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Best Green Bean Casserole from Scratch with Crispy Shallots

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This from-scratch green bean casserole features fresh green beans, a velvety mushroom cream sauce, and double-crisped shallots. It’s a showstopper side dish that’s surprisingly simple to make and perfect for holidays or weeknight dinners.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 large shallots, thinly sliced into rings (about 2 cups)
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • Vegetable or canola oil, for frying (about 2 cups)
  • 2 pounds fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Instructions

  1. Prep the green beans: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Trim ends off green beans and cut into 2-inch pieces. Boil for exactly 3 minutes until bright green and crisp. Drain and transfer to a bowl of ice water for 2 minutes. Drain well and pat dry.
  2. Make the crispy shallots: Heat about 1 inch of oil in a small pot over medium heat. Toss sliced shallots with flour, salt, and pepper. Shake off excess flour. Fry in batches for 2-3 minutes until golden brown. Transfer to paper towels and sprinkle with salt.
  3. Sauté the mushrooms: In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add chopped mushrooms and cook for 5-7 minutes until browned. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.
  4. Make the cream sauce: Sprinkle flour over mushrooms and stir constantly for 1 minute. Slowly pour in milk, whisking constantly. Add heavy cream, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and soy sauce. Simmer for 3-4 minutes until thickened. Stir in Parmesan if using.
  5. Assemble the casserole: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Add blanched green beans to the skillet with sauce and stir to coat. Transfer to a 9×13-inch baking dish and spread evenly.
  6. Bake and top: Bake for 20 minutes until bubbly. Remove from oven, scatter crispy shallots on top, and bake for 5 more minutes.
  7. Rest and serve: Let casserole sit for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with extra crispy shallots if desired.

Notes

Blanch green beans up to 2 days ahead. Make sauce and fry shallots up to 2 days ahead; store separately in fridge. Add shallots at the very end of baking to keep them crispy. For gluten-free, use rice flour for shallots and a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend or cornstarch for the sauce. For dairy-free, use olive oil or vegan butter, unsweetened oat or cashew milk, and full-fat coconut cream instead of heavy cream.

Nutrition

Keywords: green bean casserole, from scratch, crispy shallots, Thanksgiving side dish, holiday side dish, creamy mushroom sauce, vegetarian side dish

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