Cheesy Green Bean Casserole

Why This Recipe is a Keeper!

If I served the typical green bean casserole with mushrooms and mushroom soup at a holiday gathering, I’d be the only one eating it. I married into a family of mushroom haters and have a husband that is even allergic to them.

However, this easy, Cheesy Green Bean Casserole recipe is always a hit with everyone! How can anyone say no to green beans in a creamy, cheesy sauce baked until bubbling hot with a crispy, nutty topping?

This cheesy green bean casserole is:

• Easy!
• Make ahead!
• A guaranteed crowd-pleaser!

(And you can always add mushrooms!)

How to Make Cheesy Green Bean Casserole:

Recipe Ingredients:

Here’s everything you’ll need to make this easy green bean casserole. See the recipe card below for the exact quantities.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions:

• Green Beans: Use fresh green beans if possible but frozen green beans will also work.
• Shallot: Shallots are a member of the onion family and are used extensively in French cooking. They grow in clusters (heads) similar to garlic but without the quantity. They have a mild oniony flavor with a hint of garlic. Regular onion can be used instead if you prefer.
• White Wine: Use a good dry white wine that you enjoy drinking. You can also use beer in place of wine. NON-ALCOHOLIC SUBSTITUTION: Use an alcohol-free wine, beer or use extra chicken broth with a tablespoon of white wine vinegar added to it.
• Chicken Broth: To keep the green bean casserole vegetarian, use vegetable broth.
• Sharp Cheddar Cheese: Definitely use sharp Cheddar cheese for the flavor. Mild or medium Cheddar cheese doesn’t have the same “oomph.” Also, it’s extra work, but I highly recommend you shred the cheese yourself; the flavor is so much better than pre-shredded bagged cheese.
• Half-and-Half: Can also use whole or 2% milk.
• Pecans: If you have a guest who can’t have nuts, use extra fried onions and omit the pecans.

Step-By-Step Instructions:

• Gather and prep all the ingredients.
• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 2-quart (approximately) baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
• Prepare an ice bath. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil.
• Place the beans into the boiling water and cook for approximately 3 to 4 minutes or to the desired doneness. (NOTE: The green beans heat through when baked so crisp-tender beans will stay fairly crispy. If you like softer beans, cook them longer.)
• Remove and place in the ice bath to stop the cooking process. Drain, discard the water and pat dry.

• Transfer the beans to the prepared baking dish.

• Heat the butter over medium heat in the saucepan you used to cook the beans.
• Add the shallot and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until softened, being careful not to burn the shallot. Add the garlic and cook briefly (approximately 10 seconds) until fragrant.

• Whisk in the flour and cook for 2 minutes, being careful not to brown the flour.

• Add the wine (or beer), whisking constantly then slowly pour in the chicken broth and half-and-half. Bring the sauce to a boil, whisking until smooth and thickened.

• Remove the sauce from the heat. Let the sauce stand for 1 minute then add the shredded Cheddar cheese by the handful, whisking after each addition until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth.
• Season the sauce with salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper if desired.

• Pour the sauce over the green beans. MAKE AHEAD: Can be made two days ahead of time to this point and refrigerated.  Let stand at room temperature while the oven preheats.  Sprinkle with the pecans and the fried onions when ready to bake.  You’ll need to add additional baking time if it’s cooled completely.

• Sprinkle with the pecans and the fried onions.

• Bake the green bean casserole for 25 to 30 minutes or until heated through. Serve immediately.
• Cheesy green bean casserole deliciousness without mushrooms! However, mushrooms in this casserole would be just fine, too!

Chef Tips and Tricks:

Over my 20+ years as a personal chef, I’ve tried numerous ways to speed up the process of trimming the stem ends from beans. Unfortunately, there is no quick and easy way.  However, keep in mind it’s only the stem end that needs to be removed; the bottom tip is tender and perfectly fine to eat. Here are all the ways you can do it:

• Do them one by one and simply enjoy the zen of it.
• Line several up on a cutting board and cut the ends with a knife. I find it time-consuming to line up the beans, then grab the knife and cut but it works.
• Grab two or three at a time in one hand and break the stem end off with the other hand.
• Grab two or three where you see stems together and snip them with kitchen shears.

Serve with:

• Roast Turkey Breast with Traditional Stuffing
• Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Turkey Breast with Garlic Herb Sauce
• Turkey Scallopini in Sherry Cream Sauce with Mushrooms and Artichokes
• Pecan-Crusted Turkey Cutlets with Red Onion Marmalade

More great green bean side dish recipes you’ll love!

• Thai Sweet Chili Green Beans
• Mediterranean Braised Green Beans with Tomatoes
• Roasted Green Beans with Tomato Caper Relish
• Skillet Charred Green Beans with Goat Cheese Chipotle Butter

Get all my vegetable side dish recipes at: Vegetable Side Dish Recipes – From A Chef’s Kitchen