elevated green bean casserole

last updated on October 29, 2026

For day 9 of my 12 Days of Thanksgiving Recipes we are making an elevated green bean casserole! You’re probably familiar with the classic Thanksgiving green bean casserole, made from canned green beans and cream of mushroom soup. We are elevating that dish by using fresh green beans and making our sauce from scratch!

You can really taste the difference of this elevated version. We still have all the warm, cozy flavors that make us love the original, but this one tastes fresher and even better. Plus we are making fried shallots for the top that are addicting! You’ll probably want to make extra because you’ll want to just snack on them plain.

ingredients needed for this elevated green bean casserole

• 2 shallots
• 2 tbsp flour
• 1/4 cup oil (olive or avocado)
• 2 lb fresh green beans
• 1 tbsp butter
• 8 oz mushrooms, chopped
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 1 tsp garlic
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 cup chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup parmesan

how to make fried shallots

You can use store-bought fried onions for this dish, but frying your own shallots is so much better! And you don’t need to use tons of oil to do it. We start by thinly slicing the shallots then breaking the layers apart. Add them to a bowl with 2 tbsp of flour and toss until combined. Add 1/4 cup of oil to a pan over medium high heat. Once the oil is hot, carefully transfer the shallots to the oil, working in batches if you need to. Since we aren’t using a ton of oil, you’ll have to keep an eye on the shallots and flip them over when needed so they can cook evenly. When they are golden brown, remove them from the oil and transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Sprinkle with a little salt if you want and you are finished! Snack on a few, of course, but then save the rest for the dish!

how to prep this dish beforehand

Thanksgiving is a wild time so I totally understand if you want to prep as much of this dish beforehand as you can! First of all, the shallots. Those can easily be made ahead of time and kept in an airtight container, then sprinkle them on top right before you serve!

If you need to, you can make this dish all the way to where you would put it in the oven to finish. Instead, once it is assembled and the green beans are tossed with the sauce, cover the container and transfer it to the fridge. Then on Thanksgiving, 30 minutes before the meal, pop it in the oven. It will need closer to 30 minutes in the oven (instead of 15 min) because you’ll be warming it from the fridge. But, this can save a lot of time on the big day!

other recipes you’ll love

• autumn harvest bowl
• pumpkin whipped feta dip
• cheddar and chive biscuits
• butternut squash, kale, and farro salad

elevated green bean casserole

5 from 1 vote

[category] Side Dish

[published] November 15, 2022

[PREP] 15 minutes mins

[COOK] 45 minutes mins

Print recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 thinly sliced shallots
• 2 tbsp flour
• 1/4 cup oil olive or avocado
• 2 lb fresh green beans
• 1 tbsp butter
• 8 oz mushrooms, chopped
• 1 yellow onion
• 1 tsp garlic
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 tbsp flour
• 1 cup chicken broth or vegetable broth
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Start by frying the shallots. Thinly slice the shallots then break the layers apart (so they look like mini onion rings). Add the sliced shallots to a bowl and add the flour. Toss to combine.
2. Add the oil to a pan over medium high heat. When the oil is hot, carefully transfer the shallots into the hot oil, working in batches if needed. Flip the shallots over occasionally. Cook until golden brown then transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Set aside.
3. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the green beans and cook for 5 minutes, then transfer to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking.
4. Add the butter to a pan over medium heat. Add mushrooms and onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, dried thyme, salt, and pepper and stir.
5. Sprinkle the flour over everything then stir until combined. The mixture will be quite thick. Add chicken broth, stir, and let cook for 2 minutes. Add the milk and cook for 2 more minutes. The mixture should be a creamy, thick sauce. Add the parmesan cheese and stir until melted.
6. Turn off the heat. Transfer the green beans into the pot and stir until they are evenly coated with sauce. Transfer the mixture to an oven safe pan (or just use the pan it's already in if that is oven safe), transfer to the oven and cook for 15 minutes.
7. Top with the fried shallots and serve. Enjoy!