I know, I know. You’re saying to yourself, “Don’t mess with the classics.”

But hear me out.

Green bean casserole isn’t all that great.

There. I said it.

Under all of those oily little french fried onion bits is nothing more than a mess of hacked up rubbery green bean pieces swimming in a sea of grayish liquid. I’ve never been a fan, mostly because it means we take one of the only Thanksgiving side dishes that has a chance to be healthy and we smother it with loads of greasy ingredients.

Also see our Handy guide to planning a Thanksgiving feast.

A delicious green bean casserole doesn’t have to include unhealthy cans of slop. You can make it fresher, healthier, and tastier with just a few ingredients.

So why not make the switch?

This green bean casserole uses fresh green beans, mushrooms and onions, along with fresh thyme, whole milk, flour, and chicken stock to give you a serious upgrade. And of course, onion rings because green bean casserole is pretty much defined by that crispy crunch.

So step up your green bean casserole game this Thanksgiving with this delicious creamy, crunchy casserole recipe.

You’ll never go back to the old school style again.

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Onion ring green bean casserole

Ingredients

  • 1 pounds fresh green beans
  • 1 bag ready-made frozen onion rings
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1/2 large onion, chopped
  • 12-16 ounces white mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 tsp fresh thyme
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups whole milk or half and half
  • 1/2 cup chicken stock

Directions

  1. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil.
  2. Trim green beans then cut in half. Transfer green beans to pot and let boil for 5 minutes before draining thoroughly. Set aside.
  3. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Spread onion rings out on sheet in a single layer. Bake as directed.
  4. Meanwhile, in a large skillet on medium heat, melt butter and add chopped onions. Cook for about 5 minutes or until onions soften. Add mushrooms, thyme, then season well with salt and pepper. Cook until mushrooms are tender, or about 5 minutes.
  5. Add flour and stir to combine. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly as to be careful not to let flour burn. Pour in milk and chicken broth. Cook for 5-7 minutes or until the sauce has thickened (will be reduced by about half).
  6. Remove sauce from heat. Add green beans and toss to coat.
  7. Transfer half of the mix to a 11×7-inch or 8×8-inch baking dish. ย Top with half of the onion rings. Then top with remaining green bean mixture. Top the casserole with remaining onion rings.
  8. Bake for an additional 10 minutes or until the sauce is bubble.
  9. Let cool for 5-10 minutes (the sauce will thicken a bit more) before serving.
  10. Now it’s time to feast!

Note: Freezing casserole is not recommended. Onion rings will lose their texture and green beans will become rubbery.

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Also see, 21 restaurants open on Thanksgiving.

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Author

Meghan is a full-time writer exploring the fun facts behind food. She lives a healthy lifestyle but lives for breakfast, dessert and anything with marinara. Sheโ€™s thrown away just as many meals as sheโ€™s proud of.