Green Bean Casserole

Americans traditionally serve green bean casserole on Thanksgiving Day, remembering how Native Americans saved them from starvation long ago. This dish can be served as a side dish, appetizer, or main course.

Details

  • Preparation Time: 20 minutes
  • Cooking Time: 45 minutes
  • Difficulty: 2
  • Spiciness: 1
  • Number of Servings: 8

Ingredients

  • 80 g Butter, unsalted

  • 2 piece Onion, raw

  • 1 piece Bell pepper, green, fresh

  • 500 g Mushrooms, mushrooms, fresh

  • 1.5 teaspoons Salt, table

  • 0.5 teaspoons Spices, pepper, black

  • 700 g Green beans, fresh

  • 80 g Flour, Wheat, bread flour

  • 500 ml Milk, whole milk

  • 1 pinch Spices, pepper, red or cayenne

  • 1 pinch Spices, nutmeg, ground

  • 230 g Cheese, Parmesan, grated

  • 60 g Breadcrumbs, dried

  • pieces Oil, vegetable oil, canola

Steps

  1. Clean the green beans, trim the ends, wash them, and cut them into 4 cm pieces. Peel the onion, wash it, and slice it thinly. Wash the bell pepper, cut it in half, remove the stem and seeds, and dice it into small cubes. Clean the mushrooms, rinse them quickly, and cut them into quarters.

  2. Heat a large pan and melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add half of the onion slices and sauté for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the bell pepper and mushrooms and cook until the pepper and mushrooms soften and most of the liquid evaporates, which takes about 8 to 10 minutes. Season with a teaspoon of salt and a quarter teaspoon of black pepper, then mix well. Remove the pan from the heat and let the ingredients cool.

  3. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add the green beans and cook for 5 to 10 minutes. The beans should remain bright green and not become completely soft! Drain the beans and cool them quickly by briefly submerging them in ice water. Drain again, dry them, and mix them into the pan.

  4. Prepare the béchamel sauce. In a medium saucepan, melt the remaining butter over medium heat. Add 4 tablespoons of flour and stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture turns golden, about 2 minutes. Gradually add warm milk while stirring. Continue to cook and stir for 4 to 6 minutes until the sauce thickens. Mix in cayenne pepper, nutmeg, and the remaining salt and black pepper. Remove from the heat and let the béchamel cool slightly. Stir occasionally, then pour the sauce over the vegetables in the pan and mix well.

  5. Grease a deep ovenproof dish. Spread half of the green bean mixture into the dish, sprinkle with half of the Parmesan cheese, then add the remaining green bean mixture. Mix the remaining Parmesan with breadcrumbs and sprinkle the mixture over the beans. Cover the dish with foil.

  6. Heat oil in a medium pan over medium heat. Coat the remaining onion slices in flour, then fry them in the oil until golden, about 3 minutes. Place the fried onion slices on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil.

  7. Preheat the oven, setting the rack to the highest position. Bake the casserole in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for a very short time to create a crispy crust.

  8. Sprinkle the baked casserole with the fried onions and serve directly from the dish.

Nutrition Information (Per 100g)

  • Calories: 127.47 kcal
  • Fat: 6.56 g
    • Saturated Fat: 3.96 g
  • Carbohydrates: 9.82 g
    • Sugars: 0.9 g
  • Protein: 6.31 g
  • Fiber: 1.6 g

Advice

The casserole can also be served as a main dish with a large bowl of salad. Fresh green beans contain a toxic protein called phasin, which causes red blood cells to clump together. Phasin breaks down after just a few minutes of cooking.