Joanna Gaines Green Bean Casserole
Copycat Joanna Gaines green bean casserole takes classic holiday side dish to another level with tender green beans in a rich, creamy sauce topped with homemade crispy onion rings. It will make you rethink every recipe you tried before.
After I made Joanna Gaines’ sweet potato casserole, I had to try her green bean one too. I mean, it’s topped with onion rings! Those are way better than the canned fried onions, hands down!
Not to mention, the fresh green beans and the homemade sauce. No canned cream of mushroom soup here. Don’t worry, it doesn’t take a lot of extra time to make, and the flavor is 100 times better. Just like these smothered green beans but with extra flair for the holiday table.
Serve this with roasted turkey, my old-fashioned sweet potato casserole and dinner rolls for the ultimate holiday feast.
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See recipe card for complete information on ingredients and their quantities.
Ingredient Notes
- Buttermilk – Buy a small carton or make your own buttermilk by combining lemon juice and milk.
- Green beans – Fresh green beans are the best. be sure to trim and remove the strings. Substitute frozen green beans or canned ones in a pinch.
- Panko crumbs – For a more buttery taste, substitute Ritz crackers crumbs or plain bread crumbs.
- Mushrooms – I use fresh mushrooms for the texture but if you don’t like mushrooms, try yellow squash or eggplant.
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How To Make Joanna Gaines Green Bean Casserole
- Pour buttermilk in one bowl and the cornstarch and seasoning in another. Dip onion slices in buttermilk, shake to remove excess, then dip in cornstarch. Shake off excess.
- Heat frying oil over medium heat in a deep pan to 350F. Fry the coated onion rings until golden brown. Don’t crowd the pan. Remove to paper towel to drain.
- Blanche the fresh green beans in boiling water with Kosher salt until crisp tender. Submerge in an ice bath to cool.
- Create coating by combining melted butter and panko crumbs, stirring to combine.
- Pan roast fresh mushrooms in a large skillet, over medium-high heat, with olive oil until golden brown. Season with salt and pepper. Add in garlic and mix to combine.
- Sprinkle flour over mushrooms and stir until coated. Pour in chicken broth and whisk. Bring to a simmer and cook for 1 – 2 minutes. Turn down to medium heat and add cream, whisking. Stir continuously for 4 – 5 minutes until sauce thickens.
- Preheat the oven to 375F. Spray a baking dish with nonstick spray and set aside. Remove from heat and add in green beans.
- Spread into baking dish and top with panko mixture. Bake the casserole at 350F for 15 – 20 minutes until bubbling on top. Remove from oven and top with crispy onion rings.
For the full recipe and detailed instructions, please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Serving Suggestions
You might think green bean casserole is just for Thanksgiving, but really it’s great for Mother’s Day, Easter, and a random Wednesday.
It’s great next to some mashed potatoes and glazed carrots. I personally prefer a delicious sweet potato casserole or roasted sweet potatoes.
To lighten it up, make a nice house salad with a light vinaigrette dressing.
Storage & Reheating
If you have any leftovers, wrap them up tightly in plastic wrap or transfer to an airtight container. They will keep for up to 4 days.
Reheat it in the oven at 350F until warmed through or you can heat it in the microwave in 30 second intervals. Keep heating until warmed all the way through.
Add fresh crunchy toppings when you reheat it to add the texture back to it.
Make Ahead Prep
If you want to get ahead for the holidays, you can blanche the green beans, and make the mushroom gravy ahead of time.
Store them separately in the fridge for up to 3 days. Then assemble and bake when you’re ready to serve it.
I would leave the topping off until you put it in the oven or it will get soggy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sometimes the fresh green beans sell out or they are not up to par when you go to the store. If so, you can use canned or frozen. Be sure to drain and rinse the canned ones. And if you’re using frozen, thaw and drain them really well before using.
Of course not! You can always buy some, bake up some frozen ones, or just make extra panko topping to save time. Or substitute crushed crackers or plain cornflakes cereal. Don’t stress yourself out during the holidays!
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Different beans – Use French-style green beans if you prefer thinner pieces or cut green beans for more bite-size pieces.
- Reheating & shortcuts – Add a little cream of mushroom soup or chicken broth if the casserole gets dry. Heat in the air fryer or the oven.
- Make it cheesy – Substitute Alfredo sauce to skip making the roux.
- Gluten-free option – Use gluten-free Panko crumbs and swap all purpose flour for your favorite gluten free flour.
- Extra flavor – Top with crumbled bacon for extra texture and a little smoky flavor.
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This copycat green bean casserole recipe from Joanna Gaines is so much better than any version you’ve tried! And the crispy onion topping takes it over the top!
Joanna Gaines Green Bean Casserole
Ingredients
Fried Onion Rings
- 1 large yellow onion sliced thin
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 1 cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
- Oil for frying canola or vegetable
Green Beans
- 5 tablespoons butter unsalted, melted
- 4 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 pounds green beans snapped & string removed
Topping
- 1/4 cup Panko crumbs
- 1 tablespoon butter unsalted, melted
Casserole
- 4 tablespoons butter unsalted
- 16 ounces mushrooms stems removed, quartered
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/3 cup all purpose flour
- 3/4 cup chicken broth
- 1 3/4 cups heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F. Prepare a 9×11 baking dish with nonstick spray.
Make Fried Onions
- In a large bowl place the buttermilk.
- In a separate bowl, combine the cornstarch and season salt.
- Dip the onion slices in the buttermilk. Shake to remove excess and then toss in the cornstarch mixture to coat.
- Heat 2-3 inches of oil in a deep pan to 350F. Place a wire rack or tray lined with paper towels close by.
- In batches, fry the onions in the oil. Stir occasionally with a slotted spoon until golden brown. This will be fast, maybe 2-3 minutes.
- Using the slotted spoon, remove the fried onions and place on the paper towels. Continue with remaining onions until all are fried. Set aside.
Blanche Green Beans
- Make an ice bath in a large bowl with cold water and ice.
- In a large pot, bring water to a boil with 3 teaspoons of kosher salt.
- Add in the green beans and cook for 5 minutes or until crisp tender.
- Remove with tongs and submerge in the ice bath to stop the cooking and preserve their bright green color.
- Cool for 2-3 minutes, drain.
Make Topping
- Combine the 1 tablespoon melted butter and the Panko crumbs. Stir to combine.
Make Casserole
- In a large skillet over medium high heat, melt 4 tablespoons butter. Cook sliced mushrooms, stirring often, until tender and browned (2-3 minutes).
- Season with 1 teaspoon salt, pepper. Stir in garlic and mix to combine.
- Sprinkle the flour over the mushrooms and stir to coat. Slowly pour in the chicken broth, whisking to combine.
- Bring to a simmer and cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Turn heat to medium and whisk in the cream. Stir continuously until the sauce thickens. About 4-5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in green beans.
- Spread into the prepared baking dish. Top with Panko mixture. Bake at 375F for 15-20 minutes or until bubbly.
- Remove from the oven and top with fried onions. Serve warm.
Notes
- Different beans – Use French-style green beans if you prefer thinner pieces or cut green beans for more bite-size pieces.
- Reheating & shortcuts – Add a little cream of mushroom soup or chicken broth if the casserole gets dry. Heat in the air fryer or the oven.
- Make it cheesy – Substitute Alfredo sauce to skip making the roux.
- Gluten-free option – Use gluten-free Panko crumbs and swap all purpose flour for your favorite gluten free flour.
- Extra flavor – Top with crumbled bacon for extra texture and a little smoky flavor.
Nutrition
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