When I first joined Campbell’s as Director of Global R&D, I had never actually heard of Green Bean Casserole. Like many chefs, I wasn’t accustomed to reaching for canned or frozen beans or cooking with condensed soup.
But after having the privilege of meeting Dorcas Reilly—the creator of the original recipe—and hearing her story of how the dish was developed, I became a genuine fan. Her goal was simple: create a convenient, delicious & affordable casserole using pantry staples.
My version takes a more culinary approach.
I like to use fresh green and wax beans, a homemade mushroom veloute, wild mushrooms, and plenty of crispy fried shallots on top. It’s absolutely delicious… and, admittedly, not the healthiest. But for the holidays, it’s worth every bite.
Green Bean Casserole
Cooking green beans properly can be more challenging than it seems. I start with an abundance of rapidly boiling, well-salted water to ensure the beans become tender while retaining their vibrant green color. The best technique is to taste periodically... especially when we're preparing one of the most iconic holiday dishes in America.
Green bean casserole has been a beloved staple on the Thanksgiving table since the 1950s. I always get a kick seeing shoppers at the grocery store loading up on cans of green beans, cream of mushroom soup, and crispy fried onions—it’s a clear sign that this dish has earned its place as a national favorite.
I think this green bean casserole recipe works well with peas, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots... it's a classic for a reason!
Prep Time: 3o min
Cooking Time: 30 min (grilling/ resting)
Ingredients
Yield: 10 portions
1 lb. Fresh green beans
.5 lb. Fresh wax beans (optional)
.5 lb. Shiitake mushrooms
.5 lb. Oyster mushrooms
3 oz. Butter
2 oz. AP Flour
1 1/2 Cups Chicken stock
1 oz Cepes, dried
1 Cup Heavy cream
1 Cup Shallots
1 Cup AP Flour to fry shallots
1 qt Olive oil to fry shallots
How to prepare Green Bean Casserole
Step 1 Cooking the beans
Boil the beans in salted, boiling water, when the beans are tender (about 6 minutes), shock in ice water and drain. Reserve. You can certainly enjoy the green beans now.
Step 2 Preparing the Mushroom Sauce
Melt the butter in a sauce pan, add the sliced shiitake and oyster mushrooms, lightly brown. Place the mushrooms into a small bowl & reserve.
Whisk the flour into the butter you cooked the mushrooms in to create a blonde roux.
Slowly add the cold chicken stock, whisking to a smooth sauce. Add the mushroom stems and dried cepes, simmer & reduce by half.
Add the cream, simmer for 3 minutes.
Season to taste, fold the mushrooms, blanched beans and mushroom sauce together, transfer to a casserole dish. Bake the casserole for 20 minutes at 300 °F.
Step 3 Crispy Fried Shallots
Place the sliced shallot rings into cold water, strain and shake off the water, then dredge in the AP flour. Shake the flour off and fry in hot olive oil until golden brown and crispy. (about 3 minutes) Strain and top the green bean casserole with fried shallots and enjoy.
