Green Bean Casserole from Scratch - super easy to make and tastes great! This is perfect for your holiday dinner or any night of the year. Green beans, mushrooms, butter, flour, milk, sour cream, onion, garlic, paprika, salt, pepper, cheddar cheese, and french fried onions. Can make in advance and refrigerate or freeze for later. You might want to double the recipe. I never have any leftovers!
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Lightly spray a 9-inch square or 11x7-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
In a large skillet cook mushrooms in 2 Tbsp butter for 5 to 7 minutes. Add green beans and an additional 2 Tbsp butter to the skillet and cook for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, until most of the liquid has been evaporated from the pan and the vegetables have started to soften. Transfer vegetables to a large bowl.
In the skillet, melt 2 Tbsp of butter. Stir in flour. Whisk in milk and sour cream until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in paprika, garlic, onion, salt, and pepper.
Pour sauce over green beans and mushrooms in the bowl. Stir in ½ cup shredded cheese and half of the fried onions.
Spread the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Top with remaining cheese and onions.
Bake uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes.
Notes:
I used frozen green beans. Feel free to substitute an equivalent amount of fresh green beans if you prefer.
If you don't like mushrooms, you can leave them out.
If you need a gluten-free dish, substitute corn starch for the flour and crushed pork rinds for the fried onions.
Can Green Bean Casserole be made in advance? Yes! You can assemble the casserole ahead of time and refrigerate overnight. You may need to add a few minutes to the cooking time if baking straight from the refrigerator.
Can Green Bean Casserole be frozen? Yes! Assemble the casserole and let it cool completely. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and aluminum foil and freeze. The casserole will keep up to 3 months in the freezer
To bake the casserole after freezing, thaw, and bake as directed.
You can double the recipe if you are feeding a crowd. The cooking time would stay about the same. You may need to add 5 or 10 minutes.
Can Green Bean Casserole be made in the Slow Cooker? Yes! Make the casserole as directed and place the green bean mixture in a crockpot. Cover and cook until heated through, approximately 2 to 4 hours.