddar. And if cheese doesn’t sound good here, no worries, just leave it out.
How long to cook Green Bean Casserole
Green bean casserole gets started cooking on the stove, so it doesn’t need much time in the oven. 15 minutes should suffice if you’re making it all in one go; allow for a few extra minutes if you’ve made it ahead and it’s been in the fridge. After its initial bake time you’ll add the fried onions and bake for another 5-10 minutes until everything is warmed through.
How much Green Bean Casserole per Person
When I’m serving green bean casserole, I’m also serving sweet potato casserole, mashed potatoes, rolls, seafoam salad, turkey, gravy, and WHO KNOWS what else. This is just a small part of an actual feast. I’ve suggested that this recipe serves 12; this assumes that your 12 guests each want green beans, and they also want to consume a quarter pound of casserole. This is a 13×9 inch casserole dish full, and it’s probably big enough for your average group. If you are hosting a group of 30, double it.
Can you freeze Green Bean Casserole?
Green bean casserole is best frozen if you haven’t yet topped it with the fried onions. A cooked casserole can be frozen for up to 4 months. If you have already added the fried onions, I wouldn’t freeze the casserole–they will be mushy, not crispy. If you’d like to make and freeze the unbaked green bean casserole in advance, follow the recipe from step 7 through step 17. Then cool it, tightly wrap it in tin foil or plastic wrap, cover it with a lid, and freeze for up to 4 months. When you’re ready to bake it, you can defrost it overnight, then make the fried onions while it’s in the oven. Roasted Garlic Green Beans with Fried Sourdough « Fried. Sourdough. Yes, it’s real. Broccoli with Feta and Fried Onions « love this one! Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Cinnamon Butternut Squash, Pecans and Cranberries from Julia’s Album Roasted Mushrooms in Brown Butter from Closet Cooking Cauliflower Bacon Gratin from Reluctant Entertainer
