Creamy fresh green bean casserole with bacon has a homemade onion and garlic sauce that is so delicious at the holidays. No canned soup here!
Ingredients
2poundsfresh green beansends trimmed and green beans snapped in half
6stripscooked bacondiced, about 1/2 cup
1 3/4cupcrispy fried onionsor 3.5 ounces
3clovesgarlicminced
1medium yellow onionthinly sliced
6Tablespoonsalted butter
½cupall purpose flour
1cupchicken broth
1 ½cupsmilk
½cupheavy cream
1/2teaspoonsalt
1/4teaspoonpepper
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350℉. Fill a large bowl with ice water. Grease a 9x13” baking dish or two 1 1/2 quart baking dishes.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add green beans to the boiling water and cook for 2-3 minutes until they turn bright green.
Remove the green beans and place in the large bowl filled with cold water to stop them from cooking, you can add ice cubes to help cool the water. This is called blanching. Once the green beans have cooled, drain well and set aside.
In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat then bump the heat down to medium-low. Add sliced onions and garlic. Cook about five minutes stirring frequently until onions are soft and translucent.
Add flour to the saucepan and stir over medium low heat for one minute until flour just begins to brown.
Slowly add the chicken broth while whisking until the liquid is smooth and the flour dissolves.
Slowly add in milk, and then heavy cream, each time whisking well. Add salt and black pepper, then taste and add more if desired. The mixture will be the consistency of a cream soup. If the liquid is too thick, add a liitle more chicken broth at a time and whisk until everything is smooth and creamy.
Place green beans in either a greased 9 x 13 baking dish or two 1 1/2 quart baking dishes. Pour the cream mixture over the green beans and stir in gently. Top the green beans with diced bacon and crispy fried onions.
Cover the pan with aluminum foil. Bake the green bean mixture for 30 minutes covered.
Remove foil and bake another 10 minutes or until bubbly and brown on top. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
If your cream sauce is too liquidy, vigorously whisk 1 tablespoon flour with just enough milk to dissolve it. Pour it into the boiling cream sauce while whisking.
Try customizing this casserole with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese, cheddar cheese, or panko bread crumbs under the crispy fried onions.
You can bake this casserole in one 9x13 inch baking dish or two 1 1/2 quart baking dishes.