The Best Green Beans for Green Bean Casserole
My mother always made green bean casserole with store-bought canned green beans because her mother made green bean casserole with canned green beans. But my grandmother’s canned green beans were picked and canned from her home garden. When I make green bean casserole, I skip canned all together and head for the freezer instead because frozen green beans are the best green beans to use for green bean casserole.
Frozen green beans are blanched and flash-frozen, usually within a few hours of picking, which means they have their peak-season flavor preserved and don’t require any additional cooking before going into the casserole. Just be sure to thaw and drain the green beans before adding to the casserole — otherwise their excess moisture may thin the mushroom gravy.
Tip: Quickly thaw the green beans by placing them under running water in a colander. Let the beans drain while you prepare the rest of the casserole.
Make-ahead tip: Assemble the casserole without the crisp onion topping and store tightly wrapped in the refrigerator for up to three days. Remove from the refrigerator while the oven preheats. Top with the fried onions and bake.
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