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Joanna Gaines Green Bean Casserole

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Try this Joanna Gaines Green Bean Casserole copycat recipe, featuring creamy sauce and delicious crunchy green beans that is perfect for this time of year.

overhead picture of green bean casserole topped with onion rings in a white dish

Whether you make this as a side dish to add to the table this holiday season or you want a quick, easy dinner to heat up when you know that you’re going to be busy, I highly recommend trying this recipe.

Joanna Gaines’ Green Bean Casserole Recipe

One of my favorite holiday traditions is coming up with a new dish to make each year.

Because I am one of Joanna’s fans, I had to try something from her holiday content for Thanksgiving dinner.

My family absolutely loves all sorts of classic recipes, and this twist on a holiday staple will leave even the pickiest eaters asking for a second helping.

The combination of green beans, thick hearty sauce, and crispy fried onions on top make it a delicious meal for you to make. Just like these Crack Green Beans with a sticky glaze and crispy bacon.

The complete recipe takes around 15 minutes of total prep time. If you want something that you can make ahead of time and serve during the week, this recipe is perfect for you.

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separate ingredients on a marble backdrop

Ingredients Needed

  • Yellow onion – Choose a large onion for this recipe. Substitute with a white onion or red onion if you don’t have yellow.
  • Buttermilk – To make your own buttermilk, combine lemon juice and milk.
  • Butter – Choose unsalted for this recipe if you can, but if not salted will work as well.
  • Green beans – Frozen green beans can be used if you don’t have fresh ones on hand.
  • Panko crumbs – For a more buttery taste, you can also use crushed Ritz crackers or plain bread crumbs.
  • Mushrooms – I recommend using fresh mushrooms, but you can substitute it for eggplant if you don’t like the taste of mushrooms.
  • Garlic cloves – Freshly minced garlic can be swapped for pre-minced if necessary.
  • Chicken broth – Chicken stock or vegetable stock is an easy alternative to chicken broth.
  • Heavy cream – Half and half or sour cream are good swaps if you don’t have heavy cream on hand.
  • Pantry staples – Oil for frying, olive oil, seasoned salt, Kosher salt, black pepper, cornstarch, all purpose flour.

How To Make Joanna Gaines’ Green Bean Casserole

  1. Make fried onions. In a large bowl, pour buttermilk. In a separate bowl, mix cornstarch and seasoning salt. 
  2. Coat onion slices in buttermilk, shaking to remove excess before tossing in cornstarch mixture.
  3. In a deep pan over medium heat, fry onion rings in oil at 350F. Remove the crispy onion rings with a slotted spoon to a paper towel to drain.
  1. Blanche the fresh green beans in boiling water with Kosher salt until crisp tender. Submerge in an ice bath to cool.
  2. Create coating by combining melted butter and panko crumbs, stirring to combine.
  1. Create the casserole. Pan roast fresh mushrooms in a large skillet, over medium-high heat, with olive oil until golden brown. Season with salt and pepper. Add in garlic and mix to combine.
  2. Sprinkle flour over mushrooms and stir until coated. Pour in chicken broth and whisk.
  3. Bring to a simmer and cook for 1 – 2 minutes. Turn down to medium heat and add cream, whisking. Stir continuously for 4 – 5 minutes until sauce thickens.
  1. Preheat the oven to 375F. Spray a baking dish with nonstick spray and set aside.
  2. Remove from heat and add in green beans. Spread into baking dish and top with panko mixture. 
  3. Bake the casserole at 350F for 15 – 20 minutes until bubbling on top. Remove from oven and top with crispy onion. Serve warm and enjoy!

For the full recipe and detailed baking instructions, please see the recipe card at the end of this post.

baked green bean casserole with panko topping

What do I serve with green bean casserole?

My favorite side dishes to serve with this homemade green bean casserole are different versions of comfort food like collard greens and mashed potatoes.

I personally prefer a delicious sweet potato casserole or roasted sweet potatoes. For a lighter side, you can also make a nice house salad with a light vinaigrette dressing.

casserole with scoop missing and a spoon resting in it

How to Store Leftovers

Wrap tightly or place any leftover green bean casserole in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

To reheat green bean casserole, place the dish in the oven and heat for a few minutes more than the directions suggest, or until your casserole is warm all the way through.

You might need to reapply the crunchy toppings when you reheat them or keep them off until you are warming it up so they don’t get soggy.

Can I make it ahead of time?

This green bean casserole recipe is great because you can make it ahead of time and keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days. Just make sure that you store it in an airtight container.

You can also freeze this casserole for up to 2 months, if you want to have something quick you can grab on those busy weeknights.

overhead picture of plate with a serving of green bean casserole

Can I Use Canned Or Frozen Green Beans Instead?

Of course, if you aren’t able to find fresh green beans they can be substituted for canned or frozen, but be warned that the flavor may not be as strong as if you used fresh.

