Green Bean Casserole With Crispy Baked Onions

This from-scratch green bean casserole trades the can for real flavor: a velvety gravy, bright tender-crisp beans, and ultra-crunchy oven-baked “fried” onions. The result is cozy, creamy, and irresistibly crisp on top—plus it’s make-ahead friendly for stress-free holidays. One bite and you’ll see why it’s WAY better than your traditional green bean casserole.

Serves: 6–8 Prep: 25 minutes Cook: 35–40 minutes Total: ~1 hour

Equipment: Large baking sheet, parchment/silicone mat, large saucepan, 10–12" casserole dish or pie pan

Ingredients

Crispy Baked Onions

• 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced

• 1/2 cup (62 g) all-purpose flour, spooned & leveled

• 3/4 cup (45 g) panko breadcrumbs*

• 1/2 tsp fine salt

• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper

• 1 large egg

• 1 Tbsp (15 ml) milk

  
  

Green Bean Casserole

• 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp salt, divided

• 1 lb fresh green beans, rinsed, ends trimmed, halved

• 2 Tbsp (28 g) unsalted butter

• 1 Bell Pepper sliced (red or orange)

• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 Tbsp (15 g) all-purpose flour

• 3/4 cup (180 ml) chicken or vegetable broth

• 1 1/4 cups (300 ml) half-and-half*

Step-by-step: How to make it

1) Bake the crispy onions

Preheat the oven to 450°F (232°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat. Set up three bowls:

• Bowl 1: flour

• Bowl 2: whisked egg + milk

• Bowl 3: panko + salt + pepper + season salt

Working in batches, dredge onion slices in flour (shake off excess), dip in egg, then coat thoroughly in panko. Arrange on the sheet pan and bake ~20 minutes, flipping twice for even browning, until golden and crisp. Set aside.

2) Blanch the green beans

Bring pot of water and 1 Tbsp salt to a rolling boil. Add beans; cook 5 minutes. Drain, then immediately shock in ice water to stop cooking. Drain again and set aside.

3) Make the gravy

In a pan melt butter. Add bell pepper 1 tsp salt, and pepper; cook ~5 minutes until they release moisture. Stir in garlic; cook 2 minutes. Sprinkle flour in; stir to coat (it will look a bit dry). Gradually pour in broth, stirring; simmer 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, add half-and-half, and cook—stirring occasionally—until thick and silky, ~10 minutes (longer if you prefer it thicker).

4) Assemble & bake

Reduce oven to 400°F (204°C). take your casserole dish and fold in the

beans and about 1/4 of the onions and gravy Top evenly with remaining onions. Bake at 400°F until bubbling around the edges, ~15 minutes. Rest 5 minutes, then serve warm.

Tips & make-ahead

• Keep the onions crisp: Let them cool on the pan in a single layer. If you made them ahead, re-crisp 5–8 minutes at 350°F (177°C).

• Make ahead (best way):

  • Bake onions up to 1 day ahead; store loosely covered at room temp.

  • Make the sauce + fold in beans, transfer to dish, cool, cover, and refrigerate up to 1 day. When ready, loosen with a splash of broth if very thick, top with onions, and bake 20–25 minutes at 400°F.

Storage & reheating

• Fridge: Airtight up to 4 days.

• Reheat: 350°F until hot and bubbly. Sprinkle a handful of fresh panko on top for extra crunch if needed.

• Freezer: Not ideal (dairy sauces can separate), but you can freeze the sauced beans without the onion topping up to 2 months. Thaw overnight, warm on the stove with a splash of broth, top with fresh onions, and bake.

What to serve it with

Roast turkey, chicken, or beef; meatloaf; pork tenderloin; or a glazed ham. Add a bright salad and fluffy dinner rolls to round it out.

FAQ

Can I use frozen green beans?Yes—no need to thaw. Blanch 2–3 minutes (they’re partially cooked), shock in ice water, drain well.

My sauce isn’t thickening—help!Simmer gently and keep stirring. If still thin after 10–minutes, mix 1 tsp flour with 1 Tbsp half-and-half to make a slurry and whisk it in; cook a few more minutes.

The onions got soft—what went wrong?Moisture is the enemy. Let onions cool in a single layer and don’t cover tightly with foil. Re-crisp briefly in the oven before topping the casserole.