This is an updated recipe for green bean casserole. Made with fresh green beans and homemade mushroom sauce this casserole beats the one we ate growing up by a mile. Once you taste it, I doubt you will ever go back to the old recipe again! Fresh green beans are a welcome change from mushy canned beans. The mushroom sauce boasts exceptional flavor and puts canned mushroom soup to shame. You are welcome to make homemade fried onion rings if you wish, but I kept the canned French’s French fried onions in the recipe as a nod to the past and a way to save time. Sure to become a family favorite, this is a recipe you will use time and time again. Enjoy Friends!

Fresh Green Bean Casserole with French Fried Onions– serves 6

1 pound fresh French green beans, trimmed and cleaned
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
8 ounces baby portabella mushrooms, sliced and rough chop
4 ounces shitake mushrooms, sliced and rough chop
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 minced garlic cloves
2 and 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup 30% lower sodium chicken broth
1 cup half and half
1/4 teaspoon soy sauce
6 ounces French fried onions (I used French’s brand)

Preheat oven to 400ºF. Make an ice water bath in a bowl large enough to hold the green beans. Salt and set aside. Bring 1 gallon of water and 2 tablespoons of kosher salt to a boil in a large stockpot. Add green beans and cook 4 minutes until crisp-tender. Drain  in a colander then pour into an ice water bath. Leave green beans in ice water 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.

In a 12-inch skillet melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add mushrooms and cook 4 to 5 minutes. Add Kosher salt, pepper, and garlic. Cook 1 minute more. Add remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Melt butter then sprinkle flour on top of mushrooms. Stir to coat mushrooms with flour then cook 2 minutes stirring constantly so the flour won’t burn.

Whisk in broth. Simmer 1 minute. Lower heat to medium low and whisk in half and half. Add soy sauce. Continue to simmer stirring occasionally for 8 minutes as mixture slightly thickens (it will thicken a little more when you bake it). Pour mushroom sauce into an 11 X 7-inch casserole dish. Pour green beans on top of mushroom sauce. Sprinkle with French fried onions. Bake 20 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Enjoy, Friends!

Published in The News and Neighbor on November 10, 2021.