Mushroom Green Bean Casserole

This is my take on the classic American green bean casserole; I’ve added fresh mushrooms and sour cream, and rely on simple salt and pepper for additional flavor.

When the holidays come around, this is one of my favorite side dishes to make, both for home and as a contribution to other holiday meals, especially at Thanksgiving get-togethers!  One great thing about this recipe is that everything but the toppings can be prepared in advance and refrigerated for up to 24 hours before baking time.

The mushrooms give it a hearty, earthy flavor, and sour cream adds extra creaminess and a bit of tanginess.

I like to use fresh or frozen fine green beans because they have much better texture and flavor than canned green beans (nooooo!).  For me, this makes a massive difference in the taste of green bean dishes.

Mushroom Green Bean Casserole

Ingredients

• 2 oz butter
• 1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
• 2 cups fresh or frozen fine green beans
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 large  (22.6-ounce) can cream of mushroom soup or 2 regular (10.5-ounce) cans
• 1 package French-fried onions
• 1 cup grated Cheddar cheese
• Salt & pepper to taste

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2. Saute the mushrooms in butter
3. Cut the green beans in half for bite-size pieces.
4. Once the mushrooms are sautéed, add the green beans to the mixture and saute the vegetable mix for 3-4 more minutes.  If the green beans weren’t already thawed, sauté them for a few more minutes.
5. Turn off the heat and add mushroom soup and sour cream to the green beans and mushrooms
6. Add salt & pepper to taste
7. Mix well
8. Pour mixture into a 2-3 quart baking dish
9. Bake for 20 minutes
10. Top with French-fried onion rings and Cheddar cheese, as desired
11. Bake for another 10 minutes