Anything I can prepare in advance, I will – including essential holiday dishes such as green bean casserole. This approach is a significant advantage for Thanksgiving preparations, allowing you to prepare this traditional side dish up to three days ahead of time, enabling you to check one item off your list a bit earlier.
Overhead view of a large rounded rectangular casserole dish containing a make-ahead green bean casserole.
What Makes This Recipe So Good
Green bean casserole ranks among my favorite Thanksgiving sides, but I appreciate it even more when I can prepare it ahead of time.
Regardless of the occasion, the more recipes I can prepare in advance and have ready when needed, the better. However, during Thanksgiving? It is absolutely priceless. Discovering how to prepare a green bean casserole in advance has truly saved my dinner.
It encompasses everything you adore about a classic green bean casserole, including the crispy, crunchy French fried onions. How do you maintain their crispiness in the refrigerator, you may wonder? The secret lies in adding the onion topping only at the very last moment, ensuring they do not absorb the moisture from the green beans, milk, and cream of mushroom soup.
Chef’s Tips
Make sure to dry the green beans thoroughly before incorporating them with the other ingredients. Although it may seem like an unnecessary step, it significantly impacts the outcome. Failing to dry the green beans will introduce excess moisture, affecting the soup's consistency and preventing it from adequately coating the green beans. This moisture will also render the mixture wet and somewhat soggy while it sits in the refrigerator.
If you opt for a glass casserole dish, allow it to warm slightly after removing it from the refrigerator before placing it in the oven. Introducing cold glass into a hot oven can cause the glass to crack or shatter, which would undoubtedly ruin your green bean casserole (and potentially your entire dinner).
We utilized canned green beans for their convenience and classic appeal, but you can certainly use fresh green beans instead. Just trim Prepare the beans by cooking them, allowing them to cool entirely before drying them off and incorporating them with the other ingredients.
You may include chopped bacon, shredded cheddar cheese, diced onions, or any other components that constitute your family’s preferred variation of green bean casserole.
A close-up, overhead perspective of a casserole dish featuring a make-ahead green bean casserole.
Holiday Recipes You Will Appreciate
Fried Onions: In my opinion, French’s fried onions are the finest choice for green bean casseroles, but you are welcome to substitute with any brand of your preference.
Freezer Option: Assemble the casserole as directed. When you are ready to store it, place a layer of plastic wrap directly over the casserole so that it makes contact with the food and covers it entirely. Then, secure the casserole dish with its lid or a tight layer of aluminum foil, and transfer the dish to the freezer. It can be frozen for up to one month. To bake, thaw the casserole in the refrigerator overnight.
INGREDIENTS
SAUCE
* 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
* 8 ounces fresh mushrooms, caps broken into pieces, stems roughly chopped
* 1 teaspoon kosher salt
* 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
* 6 cloves garlic, minced (don’t skimp on these)
* 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
* 1/4 cup flour
* 1-1/2 cups chicken stock or boullion
* 1/2 cup dry white wine
* 1-1/2 cups cream
* 2 tablespoons dry sherry
* Additional kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, if needed
BEANS
* 2 pounds fresh green beans, stems trimmed, broken into bite-size pieces
* 1/4 cup cornstarch
TOPPING
* 1 cup panko
* 2 tablespoons melted butter
* 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
* Freshly ground pepper
* 2 cups (about 3 ounces) canned fried onions, chopped
INSTRUCTIONS
SAUCE In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter on medium heat til melted. Add the mushrooms, salt and pepper and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring often, until the mushrooms are cooked and the mushroom liquid has evaporated. Add the garlic and thyme and cook for about a minute. Sprinkle the mushrooms with flour and stir in as best you can. A tablespoon at a time, stir in the chicken stock, letting each tablespoon become absorbed before adding another. (This will take several minutes, be patient or you’ll risk a lumpy mess.) Stir in the wine and cream. Bring to a boil. Let simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thickened, about 15 minutes. Stir in the sherry. Taste the sauce and add salt and pepper, if needed. (It should be slightly salty and slightly peppery since the beans themselves are unseasoned.)
BEANS While the sauce cooks, toss the green beans and cornstarch well. Transfer to a 9x13 ceramic baking dish. Pour hot mushroom sauce over top. Gently press green beans into the sauce so that all the beans are submerged. Cool completely. Cover with plastic wrap, making sure there’s no air between the green beans and the plastic. Wrap with foil. Freeze. Do not thaw before baking.
TOPPING No more than a day before, mix the panko, butter, salt and pepper in a skillet. On medium heat, let the crumbs brown, stirring often, being careful not to burn. Stir in the fried onions.
BAKING Preheat oven to 400F. IMPORTANT: remove plastic wrap from casserole, then replace the foil. Bake for 30 minutes, stir, leave the foil off and bake for another 50 minutes. (If the sauce is too thin, leave in oven, stirring every 5 minutes or so, until it thickens.) Spread topping over the casserole, bake for another 10 minutes until golden. The green bean casserole is ready to serve....enjoy it !
SAUCE
* 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
* 8 ounces fresh mushrooms, caps broken into pieces, stems roughly chopped
* 1 teaspoon kosher salt
* 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
* 6 cloves garlic, minced (don’t skimp on these)
* 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
* 1/4 cup flour
* 1-1/2 cups chicken stock or boullion
* 1/2 cup dry white wine
* 1-1/2 cups cream
* 2 tablespoons dry sherry
* Additional kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, if needed
BEANS
* 2 pounds fresh green beans, stems trimmed, broken into bite-size pieces
* 1/4 cup cornstarch
TOPPING
* 1 cup panko
* 2 tablespoons melted butter
* 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
* Freshly ground pepper
* 2 cups (about 3 ounces) canned fried onions, chopped
INSTRUCTIONS
SAUCE In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter on medium heat til melted. Add the mushrooms, salt and pepper and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring often, until the mushrooms are cooked and the mushroom liquid has evaporated. Add the garlic and thyme and cook for about a minute. Sprinkle the mushrooms with flour and stir in as best you can. A tablespoon at a time, stir in the chicken stock, letting each tablespoon become absorbed before adding another. (This will take several minutes, be patient or you’ll risk a lumpy mess.) Stir in the wine and cream. Bring to a boil. Let simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thickened, about 15 minutes. Stir in the sherry. Taste the sauce and add salt and pepper, if needed. (It should be slightly salty and slightly peppery since the beans themselves are unseasoned.)
BEANS While the sauce cooks, toss the green beans and cornstarch well. Transfer to a 9x13 ceramic baking dish. Pour hot mushroom sauce over top. Gently press green beans into the sauce so that all the beans are submerged. Cool completely. Cover with plastic wrap, making sure there’s no air between the green beans and the plastic. Wrap with foil. Freeze. Do not thaw before baking.
TOPPING No more than a day before, mix the panko, butter, salt and pepper in a skillet. On medium heat, let the crumbs brown, stirring often, being careful not to burn. Stir in the fried onions.
BAKING Preheat oven to 400F. IMPORTANT: remove plastic wrap from casserole, then replace the foil. Bake for 30 minutes, stir, leave the foil off and bake for another 50 minutes. (If the sauce is too thin, leave in oven, stirring every 5 minutes or so, until it thickens.) Spread topping over the casserole, bake for another 10 minutes until golden. The green bean casserole is ready to serve....enjoy it !
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