Homemade Green Bean Casserole Recipe on Food52 (2024)

FAQs

How do you keep green bean casserole from getting mushy? ›

Green Bean Casserole Tips

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.

Mix cream of mushroom soup, milk and pepper in 1 1/2-quart baking dish. Stir in green beans and 2/3 cup Crispy Fried Onions. Make green bean casserole with canned, frozen (thawed) or fresh green beans.

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.

Make-Ahead: You can make this recipe up to 1 hour before serving. How to Reheat: Add the desired amount to a casserole dish and cover with foil. Hot to Store: Cover and keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Mistake #5: A Runny Casserole

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.

Notes: ✿ 4 cups of green beans is about 1½ pounds fresh or 16 ounces frozen or 2 cans (15 ounces each) drained.

It's important to note that frozen green beans—usually the best choice for green bean casseroles—are blanched before the freezing process begins, so they're already partially cooked, too. That means they'll also cook pretty fast, which could easily morph into overcooking if you aren't careful.

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.

Draining and rinsing canned beans can reduce their sodium content by more than 40%. But taking just a few extra minutes is key to getting the most benefit. First, drain beans in a colander for two minutes. Then rinse the beans under cool running water for 10 seconds.

What tastes better canned or frozen green beans? ›

"Frozen beans hold their texture and flavor better when cooked, while canned beans can become mushy," says Lauren Allen, the owner and creator of recipe website Tastes Better From Scratch and an Amazon best-selling cookbook by the same name.

How It Became a Holiday Staple. Green bean casserole was considered a perfect dish for holiday entertaining because it was simple, inexpensive, and could easily be made ahead of time. It became known as a "jiffy casserole" because it went from one bowl to one pan.

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.

You can make this green bean casserole from scratch up to 2 days before Thanksgiving. Just before you serve dinner, finish the casserole with a topping of French fried onions & almonds, then simply bake until reheated & golden. This classic holiday side has never been easier – or tastier!

Stored properly, your leftover green bean casserole will last 3-4 days in the fridge. Freezing: Wrap your green bean casserole tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil, freezer wrap or transfer to an airtight container and keep in the freezer for 6 months.

How do you cook beans without them getting mushy? Soak them in water before cooking. This will soften the beans enough so that it cooks faster and not be mushy for too long a cooking period.

Stovetop Method

Stir them gently and occasionally, never letting them hit a strong boil; this can burst their skins and make them mushy or unevenly cooked. Depending upon the variety, dried beans will cook quickly (about 15 minutes for red lentils) or slowly (up to 3 to 4 hours for unsoaked chickpeas or lima beans).

How to Store Green Beans. Green beans should be stored unwashed in the crisper drawer of your fridge. If they came in a bag, keep them in the bag when storing. If they came in a small berry box from the market, transfer them to a reusable storage or plastic bag before storing them in the fridge.