I’m not ashamed to admit that for much of my life, I loved the version of green bean casserole made with a few cans and pop-the-top crispy onions sprinkled over the top. It’s what most of us have grown up knowing and that flavor profile has a special place in my heart (stomach?) Aside from mashed potatoes, green bean casserole was always my other favorite side dish at Thanksgiving. So much so that while some people may have considered it a once a year kind of recipe, I made it on plenty of regular days not involving turkey. Now that making things from scratch has become a passion of mine, a homemade version of green bean casserole has been high on my list of recipes to make over.
I’ve tried a few versions in the past and while good, they really didn’t quite mimic the flavors of the classic. I was honestly ready to give up and go back to the cans, but finally I found a recipe I love enough to take the place of the original. Though it requires a bit more effort than opening cans, it is still quite simple to make. Blanch green beans, make a quick mushroom sauce, and fry shallots while the casserole bakes. The casserole portion can be made in advance and refrigerated. I’m not sure exactly how long the fried shallots stay crisp for, but I fried mine a few hours before using them and they were still nice and crisp so they last at least that long. Now I can finally say with certainly that green bean casserole has made its way back into my ranks of favorite turkey day sides.