Loaded Green Bean Casserole Recipe with Cream Cheese (2024)

FAQs

How do I thicken up my green bean casserole? ›

Before you add your topping, try to thicken the casserole with flour or cornstarch so the topping sits on top and doesn't sink to the bottom. If you're freeing up your oven by making your casserole in a slow cooker or a pressure cooker (like an Instant Pot), don't add your topping until it hits the serving dish.

Green Bean Casserole Tips

Don't overcook the green beans: Remember when you are blanching the green beans that they will continue to cook and soften while baking in the oven with the rest of the casserole. So it's important to undercook them slightly during this first step so that they don't get mushy in the oven.

When I make green bean casserole, I skip canned beans all together. Frozen green beans are the best green beans to use for green bean casserole.

✿ 4 cups of green beans is about 1½ pounds fresh or 16 ounces frozen or 2 cans (15 ounces each) drained.

Mistake #5: A Runny Casserole

Who wants that? Be sure that frozen green beans are completely defrosted and drained before adding them to the casserole, Chef Patel says. If you don't, the excess water from the beans can leak out into the casserole and make it thin and runny.

Make a cornstarch slurry for a fast and easy thickener.

Use one tablespoon of cornstarch per cup of liquid you would like to thicken. Stir out all the lumps. A few minutes before your casserole is done, add it a little at a time until you are happy with the thickness. Then, let the casserole finish baking.

Add a thickener

The extra thickening should thicken the sauce, and if the mixture is still runny, repeat the process. The site also reports that you should use 1 tbsp of corn starch if thickening a small portion and up to 4 tbsp of corn starch for large batches.

To prevent a soggy top and a firm or crunchy bottom, it's important to use a shallow baking dish, to cook the casserole at the correct oven temperature and for the appropriate amount of time, and to be mindful of the amount of liquid used in the recipe.

Make sure you mix a solution of cornstarch and water cold, and then add it to your hot dish. Same can be said for flour. A flour and water paste (desk or wasteland spoon of flour then upload cold water until it is a liquid paste) delivered to the casserole will thicken it.

The Casserole Is Bland

Another one of the most common green bean casserole mistakes is to choose a recipe that's a bit too simple, which can result in a bland dish.

Can you overcook green bean casserole? ›

Overcooking the beans won't just drain them of their appealing color, but it will also make them too soft and mushy, resulting in a less appetizing casserole.

We found that 1 pound contains about 35 to 40 green beans which yields about 3 cups chopped, making a 1/3 pound purchase just about right for a 1 cup chopped green bean recipe. Remember when cooked, 1 cup of green beans will reduce in quantity by 2 to 3 tablespoons.

“When alternative sides are plentiful, assume guests will eat a little less of each and one pound will serve four people,” Hartigan says. “And if vegetarians outnumber carnivores at your table, assume your green beans will go fast and assume that one pound will serve two people.”

Half a cup of beans is considered a serving, and contains about 7 grams of protein, depending on the type of beans you're using. One standard-sized can of beans is about two cups (or four servings), so a one-pound bag of beans will make three cans' worth, or 12 servings.

Add a thickener: The easiest way to thicken a white sauce is to add a thickener, such as a slurry made of cornstarch or flour. To make a slurry, mix equal parts of cornstarch or flour with cold water, and then slowly stir the slurry into the watery sauce, whisking constantly until the sauce thickens.

If you are finding that your green bean casserole is soupy, be sure to drain the green beans really well after blanching so you aren't getting extra water in the casserole that way. Then make sure to thicken the sauce properly by letting the chicken broth and half-and-half simmer long enough to thicken.

1. All-purpose flour: You can thicken sauces with all-purpose wheat flour. For every tablespoon of cornstarch, use three tablespoons of flour. Combine raw flour with cold water in a small bowl to form a paste, then add it into the sauce as it's simmering.

Add a thickening agent.

In a separate bowl, dissolve a teaspoon or two of cornstarch or all-purpose flour in a small amount of cold water. Add the slurry to the bubbling soup. The soup should thicken up. Add more cornstarch or flour as needed until the soup reaches your desired consistency.