It wouldn't be a holiday dinner without green bean casserole. Yet, the perfect green bean casserole, one that tastes creamy, indulgent, and oh-so-good, can be a bit difficult to achieve. A few common mistakes can stand between an impressive side dish and one that is doomed for leftover purgatory. To make sure your side dish is super tasty, avoid these mistakes when whipping up that favored casserole this year.
Cheese makes a casserole taste great, but you can use too much of a good thing. "I heart cheese, but I am not a fan of cheese on my green bean casserole," says Dana Angelo White, MS, RD. "A bunch of shredded cheddar distracts from the fresh flavor of the green beans." If you must, add a sprinkle of Parmesan, as it complements the mushrooms, and a little extra umami flavor never hurts.
Mistake #2: Not Using Other Veggies
Why stick with just green beans when you can make a medley of veggies for added flavor? "Green beans are the star here, but adding fresh sliced mushrooms makes for a next-level casserole," White says. You can get in more health benefits, like fiber and vitamins, but you can also improve the flavor by introducing some other tasty flavors that all mix well with one another. And extra veggies bulk up the casserole and create a thicker texture.
Mistake #3: Creating a Soggy Topping
The crispy topping of a green bean casserole is the best part, especially when the interior of the casserole is soft and creamy. It's all about a balanced texture throughout the dish. "French fried onions are classic, but you can also use panko bread crumbs, too, " White says. "Mix with olive oil or some melted butter and sprinkle over top before baking," she suggests. And if you want to stick with the classic fried onions you can, of course, just make sure they're nice and crispy on top. Don't let them sit for too long after baking, as the steam from the casserole will turn them limp.
Whatever you do, don't overcook the green beans. "If using fresh green beans, blanch in boiling water with salt only cook for 2 to 3 minutes max, says Chef Palak Patel from the Institute of Culinary Education. "Put cooked beans in an ice bath to preserve the vivid green color."
Make sure you have the right beans to begin with, as well "Frozen green beans are the best green beans to use for green bean casserole," Patel says. "French cut is the best to coat each bean with sauce, too."
Mistake #5: A Runny Casserole
Who wants that? Be sure that frozen green beans are completely defrosted and drained before adding them to the casserole, Chef Patel says. If you don't, the excess water from the beans can leak out into the casserole and make it thin and runny.
If you sense it's a little watery, "add a thickener like roux or starch to absorb the additional liquid or cook a little longer," she says. That'll give it that rich, dense consistency you're looking for.
Mistake #6: Adding Toppings Too Early
Don't start throwing toppings on the casserole before it's cooked through. "Adding topping too early [is a mistake] because the onions get soggy or burn," Chef Patel says. Instead, wait it out. Just a few minutes before the dish is finished and ready to be pulled from the oven, you can then add in those toppings. This will ensure the center is cooked and the toppings don't disappoint.
Yet it's one of the most common green bean casserole mistakes a home chef can make. If this happens to you, it may be due to adding that topping too early; toppings should be added at the very end of the cooking process, shortly before you pull it out of the oven.
Arguably best made with canned green beans, a green bean casserole and other cooked casseroles will last four days in the fridge. Like with mashed potatoes, cooked casseroles are safe to eat out of the freezer, although quality will suffer, according to a food safety specialist at the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline.
Don't overcook the green beans: Remember when you are blanching the green beans that they will continue to cook and soften while baking in the oven with the rest of the casserole. So it's important to undercook them slightly during this first step so that they don't get mushy in the oven.
Be sure that frozen green beans are completely defrosted and drained before adding them to the casserole, Chef Patel says. If you don't, the excess water from the beans can leak out into the casserole and make it thin and runny.
Bake until golden brown and bubbling, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool before serving. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving. The sauce will thicken as it cools.
Green Beans – For this recipe, you can use fresh, frozen, or canned. Canned green beans are softer but are easy to use because they require no prep. Simply drain and enjoy. Frozen green beans require no cutting and have a tender-crisp texture.
According to the USDA, food that has been left out of the fridge for more than two hours should be thrown away. That's because between 40° F and 140° F (what the USDA calls the "Danger Zone"), bacteria grows incredibly fast and can make you sick.
If you toss frozen green beans straight into a pan, all the ice around them will thaw and create a pool of water in the bottom of the pan, which then has to cook off before the green beans start to saute. This results in overcooked, soft, soggy, and rubbery green beans.
Why are my green beans rubbery? Rubbery beans mean they're undercooked (meanwhile, overcooked become mushy). If they're rubbery, try returning them to the pot to cook for longer. I recommend testing one or two as they cook, so you only remove them from the pan at the correct time.
4: Your Casserole Is Watery. Green bean casserole should have a nice thick sauce that coats the green beans—it should not resemble soup. One common cause of a watery casserole is not adding enough thickener, such as flour or cornstarch, to your sauce.
However, too much fiber can cause bloating and gas. "Beans are high in fiber, with half a cup providing between 4 and 8 grams," says Kunik. "Since your body can't digest fiber, it can sit in the digestive tract while the bacteria digest it, producing gas as a byproduct.
If you're just reheating a single portion, scoop it out onto a plate and zap it in the microwave for 30 seconds or so. If you're reheating a large amount of leftovers, pop the whole casserole dish into a 350 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes.
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