Description
This Best Southern Green Bean Casserole Recipe from Scratch offers a creamy, savory take on a classic holiday favorite, featuring tender green beans smothered in a homemade mushroom sauce and topped with crispy homemade French fried onions. Perfectly balanced flavors and textures make it a comforting side dish that elevates any meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Casserole
- 2 tbsp salted butter
- 8 oz white mushrooms, sliced
- 1/2 small yellow or Vidalia onion, sliced into thin strips (divided)
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2 tbsp corn starch
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 4 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
- 8 cups cut green beans (fresh or frozen)
Homemade French Fried Onions
- 1/2 small yellow or Vidalia onion, sliced into thin strips (reserved half)
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- Oil for frying (vegetable, canola, or peanut oil)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350° F (175° C) to prepare for baking the casserole later.
- Cook Green Beans: In a large saucepan, add the green beans and cover with water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low-medium and simmer until beans are fork-tender, about 15 minutes. Drain well and transfer to a greased 13″ x 9″ baking dish.
- Sauté Mushrooms and Onions: Slice mushrooms and half the sliced onion. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add the sliced mushrooms and half the onions, cooking about 5 minutes until mushrooms soften and onions become translucent.
- Prepare Sauce: In a measuring cup, whisk together whole milk, corn starch, soy sauce, salt, and black pepper until smooth.
- Make Mushroom Sauce: Pour the milk mixture into the skillet with mushrooms and onions. Stir constantly over low-medium heat until thickened to a creamy sauce consistency, about 5-10 minutes. Turn off heat.
- Combine and Bake: Pour the mushroom sauce over the green beans in the baking dish. Stir carefully to coat evenly, then bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.
- Make Homemade French Fried Onions: Meanwhile, heat about 1/2 inch of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Toss the reserved half of sliced onions in flour until well coated. Fry onions in hot oil until golden brown, then drain on paper towels.
- Add Topping and Final Bake: Remove casserole from oven and sprinkle the homemade French fried onions evenly on top. Let cool 5 minutes before serving for the best flavor and texture.
Notes
- If you prefer not to make homemade French fried onions, substitute with 2 1/2 cups of store-bought crispy French fried onions.
- If using store-bought onions, sprinkle them on top after baking the casserole, then return to the oven and bake an additional 15 minutes or until onions are crisp and golden.
- If using regular soy sauce instead of low sodium, omit added salt in the recipe to maintain balance in flavor.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Baking, Frying, Sautéing, Boiling
- Cuisine: Southern American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup (approximate)
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 380 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg
Keywords: green bean casserole, southern green bean casserole, homemade green bean casserole, green beans with mushroom sauce, french fried onions, holiday side dish
