This delicious and simple Green Bean Casserole recipe from Joanna Gaines features a creamy green bean filling with a crispy onion topping and is created from scratch using healthy ingredients. The dish is a hit with any crowd and can be prepared in advance with little effort.
The fresh green beans in this dish steal the show, as they are cooked for only the briefest amount of time to retain their crisp texture and brilliant taste instead of the mushy frozen green beans that are usually the norm. To lighten up the richness of the traditional Alfredo sauce, fresh mushrooms are sautéed and then incorporated. Moreover, the canned, palm-oil-fried onions are swapped out for fresh red onions that are sautéed with panko breadcrumbs before being baked till golden brown.
A Joanna Gaines Green Bean Casserole is made with all of these ingredients, and it is not dull in the least. My family and friends unanimously agree that it is the greatest part of Thanksgiving every time I cook it.
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Ingredients That You’ll Need:
Let’s take a moment to discuss Joanna Gaines’s Green Bean Casserole ingredients before we get to the complete recipe below. The three ingredients in this dish are…
- Green beans: For the crispiest green beans, use fresh beans instead of frozen ones and chop them into bite-sized pieces, discarding the ends.
- Crispy onion topping: Unlike other casseroles, we will prepare our French “fried” onion topping from scratch here. All you’ll need are some very thinly sliced onions (red, white, or yellow — whichever you choose), Panko breadcrumbs (which we’ll briefly sauté to make extra crispy), Parmesan cheese, butter, and salt.
- Mushroom Alfredo sauce: Prepared with fresh baby Bella mushrooms (or your preferred variety of mushrooms), a generous amount of garlic, butter, flour, stock, milk, Parmesan cheese, and salt & pepper.
Can You Use Canned Green Beans Instead?
With this Joanna Gaines Green Bean Casserole recipe, I would use fresh green beans! Canned green beans are mushy and flavorless once baked into the casserole, but fresh beans cooked in chicken broth are crisp-tender and full of flavor! I just take a couple of large handfuls of beans, cut off the ends, and cut them in half. You want them cut into 12-inch chunks. You’ll notice that fresh green beans have a lot of superior flavors!
How Long Should You Cook Joanna Gaines Green Bean Casserole?
Joanna Gaines Green Bean Casserole only takes 45 minutes to prepare, 15 of which is prep time! You can make Joanna Gaines Green Bean Casserole up to a day ahead of time and refrigerate it until ready to bake, saving you time throughout the remainder of dinner preparation. Remember that if your Joanna Gaines Green Bean Casserole has been sitting in the fridge, you will most likely need to add some more time!
There are many different ways that you can customize this fresh green bean casserole recipe to your liking. For example, feel free to…
- Make it gluten-free. Gluten-free Joanna Gaines Green Bean Casserole requires gluten-free certified panko breadcrumbs. And use a gluten-free all-purpose flour mix in place of the all-purpose flour.
- Make it vegan. To prepare a vegan version of Joanna Gaines’s Green Bean Casserole, substitute olive oil or vegan butter for butter and plant-based milk for cow’s milk. Then, you may skip the Parmesan entirely, substitute vegan cheese in its stead, or sprinkle nutritional yeast to taste.
- Add bacon. I mean, I will never refuse a Joanna Gaines Green Bean Casserole with bacon. If you choose, you may dice and cook some bacon to add to this dish. And for added flavor, sauté the onions and mushrooms in the bacon drippings.
- Add additional cheese. To make the filling of Joanna Gaines Green Bean Casserole more cheesy, feel free to toss in additional cheese (such as smoked gouda, cheddar, feta, blue, or goat cheese).
- Add Cajun flavor. I enjoy adding a couple of tablespoons of Cajun or Old Bay flavor to the Alfredo sauce as well. It gives a wonderful bite and complements the other flavors in this green bean casserole by Joanna Gaines.
- Add some spice. Want to add some spice to this green bean casserole by Joanna Gaines? I enjoy adding a jalapeo that has been finely sliced to the onion topping. Alternatively, you may add crushed red pepper flakes to the mushroom sauce.
In the past, many of you have also requested a CrockPot green bean casserole recipe. Sadly, I do not believe that this Joanna Gaines Green Bean Casserole would transition well to the slow cooker. (The cream sauce must be prepared on the stovetop, while the onion topping must be crisped in the oven.) I thus vote for the usual approach.
How Can You Make Joanna Gaines Green Bean Casserole Ahead Of Time?
Simply follow the Joanna Gaines Green Bean Casserole recipe to Step 5. Then, instead of putting the baking dish in the oven, securely wrap it in foil or plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours. When you’re ready to bake the casserole, uncover and bake according to package directions.
- Preheating the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Trim, cut, and cook the green beans quickly. Bring a big stockpot of water to a boil over high heat. Trim and chop the green beans in the meanwhile.
- Then, add the green beans to the boiling water and simmer for two to three minutes, depending on how crisp you want your green beans. (Remember that the beans will continue to cook in the oven, so undercook them to your liking at this phase.)
