Description
This Creamy Green Bean Mushroom Casserole is a hearty and comforting side dish featuring tender green beans and baby bella mushrooms in a rich, savory cream sauce. Enhanced with garlic, low sodium chicken broth, and soy sauce, and topped with crispy fried onions, this casserole is perfect for family dinners and holiday gatherings.
Ingredients
Butter and Vegetables
- ¼ cup salted butter (4 tablespoons)
- 24 ounces baby bella mushrooms, washed, dried, and sliced
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced (about 2-3 cloves)
- 24 ounces fresh green beans, rinsed, trimmed, and halved if long
Sauce Ingredients
- 2.5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ¾ to 1 cup 2% milk
- ½ cup low sodium chicken broth (add more if sauce thickens too much)
- 1.5 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
Topping
- ½ cup crispy fried onions
Instructions
- Preheat and Sauté Mushrooms: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Place a large oven-safe pan over medium-high heat and add the butter, sliced mushrooms, and minced garlic. Cook until the mushrooms soften and brown slightly, releasing moisture.
- Add Flour and Season: Sprinkle the all-purpose flour, kosher salt, and black pepper over the mushrooms. Stir well to have the flour absorb the moisture, creating a base for the sauce.
- Create Cream Sauce: Reduce heat to medium and slowly pour in the milk while stirring. A creamy sauce will begin to form. Once all milk is added, stir in the chicken broth. Add more broth as needed if sauce becomes too thick.
- Add Soy Sauce: Incorporate the low sodium soy sauce into the sauce and stir until fully combined.
- Simmer Green Beans: Add the prepared green beans to the pan. Simmer for 5 minutes if you blanched the beans previously, or 10 minutes if you did not, to achieve desired tenderness while maintaining slight crunch.
- Optional Transfer to Baking Dish: If preferred, transfer the mixture to a lightly sprayed 9×13-inch baking dish after simmering.
- Add Topping and Bake: Sprinkle crispy fried onions evenly over the top. Cover with foil and bake at 350°F for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 5 minutes to crisp the topping.
- Rest and Serve: Remove the casserole from the oven and let it rest for a few minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld.
Notes
- You may blanch the green beans in boiling water for a softer texture, but this is optional and usually skipped for a slight crunch.
- Add extra chicken broth if the sauce becomes too thick during cooking.
- This casserole can be prepared entirely in one oven-safe pan or transferred to a baking dish for baking.
- Use low sodium ingredients where possible to control salt content.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
