Change up the traditional green bean casserole with fresh green beans instead of canned! Made completely from scratch with tender fresh green beans and homemade creamy sauce, this will definitely be a Thanksgiving favorite!
Everyone will love this signature creamy casserole topped with crispy fried onions. This fresh green bean casserole is savory, creamy, and full of flavor and texture.
Green bean casserole is a Thanksgiving classic, but most versions rely on canned soup and canned beans, which personally I’m not a big fan of. Instead, making it with fresh green beans and a super easy creamy sauce from scratch really takes it to the next level when it comes to texture and flavor!
There are two secret ingredients in my fresh green bean casserole recipe: a touch of soy sauce and a sprinkle of umami seasoning, which you can easily find at the grocery store or even online. Both of these elevate the savory depth of flavor like no other.
Add this fresh green bean casserole to your Thanksgiving menu this year, alongside my Brussels Sprouts and Butternut Squash! And if you love green beans, try my Green Beans with Bacon and Lemon Green Beans.
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Why I Love This Recipe
- An elevated classic. Give this popular Thanksgiving side dish a delicious fresh twist!
- Fresh flavors. Fresh green beans, fresh mushrooms, bacon, and a creamy sauce made from scratch. Everything tastes homemade!
- Easy to prepare. You won’t believe how easy it actually is!
- Make ahead friendly. Assemble first, bake just before serving. Instructions below.
Ingredient Notes
You only need a few wholesome ingredients to make this green bean casserole with green beans recipe. Below, I included a few notes from recipe testing that I hope you find helpful.
- Fresh green beans: Wash them, trim the ends, and then chop them all in half.
- Thick-cut bacon: You’ll need about 6 or 8 strips of bacon. We will also use the rendered fat of the cooked bacon to sauté the veggies for extra flavor!
- Yellow onions and garlic: Sautéed in bacon fat, these aromatics become the base for the creamy sauce.
- Sliced mushrooms: I love using cremini mushrooms here, but regular button mushrooms work too. If you’re not a fan of mushrooms, omit them.
- Unsalted butter and all-purpose flour: These two come together to form the roux, which is how the sauce gets thickened just enough.
- Chicken broth and whole milk: The liquid base for the creamy sauce. For milk, I’d recommend whole milk for consistency.
- Soy sauce: The secret ingredient! It adds that savory, umami taste that adds so much depth of flavor.
- Umami mushroom seasoning: You can find this online or at grocery stores in the spice section. It adds even more depth of flavor. If you can’t find it, substitute with about 1-2 teaspoons of Better Than Bouillon base.
- French’s crispy fried onions: For that signature green bean casserole finish! It wouldn’t be one with it. It gives a nice texture balance. use McCormick’s French’s Original Fried onions.
- Panko breadcrumbs: They add additional crunch and texture.
- Cooking oil spray, salt and pepper to taste
Ingredient quantities for the recipe are listed in the recipe card down below, as always.
How to Make Fresh Green Bean Casserole
Prepping for this green bean casserole with fresh green beans is pretty straightforward. Let’s make it!
Step 1 | Blanch green beans
First, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Blanch the green beans in boiling water for just 5 minutes until just tender with a bite (they will finish cooking in the oven). Prepare an ice bath as they cook, so when they’re done, immediately transfer them into the ice water. Once they are cooled, pat them dry and set them aside.
Step 2 | Cook bacon
In a skillet, cook bacon until golden and crispy. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel, then dice. Save the bacon fat for later! We’ll use it for the sauce to boost flavors.
Step 3 | Make the creamy sauce
In the bacon fat (about 2 tablespoons), sauté the mushrooms, onions, and garlic for about 5 minutes until fragrant. Then, over medium heat, melt in the butter and sprinkle in the flour, stirring to coat, about 2-3 minutes to cook off the raw taste of the flour.
Slowly whisk in the broth, breaking up any lumps. Then, stir in the milk until thickened. It will continue to thicken as it heats up and comes to a low simmer. Season with soy sauce, the umami mushroom seasoning, salt and pepper.
