This green bean casserole without canned soup uses fresh beans, browned mushrooms, vegetable broth, milk, and a simple flour-thickened sauce. The familiar crispy onion topping stays, but the creamy base is made in the skillet so you can control its thickness and seasoning.
Blanching the beans for 4 minutes keeps them tender without turning soft during the bake. The other important step is browning the mushrooms until their liquid evaporates before adding flour. That concentrates their flavor and prevents a watery casserole. The finished dish serves eight and can be partially prepared a day ahead.
Green Bean Casserole Without Canned Soup
Prep: 25 minutes Cook: 35 minutes Total: 1 hour Yield: 8 side-dish servings
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon fine salt, for the blanching water
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the baking dish
- 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced 1/4 inch thick
- 1 small shallot, finely chopped (about 1/3 cup)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt, plus more only if needed
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 cups crispy fried onions, divided
Directions
- Heat the oven and water: Heat the oven to 375°F. Butter a 2 1/2- to 3-quart baking dish. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the tablespoon of salt. Prepare a bowl of ice water.
- Blanch the green beans: Add the green beans to the boiling water and cook for 4 minutes. Drain immediately and transfer to the ice water for 2 minutes. Drain again and pat thoroughly dry so the sauce does not become watery.
- Brown the mushrooms: Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms in an even layer and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring only occasionally, until their released moisture evaporates and the edges brown.
- Add the aromatics and flour: Reduce the heat to medium. Add the shallot and cook for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Sprinkle in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
- Make the sauce: Slowly whisk in the vegetable broth, then the milk. Stir in the Dijon mustard, thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and black pepper. Simmer for 3 to 5 minutes, whisking often, until the sauce coats the back of a spoon.
- Assemble and bake: Remove the skillet from the heat. Fold in the dried green beans and 3/4 cup crispy onions. Transfer to the baking dish and bake uncovered for 18 minutes.
- Add the topping: Stir the casserole gently around the edges, scatter the remaining 3/4 cup crispy onions over the top, and bake for 7 to 10 minutes more, until bubbling, browned, and 165°F in the center. Rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Estimated nutrition: 205 calories, 5g protein, 22g carbohydrate, 11g fat, 3g fiber, and 390mg sodium per one-eighth of the casserole. Nutrition is an estimate; broth, milk, crispy onion, and portion sizes affect the values.
How to make the sauce without condensed soup
The sauce begins with butter and the moisture left by browned mushrooms. Flour cooks in that fat for one minute, then broth and milk are whisked in gradually. This is a light mushroom béchamel: it should coat a spoon but still flow around the beans. It thickens further in the oven, so do not reduce it to a paste on the stovetop.
Add the broth in three or four splashes, whisking smooth after each one, before pouring in the milk. If small flour lumps form, keep whisking while the sauce simmers. A wide skillet makes it easier for mushroom moisture to evaporate and gives you room to fold in the beans without breaking them.
Fresh, frozen, or canned green beans
Can I use frozen green beans?
Yes. Use 24 ounces frozen cut green beans. Thaw them completely, pat dry, and skip the boiling-water blanch. Fold them directly into the finished sauce. Frozen beans are usually blanched before freezing, so boiling them again can make them too soft.
Can I use canned green beans?
You can, although the texture will be much softer. Drain and rinse three 14.5-ounce cans, pat the beans dry, and skip the blanching step. Reduce the first bake from 18 minutes to 12 minutes, then add the onion topping and finish as directed. Taste the sauce before adding its salt because canned beans can contribute more sodium.
Why is my casserole watery?
The common causes are wet beans, mushrooms that were not browned long enough, or sauce that never reached a simmer. Dry the blanched beans well, wait until the mushroom liquid evaporates, and simmer the sauce until it coats the back of a spoon. If the sauce is still thin, simmer another minute before adding the beans rather than adding extra flour directly.
Useful variations
- No mushrooms: Omit them, increase the butter to 4 tablespoons, and sauté one additional chopped shallot for 4 minutes before adding the garlic. The sauce will be milder but will thicken the same way.
- Gluten-free: Replace the flour with 2 tablespoons cornstarch whisked into the cold milk. Add that mixture after the broth is hot. Use gluten-free broth and a certified gluten-free crispy onion topping.
- Lighter dairy option: Use 2% milk. Avoid skim milk, which produces a thinner sauce and can look separated after baking.
- Fresh herb finish: Add 1 tablespoon chopped parsley after baking. Do not put fresh parsley under the crispy onions because it can trap steam against the topping.
Make-ahead instructions
Blanch and dry the beans, prepare the mushroom sauce, and combine them in the baking dish up to 1 day ahead. Cool the mixture promptly, cover, and refrigerate. Keep all crispy onions in a separate airtight container so they stay crisp. Before baking, let the dish stand at room temperature only while the oven heats, fold in the first 3/4 cup onions, and add 5 to 10 minutes to the initial bake. Confirm the center reaches 165°F.
For best texture, do not freeze the unbaked casserole: the milk sauce can separate and the beans soften. If you need to save freezer space, freeze only the cooled mushroom sauce for up to 2 months, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, whisk as it reheats, and combine with freshly blanched beans.
Storage and reheating
Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in a shallow covered container and use within 3 to 4 days. Reheat covered at 350°F until the center reaches 165°F, then uncover for the last few minutes. A small portion can be microwaved in short intervals, stirring around the edges so no cold spots remain. The onion topping softens in storage; add a small fresh handful after reheating if desired.
Discard casserole left at room temperature longer than 2 hours, or longer than 1 hour when the surrounding temperature is above 90°F. See FoodSafety.gov’s cold-storage chart for general leftover guidance.
More fall side dishes
For another crisp-topped vegetable, try Roasted Delicata Squash with Garlic and Parmesan. For a naturally sweet holiday side, make Honey Roasted Carrots with Thyme. For another from-scratch casserole, try Corn Casserole Without Jiffy Mix. For a savory squash option, see Garlic-Sage Roasted Butternut Squash Slices.
Helpful kitchen gear
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A medium balloon whisk helps incorporate broth and milk smoothly into the flour mixture. Any whisk you already own is suitable.
Browse stainless-steel balloon whisks on Amazon. Compare handle comfort, wire construction, cleaning instructions, and current reviews before choosing one.
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