Green Bean Casserole · From Scratch
From-Scratch Green Bean Casserole
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Before you start
Gather your ingredients
Swaps for kosher salt
Instead of salt
- Table salt or fine sea salt: About half as much as Diamond Crystal kosher, about ¾ as much as Morton kosher. The same saltiness when measured this way.
- Salt by weight: 1 tsp is about 6 grams of table salt, 5 grams of Morton kosher, 3 grams of Diamond Crystal kosher. The most reliable way to swap, especially in baking and brines.
Swaps for unsalted butter
Instead of butter
- Salted butter: The same amount, with about ¼ tsp less salt per stick (½ cup) elsewhere in the recipe. Nothing noticeable once you cut the salt.
- Plant-based butter sticks: The same amount. The closest swap.
- Refined coconut oil: The same amount: solid when the butter is soft or cold, melted when it is melted. It is all fat, so bakes are a bit more tender and rich, with no butter flavor.
Cooking for an allergy? Check every label.
Swaps for onion
Instead of onion
- Another onion: The same amount. Yellow is the all-rounder; white is sharper and crisper; red is milder raw and adds color; sweet onions are mildest.
- Shallots: The same amount, chopped. Milder and sweeter, with a hint of garlic.
- Leeks: About 1½ times as much, white and light green parts. Milder and softer when cooked.
Swaps for garlic
Instead of garlic
- Garlic powder: ⅛ tsp for each clove. Mellower and sweeter, with no bite.
- Jarred minced garlic: ½ tsp for each clove. Milder and slightly sour from the preserving liquid.
Swaps for kosher salt
Instead of salt
- Table salt or fine sea salt: About half as much as Diamond Crystal kosher, about ¾ as much as Morton kosher. The same saltiness when measured this way.
- Salt by weight: 1 tsp is about 6 grams of table salt, 5 grams of Morton kosher, 3 grams of Diamond Crystal kosher. The most reliable way to swap, especially in baking and brines.
Swaps for ground nutmeg
Instead of nutmeg
- Ground mace: A little less. Made from the same fruit; slightly sharper.
- Pumpkin pie spice or allspice: The same amount. Warmer and more cinnamon-forward.
Swaps for all-purpose flour
Instead of all-purpose flour
- Gluten-free 1:1 baking flour: The same amount, a blend that includes xanthan gum. A little grittier and more crumbly, browns faster and dries out sooner.
- Bread flour: The same amount. More gluten: chewier cookies and bread, tougher cakes.
- Whole wheat flour: Up to half of the flour. Nuttier, darker and denser.
All 4 swaps for all-purpose flour
Cooking for an allergy? Check every label.
Swaps for chicken broth
Instead of broth
- Vegetable broth: The same amount. Lighter and slightly sweeter.
- Bouillon cube, powder or paste + water: Follow the label for the amount of liquid. Close in flavor; a little saltier.
- Water + extra seasoning: The same amount, with ½ tsp salt per cup and extra garlic, onion or herbs. Flatter and lighter, but fine where other ingredients bring plenty of flavor.
Swaps for whole milk
Instead of milk
- Unsweetened soy milk: The same amount. The closest plant milk for baking: its protein helps things brown and set.
- Unsweetened oat milk: The same amount. Creamy and mild with a hint of sweetness.
- Unsweetened almond milk: The same amount. Thinner and less rich, so cakes are a little paler and drier.
Cooking for an allergy? Check every label.
Swaps for heavy cream
Instead of heavy cream
- Half-and-half: The same amount. Thinner and less rich.
- Milk + melted butter: ¾ cup whole milk + ¼ cup melted butter for each cup. Close in richness for cooking and baking, but it won't whip.
- Full-fat coconut milk: The same amount. Rich and silky with a coconut taste.
Cooking for an allergy? Check every label.
Step 1 of 13
Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and a 9x13-inch baking dish.
butter (how to grease and flour a pan)
Grease and flour a pan Coat a pan with fat (and sometimes flour) so baked goods release cleanly. 1. Rub a thin layer of soft butter or shortening into every corner with a paper towel, or use baking spray.2. For cakes, add a spoonful of flour, tilt and tap the pan until it is coated.3. Turn the pan over and tap out the extra flour.4. For chocolate cakes, use cocoa instead of flour so there is no white film. Done when: Every surface, corners included, is lightly coated with no bare spots or thick clumps. How to grease and flour a baking pan: mistakes to avoid350°F
Step 2 of 13
Bring a large pot of water to a and add 1 tablespoon of salt. Fill a large bowl with ice and cold water.
