Fresh Green Bean Casserole Recipe with Cheese
Green bean casserole is a beloved holiday staple, but it's time to give this classic a modern twist. My recipe for Fresh Green Bean Casserole with Cheese is a flavorful and elegant upgrade to the traditional dish. Say goodbye to canned soup and hello to a creamy, homemade cheese sauce. And, tender (but not mushy) fresh green beans and crispy shallots combine to deliver a unique and crowd-pleasing dish!
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 180kcal
Ingredients
- 4 cups fresh green beans around 1 1/2 pounds, stemmed and broken or cut into 1 to 2-inch pieces
- 3 tablespoons butter divided use
- 1 1/2 cups yellow onion chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- Fresh ground pepper to taste
- 2 large garlic cloves finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon dry sherry optional
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1/4 cup crispy shallots
- 1/4 cup Panko or homemade breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 2 to 2 1/2-quart baking dish.
- Steam green beans until crisp-tender; place in an ice water bath to stop the cooking. Drain, and pat dry with paper towel. Set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat. Add chopped onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes. Add garlic, reduce heat to medium-low, and continue cooking, stirring often, until onion is soft and beginning to turn a light brown color (12 to 15 minutes).
- Reduce heat to low, add flour, and cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Slowly stir in milk until absorbed and smooth. Increase heat to medium-low and continue cooking, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens.
- Stir in cheese and cook, stirring constantly, until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth.
- Remove sauce from heat and stir in the sour cream, sherry, and lemon zest. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in beans and spoon mixture into the prepared baking dish.
- Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and toss with shallots, bread crumbs, parsley, and paprika. Sprinkle evenly over top of casserole. Bake until bubbly hot and browned on top, around 20 minutes.
Notes
Slow cooker variation: instead of putting green bean-sauce mixture in a baking dish, place it in a slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours. Shortly before serving, prepare the topping, place in a nonstick skillet, and cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until hot and mixture begins to brown slightly. Spoon green beans into a shallow serving dish and top with hot topping.
Stovetop variation: Leave the green bean-sauce mixture in the skillet or sauté pan. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat and cook until warmed through, around 15 minutes. Shortly before serving, prepare the topping, place in a nonstick skillet, and cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until hot and mixture begins to brown slightly. Spoon green beans into a shallow serving dish and top with hot topping.
To prepare casserole earlier the same day: Follow the directions through placing the green bean and sauce mixture into a baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, and refrigerate. When ready to bake, bring the casserole to room temperature, assemble the topping, and sprinkle on top of the beans. Bake per the recipe directions.
To prepare casserole up to 3 days ahead: Prepare the green beans and cheese sauce but don’t combine. Store them separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator. When ready to bake, bring both components to room temperature, stir together, and spoon into prepare
Nutrition
Calories: 180kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 33mg | Sodium: 305mg | Potassium: 270mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 913IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 183mg | Iron: 1mg