Okay, folks, let’s dive into my little kitchen adventure today: making a green bean casserole without mushroom soup. I’ve always loved this dish, but sometimes I’m just not feeling the canned soup vibe, you know? So, I decided to wing it and see what I could come up with.
First, I grabbed a big bag of fresh green beans. I’m talking the long, skinny ones, not the pre-cut kind. Washing them, snap of the end bits, and chopping it into bite-size.
Then I boiled some water in pan,and threw the beans in. I’m not looking for mushy beans,I just want to get the raw,hard stuff out.
Making the “Sauce”
Alright, no mushroom soup, so what now? I decided to go creamy and cheesy. Here’s what I whipped together:
- I melted about half a stick of butter in a pan. Real butter, people, no margarine in this house!
- Then, I sprinkled in some flour – maybe 1/4 cup? – and whisked it around until it got all bubbly and pasty. This is what the fancy folks call a “roux.”
- Next, I slowly poured in some milk while still whisking like crazy. You don’t want lumps! I probably used about 2 cups of milk, but I just eyeballed it until it looked like a good, thick sauce.
- Time for the good stuff! I tossed in a handful of shredded cheddar cheese. And because I’m extra, I also added a bit of shredded Parmesan. Stirred it all up until the cheese was melted and gooey.
- Finally, I seasoned it with salt, pepper, and a little bit of garlic powder. Don’t be shy with the seasoning!
Once the sauce was ready, I drained the green beans and mixed them right in. I wanted every bean coated in that cheesy goodness.
The Crispy Onion Situation
Now, I know some people are all about those crispy fried onions on top. And honestly, I am too. But I didn’t have any of the store-bought ones, so I decided to try making my own. I found a solution online
- Slice a yellow onion.
- Throw it into the pan and fry it.
When they’re ready, take them out and get ready to use them.
Baking Time!
I poured the green bean and sauce mixture into a baking dish. Then,I put those onion on it.
I baked it at 350 degrees (Fahrenheit, of course) for about 20 minutes. I just kept an eye on it until the top was bubbly and slightly browned.
And that’s it! My no-mushroom-soup green bean casserole. It turned out pretty darn good, if I do say so myself. It was creamy, cheesy, and the green beans still had a little bit of a bite to them. Definitely a win in my book!
