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.
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 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.
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.
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.
Make a cornstarch slurry for a fast and easy thickener.
Use one tablespoon of cornstarch per cup of liquid you would like to thicken. Stir out all the lumps. A few minutes before your casserole is done, add it a little at a time until you are happy with the thickness. Then, let the casserole finish baking.
One common cause of a wet, soupy casserole is undercooking the vegetable ingredients on the stovetop. When you choose to use fresh green beans, onion, and mushrooms instead of canned, cook the veggies well before tossing them into the oven.
Make sure you spread out the green beans. They can overlap some, but you want as much surface area exposed to the heat as possible for crispness. Along the same lines, you can technically double this recipe, but remember that the more you make at once, the less crispy the green beans will be.
To prevent a soupy casserole, be sure to fully thaw any frozen vegetables in a colander over a bowl, and pat dry, squeeze excess moisture out of greens like spinach or chard, and quickly precook watery fresh vegetables like onions, mushrooms or squashes just until they release their moisture.
Add the green beans to the boiling water and cook until bright green and crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain and transfer immediately to the ice water to stop the cooking. Let sit until cooled, 1 to 2 minutes.
Frozen green beans are the best green beans to use for green bean casserole. Frozen green beans are blanched and flash-frozen to preserve their peak-season flavor. Simply thaw and drain the green beans before adding to the casserole — otherwise their excess moisture may thin the mushroom gravy.
Your cooked beans last about 3 to 5 days in the fridge. To store them, let the beans cool down after cooking, then pop them in the refrigerator within an hour. Getting them stored quickly and chilled in the fridge will help prevent the growth of bacteria.
Easy garlic green beans are delicious and simple to make. They can be prepared ahead of time and reheated right before serving. This is the perfect side dish for family weeknight dinners or special occasions. Easy garlic green beans are a delicious addition to any dinner.
Beans are just one example of many high-fiber foods. When you eat a ton of fiber, you increase your chances of bloating, stomach pain and gas. “Beans, legumes and soy each have 6 to 8 grams of fiber per half-cup,” says Dr. Todorov.
Fans love the dish in part because of how simple it is to throw together. It calls for ingredients that could be found in a typical home kitchen pantry: canned or fresh green beans, mushroom soup, milk, soy sauce and black pepper.
In the unlikely event that you have leftover green bean casserole, this Green Bean Casserole Soup is the perfect recipe to transform it into a soup! Making soup from leftovers is a great way to stretch your grocery budget, and green bean casserole is a perfect soup starter, giving you the vegetables and the flavor.
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