Green Bean Casserole with Fried Onions

There are a few dishes that are almost always on the Thanksgiving table.  My favorite is STUFFING!  Then there are dishes that I can totally do without like the dreaded green bean casserole.   I love green beans, but I do not like the mushy green bean casserole made with canned mushroom soup.  There is really no flavor and I find it boring and bland.

Boring and bland are two words that should not be apart of the Thanksgiving menu.  So I set out to make my own version of a green bean casserole from scratch.  I even attempted the fried onions- the only part of the dish that anyone ever likes from the traditional recipe.    My fried onion version only cost pennies to make compared to the expensive prepared fried onions that most people use. 

I also spiced my casserole up with flavors I love like cumin seeds and chilies.  This green bean casserole is definitely not boring or bland.  I really knew I had a hit on my hands when my son who claims to "hate" green beans ask for a portion of it and raved on how good it tasted.  So now that I know it's good,  it needs to be on the table a lot more often than just Thanksgiving.

Green Bean Casserole with Fried Onions

Ingredients

 

Green Bean Casserole

• 1lb fresh green beans
• 1lb sliced button mushrooms
• 1 large onion chopped
• 1-2 chilies (jalapenos, serrano or fresno) sliced
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 4-5 Tbs canola oil as needed
• 2 Tbs flour (see tip in instructions)
• salt and black pepper to taste
• red chili flakes to taste
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 3/4 tsp granulated garlic (divided)
• 1 Tbs soy sauce
• 1 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
• 1 up to 2 cups milk or half and half (as needed)
• 1/2 cup Monterrey jack or mozzarella cheese

Fried Onions:

• 1 large onion sliced very thin (mandolin slicer recommended)
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• salt to season flour
• paprika to season flour
• Oil to deep fry onions

Instructions

For Casserole

1. Clean beans then blanch in hot water until tender crisp, drain and set aside.

2. Heat 2 Tbs canola oil in large saute pan and add chopped onions and chilies. Saute for 2-3 minutes.

3. Next add cumin seeds, a little salt to season and turmeric powder. Saute for another minute.

4. Add blanched beans to pan and saute with 1/4 tsp garlic powder and red chili flakes for 2 minutes .

5. Place cooked beans into casserole dish. Set aside until later.

6. In same pan, add 2-3 Tbs more canola oil. Add clean and dry sliced mushrooms. Saute for several minutes until mushroom get deep brown.

7. Then add salt, black pepper, red chili flakes, 1/2 tsp garlic powder and thyme. Saute for 2 more minutes.

8. Add flour to pan and cook with beans. Once flour has cooked for a minute, add soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Stir well.

9. Then add milk and allow sauce to thicken. If sauce is too thick, add more milk as needed. Taste for seasoning.

10. Top green beans in casserole dish with mushroom and sauce. Then top with shredded cheese and bake in a 375 degree oven for 20 minutes or cheese is bubbly.

For Fried Onions:

1. Slice onions and place on a paper towel in a single layer to dry our for 30 minutes.

2. Prepare seasoned flour and dredge onions in flour. Shake off excess flour and fry in hot oil (360 degrees) until golden brown. Drain on paper towel or newspaper. Season with a little more salt once onions are fried.

TIP: Use the leftover seasoned flour in your green bean casserole.

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