boil (how to boil)
Boil Heat liquid until big bubbles rise and break all over the surface. 1. Use a pot big enough that the water fills it no more than three quarters.2. Cover it to boil faster, over high heat.3. Salt pasta or vegetable water once it boils.4. Add the food, stir, and bring it back to a boil before you start timing. Done when: A rolling boil keeps bubbling hard even when you stir. Safety: Turn pot handles toward the back of the stove, and drain pasta into a colander in the sink, pouring away from you. Steam burns fast: lift lids and foil away from your face, tipping the far edge up first.How to boil water for pasta and vegetables: mistakes to avoidStep 3 of 13
Blanch (how to blanch)
Blanch Cook vegetables briefly in boiling water, then chill them in ice water so they stay bright and crisp. 1. Fill a big bowl with ice and water.2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil.3. Add the vegetables in small batches so the boil comes back fast.4. Cook just until bright and barely tender, often 1 to 3 minutes.5. Lift them into the ice water, then drain once cold. Done when: The color is vivid and the vegetable bends a little but still snaps. Safety: Lift food out with a slotted spoon or spider instead of tipping the pot.How to blanch vegetables: mistakes to avoidboiling (how to boil)
Boil Heat liquid until big bubbles rise and break all over the surface. 1. Use a pot big enough that the water fills it no more than three quarters.2. Cover it to boil faster, over high heat.3. Salt pasta or vegetable water once it boils.4. Add the food, stir, and bring it back to a boil before you start timing. Done when: A rolling boil keeps bubbling hard even when you stir. Safety: Turn pot handles toward the back of the stove, and drain pasta into a colander in the sink, pouring away from you. Steam burns fast: lift lids and foil away from your face, tipping the far edge up first.How to boil water for pasta and vegetables: mistakes to avoidStep 4 of 13
Drain the beans in a colander and tip them into the ice water. Once cold, drain again and pat dry with a towel.
Step 5 of 13
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring now and then, until their liquid cooks off and they start to brown.
Step 6 of 13
Add the onion, garlic, salt, pepper and nutmeg and cook until the onion is soft.
Step 7 of 13
Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir until no dry flour shows.
Step 8 of 13
Slowly stir in the broth, then the milk and cream, scraping the bottom of the pan as you go.
Step 9 of 13
Simmer (how to simmer)
Simmer Cook liquid just below a boil, with small bubbles breaking the surface now and then. 1. Bring the liquid up over medium-high heat.2. As soon as bubbles rise steadily, turn the heat down.3. Adjust until only a few small bubbles break the surface every second or two.4. Stir now and then and check that it hasn't crept back to a boil. Done when: You see lazy, small bubbles, not a rolling boil. A "bare" simmer has just a bubble here and there. Safety: Steam burns fast: lift lids and foil away from your face, tipping the far edge up first.How to simmer: mistakes to avoidcoat a spoon (how to coat the back of a spoon)
Coat the back of a spoon A simple test for when a sauce or custard has thickened enough. 1. Dip a spoon into the sauce and lift it out.2. Turn it over and look at the back.3. Draw a line through the sauce on the spoon with your finger.4. If the line stays clean and the sauce doesn't run into it, it is ready. Done when: The sauce clings in an even, opaque layer and your finger line holds. Safety: Let the spoon cool for a second before you touch it; custards should reach 160°F.How to tell when a sauce coats a spoon: mistakes to avoidStep 10 of 13
Take the skillet off the heat. in the green beans and 1/2 cup of the fried onions, then spread it all in the baking dish.
Fold (how to fold)
Fold Combine a light mixture (whipped cream, beaten whites) or chunky add-ins into a batter gently, so it stays airy. 1. Put the lighter mixture on top of the heavier one, or add the flour or chips.2. Cut a rubber spatula straight down through the middle to the bottom of the bowl.3. Sweep it across the bottom and up the side, then turn it over on top.4. Turn the bowl a quarter turn and repeat.5. Stop as soon as no streaks remain. Done when: There are no dry streaks or white blobs, and the mixture still looks light and puffy. Safety: Batters with raw eggs or flour aren't safe to eat raw.How to fold ingredients into a batter: mistakes to avoidStep 11 of 13
Bake until the sauce bubbles around the edges.
350°F
Step 12 of 13
Scatter the remaining 1 1/2 cups of fried onions over the top and bake until they are a shade darker and crisp. Watch closely; they scorch fast.
350°F
Step 13 of 13
Let the casserole stand for a few minutes so the sauce settles, then serve.
All done
Enjoy!
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