- Then, using a slotted spoon or big sieve, quickly transfer the beans to a large basin of cold water and mix them briefly. This will decrease their cooking time. Set aside.
- Prepare your topping of crispy onions. In a large sauté pan, melt 1/2 tablespoon butter (or olive oil) over medium heat. Add the onion and simmer for two to three minutes, stirring regularly, until it is partially cooked but still has its form. (The onion should not become too soft.)
- Place the onion in a fresh bowl. Add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of butter and panko to the sauté pan and toss to mix. Cook the panko for two to three minutes, stirring regularly, until it is faintly browned.
- Remove the panko from the heat and add it to the bowl with the onions. Toss the onion mixture with the Parmesan, salt, and pepper until equally incorporated. Set aside.
- Prepare the alfredo mushroom sauce. Rinse and pat dry the sauté pan. Then, place it back on the burner. Butter should be melted over medium-high heat. Then, add the mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes, stirring periodically, until tender and gently browned. Add the garlic and cook for a further 1 to 2 minutes, stirring periodically, until aromatic.
- Stir in the flour and cook for a further minute, stirring intermittently. Then, whisk in the vegetable stock until the flour has completely dissolved. Stir in the milk and Parmesan to mix. Continue heating the sauce at a simmer until it thickens. Then, remove from fire and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Put everything together! In a stockpot, add the green beans and mushroom alfredo sauce, and stir the mixture until equally blended. Transfer the green bean mixture to a 9 × 13-inch baking dish and smooth it out evenly. Distribute the crispy onion topping mixture evenly.
- Bake. Bake for approximately 25 minutes, or until the topping is golden and crunchy. (Keep an eye on it to prevent it from burning. If the casserole begins to burn, simply cover it with a sheet of aluminum foil.
- Serve hot. Remove from the oven and serve warm, garnished, if desired, with additional freshly cracked black pepper and parsley.
What To Serve With Joanna Gaines Green Bean Casserole?
This dish has quickly established itself as a fan favorite in the household. It looks fantastic paired with any outfit! Steak, chicken, and pork make up this meal. Here are some suggestions for the serving:
- Flank Steak Marinade
- Poached Salmon With Dill Sauce
- Pork Medallions
- Pork Chop Brine
- Oven Ribs
- Chicken Drumsticks
- Chicken Nuggets
- Chicken Wings
- Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs
How To Store Joanna Gaines Green Bean Casserole?
If you have leftover Joanna Gaines Green Bean Casserole, just store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. (Unfortunately, the Alfredo sauce does not freeze well, so this Joanna Gaines Green Bean Casserole should not be frozen.)
How To Reheat Joanna Gaines Green Bean Casserole?
In The Oven:
In The microwave:
Microwave in 30-60 second intervals, depending on the size of your Joanna Gaines Green Bean Casserole, until warmed to your preference – 2 minutes should be plenty of time to get your Joanna Gaines Green Bean Casserole sizzling hot!
In the Air Fryer:
Recipe Tips
- Don’t overcook the green beans: Keep in mind that the green beans in Joanna Gaines’ Green Bean Casserole will continue to soften and cook while baking in the oven. In order to prevent them from becoming mushy in the oven, it is essential to undercook them slightly in this initial phase. (I normally boil my beans for approximately 2 minutes since I prefer them crunchy.)
- Pre-toast the breadcrumbs: Panko breadcrumbs benefit from a little sauté in butter before being baked in the oven to bring out their full golden crispiness.
- Very thinly slice the red onion: Furthermore, I suggest chopping the onion as thinly as possible so that it crisps up well in the oven.
- Feel free to make the casserole ahead of time: To make the Joanna Gaines Green Bean Casserole in advance (which is great for Thanksgiving), just complete Step 5 of the directions. You may then cover the dish securely with foil or plastic wrap and chill it in the fridge for up to 48 hours instead of baking it. Uncover the dish before placing it in the oven.
Joanna Gaines Green Bean Casserole Nutrition Facts
Amount Per Serving
- Calories 191
- Total Fat 10g
- Saturated Fat 1.9g
- Trans Fat 0.1g
- Cholesterol 1.1mg
- Sodium 932mg
- Potassium 213mg
- Total Carbohydrate 22g
- Dietary Fiber 3.3g
- Sugars 2.5g
- Protein 4.1g
- Vitamin A 8.5%
- Vitamin C 5.3%
- Calcium 5.6%
- Iron 8.3%
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Servings 8
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 191
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 10g16%
- Saturated Fat 1.9g10%
- Trans Fat 0.1g
- Cholesterol 1.1mg1%
- Sodium 932mg39%
- Potassium 213mg7%
- Total Carbohydrate 22g8%
- Dietary Fiber 3.3g14%
- Sugars 2.5g
- Protein 4.1g9%
- Vitamin A 8.5 IU
- Vitamin C 5.3 mg
- Calcium 5.6 mg
- Iron 8.3 mg
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
