Old School Green Beans (Printable version)

Tender green beans in creamy sauce with mushrooms and crispy onions, a comforting holiday side.

# What you need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 lb fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces (or frozen, thawed and drained)

→ Sauce Base

02 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
03 - 9 oz cremini or button mushrooms, sliced
04 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
05 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
06 - 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
07 - 1 cup whole milk
08 - ½ cup heavy cream
09 - ½ cup low-sodium vegetable broth
10 - 1 tsp salt
11 - ½ tsp black pepper
12 - ½ tsp ground nutmeg (optional)

→ Topping

13 - 1½ cups crispy fried onions (store-bought or homemade)

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F.
02 - Bring large pot of salted water to a boil. Add green beans and cook for 5 minutes until just tender and bright green. Drain and rinse under cold water to halt cooking. Set aside.
03 - In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add mushrooms and cook 5–6 minutes until tender and browned. Add onion and garlic, cooking an additional 2–3 minutes until softened.
04 - Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually whisk in whole milk, heavy cream, and vegetable broth. Simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg if using.
05 - Add drained green beans to skillet and toss gently to coat evenly in sauce.
06 - Transfer mixture to a 2-quart baking dish. Sprinkle half of the crispy fried onions evenly over the top.
07 - Bake for 25 minutes until bubbling. Remove from oven, top with remaining fried onions, then bake for an additional 5–7 minutes until golden and crisp.
08 - Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Creamy homemade sauce without canned soup
  • Perfect for holidays and family gatherings
02 -
  • This recipe contains milk, wheat, and may contain soy from store-bought fried onions
  • Assembling ahead is possible, but add the fried onions right before baking for best crunch
03 -
  • Use fresh green beans for best texture, but thawed frozen work fine in a pinch
  • If making ahead, let dish come to room temperature before baking for even heating
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