Enjoy a Thanksgiving classic with green bean casserole with crispy onions

  • SERVES:  6
  • PREP TIME: 20 mins
  • COOKING TIME: 15 mins
  • DIFFICULTY: easy
  • IDEAL FOR: Thanks Giving side dish, Christmas Side dish, side dish
  • BUDGET: £

Green bean casserole with crispy onions

I thought I’d try this as I read it as a favourite for Thanksgiving.

And although we don’t celebrate America’s Thanksgiving Day, it’s always good to have some new ideas for sides.

With Christmas fast approaching, it could be worth adding this one.

We tried it with our Sunday Roast and it was a hit.

It’s a little ‘faffy’ with the fired onions, but it does add a nice crunch and flavour.

Ingredients

450 g green beans, trimmed and halved

  • Crispy Onions
  • 2 medium yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 tbsp panko or plain breadcrumbs
  • 1/2 tsp table salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • Sunflower oil for deep-frying
  • Mushroom Sauce
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 350 g mushrooms, thinly sliced or coarsely chopped
  • Few gratings fresh nutmeg (optional)
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup double cream

Method

Make the crispy onions

  1. Toss onion with flour, breadcrumbs, salt and pepper.
  2. Heat a 1/2-inch or so of oil in a deep pan.
  3. Once hot enough, add onions, just a handful at a time so it’s about a single layer, and fry until a light golden brown (they’ll get more colour in the oven).
  4. Remove with a large slotted spoon, onto paper towels to drain.
  5. Repeat with remaining onions. Set aside until needed.
  6. Heat oven to 200 C.

Prepare the beans

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and boil greens for 3 – 5 mins.
  2. Drain beans, then plunge them into ice water to stop them from cooking. Drain again, and set aside.

Make the mushroom sauce

  1. Over medium-high heat, melt butter in the bottom of an oven-proof dish.
  2. Add the mushrooms, salt, and pepper and saute them until they start releasing their liquid, anywhere from 3 to 5 mins.
  3. Then add the garlic and saute one minute more. Add the flour and stir it until it fully coats the mushrooms. Add the stock, 1/4 cup at a time, stirring the whole time.
  4. Simmer the mixture for 1 min, then add cream and bring back to a simmer, cooking until the sauce thickens a bit, about 5 to 6 mins, stirring frequently.

Assemble and bake

  1. Add cooked green beans to the sauce and stir until they are coated. Sprinkle crispy onions over the top. Bake for 15 mins, or until sauce is bubbling and onions are a shade darker.
  2. Serve.

Recipe from Smitten Kitchen

For more ideas for delicious sides, visit here.

Green bean casserole with crispy onions