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Quick Green Bean Casserole with Easy Crispy Fried Onions

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This quick green bean casserole comes together in under 30 minutes with fresh green beans, a creamy mushroom sauce, and homemade crispy fried onions. It’s a weeknight-friendly twist on the classic holiday side dish that even skeptics will love.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ pounds fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • ½ cup chicken or vegetable broth, low-sodium
  • ½ teaspoon salt, plus more for blanching water
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • Pinch of nutmeg
  • 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced into rings (about 2 cups)
  • ½ cup buttermilk
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon paprika
  • Vegetable or canola oil, for frying (about 1 inch deep)

Instructions

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Fill a large bowl with ice water and set aside.
  2. Blanch the green beans: Add trimmed beans to boiling water and cook for exactly 3 minutes. Drain immediately and transfer to ice bath. Let sit for 2 minutes, then drain well and pat dry with a clean kitchen towel. Set aside.
  3. Start the crispy onions: Place sliced onions in a bowl and cover with buttermilk. Let soak while preparing other ingredients.
  4. Make the cream sauce: In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add sliced mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes until golden brown. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  5. Sprinkle flour over mushrooms and stir constantly for 1 minute. Slowly pour in heavy cream and broth while whisking continuously. Add salt, pepper, garlic powder, and nutmeg. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes until sauce thickens.
  6. Combine and transfer: Add blanched green beans to the skillet with sauce. Stir gently to coat. Pour mixture into a baking dish and spread evenly.
  7. Fry the onions: In a small saucepan, heat about 1 inch of oil to 350°F. Drain onions from buttermilk. In a separate bowl, mix flour, salt, pepper, and paprika. Toss wet onions in flour mixture until well coated. Working in batches, fry onions for 2-3 minutes until deep golden brown. Remove with slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with extra salt while hot.
  8. Top and finish: Spread crispy fried onions evenly over green bean mixture. Serve immediately, or broil for 1-2 minutes to warm through.

Notes

Don’t overcook the beans—3 minutes blanching is plenty. The nutmeg is not optional; it brightens the cream sauce. Patience with mushrooms: let them sit to brown properly. Keep oil temperature between 340°F and 350°F for frying onions. Make onions in batches to avoid crowding. Pat blanched beans completely dry to prevent watery casserole. Can blanch beans and make sauce up to 2 days ahead; store separately. Fried onions stay crispy for about 4 hours at room temperature.

Nutrition

Keywords: green bean casserole, quick green bean casserole, crispy fried onions, weeknight side dish, Thanksgiving side dish, easy casserole

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