From scratch Green Bean Casserole is just what it sounds like. There are no canned “cream of” soups harmed in the making of this classic green bean casserole recipe!
Looking for the best homemade green bean casserole?
Forget canned soup. This easy green bean casserole is made with tender green beans, bacon, pimento peppers, sharp cheddar cheese, and a panko breadcrumb crust.
Your next Thanksgiving dinner won’t be complete without this green bean casserole recipe. No more mushy green beans. This recipe uses fresh green beans and a homemade sauce instead of the canned version. It’s a fun take on the classic green bean casserole we all know and love.
What Is Green Bean Casserole?
First created in 1955, green bean casserole has been a staple at the holiday dinner table, just like cranberry sauce, Thanksgiving dressing, and a Traeger smoked turkey with stuffing.
Traditional green bean casserole is made with canned green beans and cans of cream of mushroom soup. However, this green bean casserole is made from scratch. You get to make your own homemade cream sauce and use fresh green beans. The result is the best green bean casserole recipe you’ve ever had.
What you’ll love about this recipe:
What You Need to Make Green Bean Casserole
How to Make Green Bean Casserole from Scratch
- First, prep your green beans by trimming off the ends. If you prefer smaller pieces, you can cut the green beans in half. Next, blanch the green beans by dropping them into lightly salted boiling water. Let them cook for about 3 to 4 minutes. Then, remove the green beans from the boiling water using a slotted spoon and immediately place them in a bowl of ice-cold water to stop the cooking process. Once they’re cool, drain the beans and set them aside.
- Now, it’s time to cook the bacon. Add the bacon pieces to a skillet over medium heat and let them cook for about two minutes. Then, add the diced onion and garlic to the skillet and continue cooking for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the bacon is done but not yet crispy and the onions are golden brown. Once done, remove the skillet from the heat and set it aside.
- In a separate skillet or saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Once melted, sprinkle the flour into the pan and whisk immediately to mix it evenly into the butter. Let it cook for a minute or two, then pour in the milk and half and half. Keep cooking and whisking constantly until the sauce thickens, which should take about 2 minutes. Then, add salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper. After that, add the grated cheddar cheese and stir until the cheese melts. Now, turn off the heat.
- Next, add the pimentos to the pan, followed by the bacon and onion mixture. Stir everything together, then pour the mixture over the green beans. Gently stir to combine. Transfer the green beans to a baking dish and sprinkle panko crumbs on top.
- Finally, bake the dish at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until the sauce is bubbly and the panko crumbs turn golden brown.
Expert Recipe Tips
- If you want a more traditional green bean casserole, top with crispy fried onions.
- If you’re still longing for that can of cream of mushroom soup, add some chopped cremini or button mushrooms to the sauce.
How to Store Leftovers & Reheat
Store leftover green bean casserole in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
To reheat, place a portion of the casserole in a baking dish and reheat at 350ºF for 20-30 minutes.
What to Serve With Green Bean Casserole
Since this is a Thanksgiving recipe, it’s best served alongside a juicy oven-roasted turkey, sausage cornbread stuffing, and Mama’s mashed potatoes.
Make your Thanksgiving day memorable with this homemade green bean casserole. If you try this recipe, please rate the recipe card and leave a comment down below to help out the next reader!
From Scratch Green Bean Casserole
AmericanIngredients
- 2 pounds Fresh Green Beans - Ends Cut Off
- 4 slices Bacon - Cut Into 1/4 Inch Pieces
- 3 cloves Garlic - Minced
- ½ whole Large Onion - Chopped
- 4 tbsp Butter
- 4 tbsp flour
- 2-½ cups Whole Milk
- ½ cups Half-and-half
- 1-½ tsp Salt - More To Taste
- Freshly Ground Black Pepper - To Taste
- ⅛ tsp Cayenne Pepper
- 1 cup Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese
- 1 4 oz jar Sliced Pimentoes - Drained
- Extra Milk For Thinning If Necessary
- 1 cup Panko Bread Crumbs
Instructions
- Prep your green beans by trimming the ends off. Cut green beans in half if you like pieces to be a little smaller.
- Blanch the green beans: drop them into lightly salted boiling water and allow green beans to cook for about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Remove them from the boiling water with a slotted spoon and immediately plunge them into a bowl of ice cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain beans once they’re cool and set aside.
- Add bacon pieces to a skillet over medium heat.
- Cook bacon for two minutes, then add diced onion and garlic and continue cooking for 3 to 5 minutes, or until bacon is done (but not crisp) and onions are golden brown. Remove from heat and set aside.
- In a separate skillet or saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.
- Sprinkle flour into the pan and whisk immediately to evenly mix it into the butter. Cook for a minute or two, then pour in milk and half and half.
- Continue cooking, whisking constantly, while sauce thickens, about 2 minutes.
- Add salt, pepper, and cayenne then add the grated cheddar. Stir while cheese melts. Turn off heat.
- Add pimentos to pan, then add bacon/onion mixture.
- Stir to combine and pour over green beans. Stir gently to combine.
- Transfer the green beans into a baking dish and top with panko crumbs.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until sauce is bubbly and panko crumbs are golden.
Notes
Nutritional informations provided as a courtesy and is only an approximatation. Values will changes based on ingredients used.
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This looks so good, if I had not just went to the store again I would make these instead of the traditional ones. I love the pioneer woman too! I especially love her blog with her photo’s of her handsome rugged husband and all her animals! Hope you have a good Thanksgiving.
Yeah, I so fantasize about having her life. Thanksgiving aught to be interesting. Wish me luck 🙂
I love green bean casserole! This version sounds (and looks) amazing!
This looks so tempting! Now, what if i can’t find pimentos around here…
I found mine in the Latin foods section of a smaller grocery store – there were no pimentos anywhere else to be found 🙁
Looks lovely. I like the addition of cheese and hint of cayenne. I don’t think I could pry the container of french fried onions from my husband’s hand when it comes to green bean casserole though. 😉
On the Pioneer Woman’s website she mentions that you could top this with the fried onions if you wanted. We were having a ‘traditional’ green bean casserole, so I stuck with the panko. Even my step-mom who loves traditional enjoyed this one. 🙂
Ahhh! I will totally have to try this!
-CK