Step 4 | Assemble and bake
In a 9×13 baking dish, add the pre-cooked green beans (patted dry), the prepared creamy sauce, and chopped bacon. Stir until combined. Top with Panko breadcrumbs and the fried crispy onions.
Spray the top with cooking oil spray, then bake for about 20 minutes until the fresh green bean casserole is golden brown and bubbly.
Tips for Success
- Do not overcook the green beans when blanching since they will finish cooking in the oven. Otherwise, they’ll turn mushy.
- Use an ice water bath for the cooked beans (ice and water). This stops the cooking process immediately, which keeps them vibrant green.
- Soy sauce. You don’t need much, just a splash. It sounds like an unconventional ingredient, but it adds so much depth of flavor.
- Umami mushroom seasoning. You can find it online or in the spice aisle at grocery stores, or at Trader Joe’s. If you can’t find it, substitute with 1-2 teaspoons of Better Than Bouillon base.
- Use whole milk. Skim milk will be too diluted. Don’t use heavy cream (too thick).
Make Ahead Green Bean Casserole
Whether you’re hosting Thanksgiving or you’re preparing this for a busy weeknight, this fresh green bean casserole is something you can easily get a jumpstart on.
Make ahead: Assemble everything in the baking dish, except for the crispy fried onions topping. Cover with foil and keep it refrigerated for up to 1 day. When you’re ready to bake it, uncover, and bake at 375 F for 15-18 minutes. Then, add the fried onions and panko, and continue baking for another 20 minutes.
To reheat leftovers: Cover the dish loosely with foil. It only needs about 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees F to heat through.
Recipe FAQs
Certainly! Coat thinly sliced onion rings in flour, salt and pepper. Fry them in a layer of vegetable or canola oil for 2-3 minutes, or until crispy.
You can. A large steamer basket works great. You can still use an ice water bath.
Yes! You can make it up to 2 days ahead. Keep refrigerated. Reheat it before using.
Yes, that works, but there’s no need to blanch them. Thaw completely and pat dry thoroughly so they are not soggy.
More Thanksgiving Sides
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Green Bean Casserole with Fresh Green Beans
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds fresh green beans - trimmed, then chopped in half
- 6 to 8 strips thick-cut bacon
- 1 medium yellow onion - small-diced
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup sliced mushrooms - cremini or button
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup chicken broth - plus more as needed
- 2 ½ cups whole milk
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce - plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon Umami mushroom seasoning - or to taste
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 ½ to 2 cups French crispy fried onions
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- Cooking oil spray
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Blanch green beans: In a large pot, bring water a boil, enough to fully cover the beans. Add the green beans (trimmed and cut in half) and blanch for 5 minutes. Once crisp tender, immediately transfer them to a bowl with ice and water for a few minutes until cold. Drain, pat dry, set aside. Note: An ice bath shocks the beans and immediately stops the cooking process, which keeps them vibrant green.
- Cook bacon: In a deep skillet or pan, cook the bacon. Dice into small pieces. Set aside. Reserve the bacon grease for later.
- Start the creamy sauce: In a saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat, then sauté onions, garlic, and mushrooms for about 3 minutes until fragrant. Then melt 3 tablespoons of butter and sprinkle 5 tablespoons flour, stirring to coat, another 2-3 minutes to cook off the raw flour taste.
- Finish the creamy sauce: Gradually, add chicken broth into the saucepan, stirring to break up any lumps. Next, stir in the milk. Stir until thickened – it will thicken as it heats up and comes to a low simmer. Add the soy sauce and umami mushroom seasoning, then season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Assemble: In a 9×13 inch baking pan, toss the blanched green beans with the cooked bacon and the creamy sauce (make sure the sauce is pretty warm). Top generously with the panko breadcrumbs and crispy fried onions. Spray with cooking oil – this will help the onions turn golden brown in the oven.
- Bake: Bake for 20-25 minutes, uncovered, until golden brown and bubbly. Enjoy!
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