Canned green beans in particular are much softer than fresh and can give it a more soggy texture, so I would try to avoid them if at all possible.

fork holding a bite of green bean casserole

Best Casserole Tips

  • If you prefer thinly sliced green beans, I recommend looking for a fresh french style for this casserole. 
  • When reheating, if your casserole is getting a little dry you can rehydrate it by adding a little cream of mushroom soup while baking.
  • You can also use an air fryer or a slow cooker to reheat this dish if you prefer. 
  • For a gluten-free version of this recipe, you can use gluten-free Panko crumbs and swap out all purpose flour for a gluten-free flour of your choice. 
  • I recommend serving this casserole with some crumbled bacon sprinkled on top because it increases the flavor and adds a nice salty element to the dish. 
  • For my spice lovers, you can top this casserole with a mix of sliced jalapenos and green onion.
  • Make this with Alfredo sauce if you don’t want to make the roux.
  • Make it a traditional “friendsgiving casserole” every year!

If you love this recipe as much as I do, pin this to your favorite casserole Pinterest board and share it on your favorite social media channels!

fork holding a bite of green bean casserole with blue banner and white text

This simple but delicious recipe for Joanna Gaines’ Green Bean Casserole is the healthy way to create comfort food from scratch. Serve it as one of your favorite sides. With crispy onions, tender green beans, and a savory sauce, this take on the classic green bean casserole is one that you have to try for yourself.

overhead picture of green bean casserole with spoon and scoop missing

Joanna Gaines Green Bean Casserole

Try this Joanna Gaines Green Bean Casserole copycat recipe, featuring creamy sauce and delicious crunchy green beans that is perfect for this time of year.
5 from 3 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Vegetarian
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 6 – 8 servings
Calories: 480kcal
Author: Jennifer Stewart

Ingredients

Fried Onions

  • 1 large yellow onion sliced thin
  • ½ cup buttermilk
  • 1 cup cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
  • Oil for frying canola or vegetable

Green Beans

  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
  • 4 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 2 pounds fresh green beans snapped & string removed

Topping

  • 1/4 cup Panko crumbs
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter melted

Green Bean Casserole

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 16 ounces mushrooms stems removed, quartered
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/3 cup all purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup chicken broth
  • 1 3/4 cups heavy cream

Instructions

Make the Fried Onions:

  • Preheat oven to 375F. Prepare a 9×11 baking dish with nonstick spray.
  • In a large bowl place the buttermilk.
  • In a separate bowl, combine the cornstarch and season salt.
  • Dip the onion slices in the buttermilk. Shake to remove excess and then toss in the cornstarch mixture to coat.
  • Heat 2-3 inches of oil in a deep pan to 350F. Place a wire rack or tray lined with paper towels close by.
  • In batches, fry the onions in the oil. Stir occasionally with a slotted spoon until golden brown. This will be fast, maybe 2-3 minutes.
  • Using the slotted spoon, remove the fried onions and place on the paper towels. Continue with remaining onions until all are fried. Set aside.

Blanch the Green Beans:

  • Make an ice bath in a large bowl with cold water and ice.
  • In a large pot, bring water to a boil with 3 teaspoons of kosher salt.
  • Add in the green beans and cook for 5 minutes or until crisp tender.
  • Remove with tongs and submerge in the ice bath to stop the cooking and preserve their bright green color.
  • Cool for 2-3 minutes, drain.

Mix the coating:

  • Combine the 1 tablespoon melted butter and the Panko crumbs. Stir to combine.

Make the casserole:

  • In a large skillet over medium high heat, melt 4 tablespoons butter. Cook sliced mushrooms, stirring often, until tender and browned (2-3 minutes).
  • Season with 1 teaspoon salt, pepper. Stir in garlic and mix to combine.
  • Sprinkle the flour over the mushrooms and stir to coat. Slowly pour in the chicken broth, whisking to combine.
  • Bring to a simmer and cook for 1-2 minutes.
  • Turn heat to medium and whisk in the cream. Stir continuously until the sauce thickens. About 4-5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in green beans.
  • Spread into the prepared baking dish. Top with Panko mixture. Bake at 375F for 15-20 minutes or until bubbly.
  • Remove from the oven and top with fried onions. Serve warm.

Notes

  • If you prefer thinly sliced green beans, I recommend looking for a fresh french style for this casserole. 
  • When reheating, if your casserole is getting a little dry you can rehydrate it by adding a little cream of mushroom soup while baking.
  • You can also use an air fryer or a slow cooker to reheat this dish if you prefer. 
  • For a gluten-free version of this recipe, you can use gluten-free Panko crumbs and swap out all purpose flour for a gluten-free flour of your choice. 
  • I recommend serving this casserole with some crumbled bacon sprinkled on top because it increases the flavor and adds a nice salty element to the dish. 
  • For my spice lovers, you can top this casserole with a mix of sliced jalapenos and green onion.
  • Try this with Alfredo sauce if you don't want to make the roux.
  • Make it a traditional "friendsgiving casserole" every year!

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 480kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 98mg | Sodium: 986mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 8g

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Recipe Rating




Sheila

Thursday 19th of January 2023

Oh, I am loving those crispy homemade fried onions on top!