We know that Thanksgiving and green bean casserole go hand in hand. There was a time when making green bean casserole meant opening a can of green beans, a can of mushroom soup and a can of fried onions and throwing it all in the oven. Admittedly, that version tastes pretty good, but it usually contains a good amount of sodium and some not-so-wholesome ingredients. Your best bet? Making it from scratch. Yes, it will take a little more elbow grease (but not much, we promise). Here are a few mistakes to avoid when you're making green bean casserole from scratch and tips to fix mistakes if they happen.
How to Cook Fresh Green Beans
Mistake No. 1: Forgetting the Stovetop
Traditionally, green bean casserole is an oven-only dish. With recipes that have you opening a few cans of beans and some mushroom soup, that's just fine. But if you're making a green bean casserole with fresh ingredients, then you are going to have to get started on the stovetop. Cooking ingredients like mushrooms and onions in the skillet improves their taste and texture. Plus, cooking everything together on the stovetop gets the flavors melding and cuts down on the time needed in the oven—an added bonus on Thanksgiving when oven space is limited. And with some recipes, you can skip the oven altogether. But if you are baking it, your casserole should have the flavor and texture you want before it hits the casserole dish. All you're doing in the oven is giving it a little more heat and crisping up the topping, a process that shouldn't take more than 15 to 20 minutes and can be done while your turkey is resting.
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Pictured Recipe: Slow-Cooker Green Bean Casserole with Crispy Onions
Mistake No. 2: Your Topping Isn't Crispy
Whether you're making your onion topping from scratch or just opening a can of premade onions, you want it crispy, not soggy or—even worse—burned. If your topping is soggy, it's probably because the casserole itself is too wet. Before you add your topping, try to thicken the casserole with flour or cornstarch so the topping sits on top and doesn't sink to the bottom. If you're freeing up your oven by making your casserole in a slow cooker or a pressure cooker (like an Instant Pot), don't add your topping until it hits the serving dish. Both of these appliances use moist heat, which will never give you that signature crispy topping that makes green bean casserole so special. On the other side of the spectrum, if your topping burns, your oven is either too hot (keep it around 400°F or less) or your topping has been in the oven for too long. If your casserole needs to cook for more than 15 minutes in the oven, wait to add the topping until the last 15 minutes of cooking.
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Pictured Recipe: Healthy Green Bean Casserole
Mistake No. 3: Mushy Green Beans
The green beans in green bean casserole should be tender but not mushy. Classic green bean casserole calls for "French cut" green beans, or green beans that have been thinly sliced lengthwise. Unless you've taken the time to cut them yourself (and most people don't), they come either canned or frozen. Green beans from a can have already been cooked to death right in the can and harbor plenty of sodium that could make your casserole too salty. Frozen French-cut green beans are a better option. They hold their texture better than canned, and you can cook them straight from their frozen state. And if you're using fresh green beans? You'll need to cook them first by roasting, steaming or boiling them. Cook them until they are tender-crisp. If you're steaming or boiling them, cooling them down in a water bath filled with ice or just cold running water will stop them from overcooking while they sit.
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Mistake No. 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. If you are preparing your casserole on the stovetop, you can sprinkle your thickener of choice over the vegetables as they cook, or you can make a slurry (a combination of a small amount of liquid, such as broth, and thickener that gets added to a larger volume). Another reason your casserole might be too wet is that you might not have cooked the ingredients long enough on the stovetop first, and during the casserole's time in the oven, the vegetables continued to leach out water. So what happens when the casserole is finished and it's swimming in a pool of liquid? Your best bet is to remove the onion topping and return it to the stove to cook it longer or add more thickener.
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Pictured Recipe: Cheesy Green Bean Casserole
Mistake No. 5: Your Leftovers Are in the Fridge for Too Long
Don't make the mistake of leaving the casserole in the fridge for too long. To reduce food waste after the holidays, pack the leftover casserole in single-serving containers for lunches for the next couple of days. While it's totally fine to enjoy a repeat of your casserole, the number one mistake people make with leftovers is not getting creative with them. If you freeze the casserole, be sure to label and date it for future planned meals.
