November 14, 2026
 Hello Friends,
Thanksgiving is three weeks out, and if you're anything like me, that means it's time to start test driving the sides before the big day actually arrives. There's one dish nobody ever leaves on the table, no matter how full everyone already is, and you already know which one I mean.
My nephew requests green bean casserole every single year, and I mean every year, he practically demands I make a double batch so he has leftovers to take home. For a long time I made the version with canned soup and canned fried onions, same as everybody's grandmother did, and it was fine. Just fine.
Last year I finally rebuilt it from scratch, real mushrooms, real cream, a splash of soy sauce for a depth of flavor you can't quite place. It tastes like the casserole you remember, just better, and nobody at my table has asked where the can went.
That's today's recipe: a homemade Green Bean Casserole that still bakes up bubbly and golden under a blanket of crispy onions, no canned soup required. Make it once before Thanksgiving as a test run. You'll thank me.
Happy Cooking,
Anisa
 Photo: Pulling it out of the oven right when the onions hit that perfect golden brown.
Today's Recipe
Green Bean Casserole
Serves 8 | Prep 20 min | Bake 30 min
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Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs fresh or frozen green beans, trimmed and halved
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 8 oz cremini mushrooms, trimmed and sliced
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 cup vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 4 garlic cloves, grated
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 cups french fried onions
Directions
- Heat your oven to 400 F.
- Bring a big pot of salted water to a boil and set a bowl of ice water next to it. Drop in the green beans and blanch for 2 to 4 minutes, just until they're bright green and crisp tender. Scoop them into the ice bath, then drain and pat dry.
- Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat and cook the mushrooms with a pinch of salt for 8 to 10 minutes, until soft. Set them aside.
- In the same skillet, whisk in the cream, broth, soy sauce, mustard, garlic, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Bring it to a simmer, then turn the heat down and let it cook for 10 minutes, whisking now and then, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Lower the heat even more and whisk in the flour until smooth, then stir in the Parmesan until melted. Take it off the heat.
- Spread the green beans and mushrooms in a 9x13 baking dish, pour the sauce over everything, and toss to coat.
- Cover and bake for 20 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling at the edges. Uncover, scatter the french fried onions on top, and bake 10 minutes more, until they're golden.
- Let it sit for 15 minutes before serving. The sauce needs a minute to settle.
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Today's Pick
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ChopMix Mini Cordless Chopper
$14.99 $24.99
Mushrooms and onions, chopped fine in seconds with one cordless pull, no cutting board mess. Tonight's cream sauce starts here.
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Kitchen Hack
Freeze leftover broth or wine in an ice cube tray, then pop the cubes into a freezer bag once they're solid. Next time a recipe calls for just a splash, you're not stuck opening a whole carton for two tablespoons.
Keep a damp paper towel folded under your cutting board while you chop. It stops the board from sliding on the counter and it's faster than digging out a non-slip mat.
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