Skillet Loaded Green Bean Casserole
Skip the canned soup. This Loaded Green Bean Casserole gives a holiday classic a made-from-scratch makeover with pancetta, mushrooms, water chestnuts, and homemade creamy garlic sauce -plus crispy baked onions! Gluten-free option included.
As someone who grew up on southern-style green beans, I know an excellent green bean recipe when I see one, and this loaded green bean casserole goes above and beyond delicious. Not to mention, it’s inspired by Alton Brown’s green bean casserole, and Alton knows his stuff!
Each component of this casserole is made fresh, eliminating the need for canned cream of mushroom soup and store-bought French-fried onions. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with store-bought if that’s what you prefer, but the creamy sauce and crispy baked onions are simple.
These step-by-step instructions will walk you through how to make a creamy skillet sauce loaded with mushrooms, pancetta, water chestnuts, and crispy onions. After making the sauce, the green beans get added directly to the skillet, topped with more crispy onions, and baked until bubbly!
So if you’re someone that typically skips the green bean casserole, give this gourmet skillet version a shot, and gobble til you wobble!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- No canned cream of mushroom soup. Making it from scratch with real food ingredients is the healthier, more flavorful option.
- The crispy onions! They’re hand-breaded and baked instead of fried.
- You can make it gluten-free. No one will ever know the difference.
- It’s an upgraded Thanksgiving classic and a guaranteed family favorite on the holiday table!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Thinly sliced onions – Yellow onion is standard for French-fried onions, but you can also use white and sweet onions. Shallots are also an option if you’re feeling extra fancy!
- Flour +panko bread crumbs – For the onion breading, you can use all-purpose or gluten-free ap flour. I also like adding a couple of tablespoons of panko for extra crunch. The panko can also be regular or gluten-free.
- Coarse salt – The larger granules add another element of crunch to the onion breading.
- Olive oil cooking spray – Helps achieve a gorgeous golden crust on the onions.
- Butter – Coats the skillet and adds flavor.
- Mushrooms – White (button) and cremini (baby bellas) are perfect in the homemade sauce.
- Pancetta – Pancetta is a cut of salt-cured pork belly. It isn’t smoked like bacon but can be used interchangeably. It’s truly a matter of preference.
- Salt +freshly cracked pepper – Refines every flavor!
- Garlic – FRESH minced garlic elevates the aromatic, savory flavors.
- Nutmeg – Adds a touch of warming spice.
- Flour – This is the thickening agent for the creamy skillet sauce. Again, you can use regular ap flour or gluten-free ap flour.
- Chicken stock or broth – Chicken stock is the base of the sauce, so it significantly impacts the final flavor of the dish. Opt for a good quality stock or broth here.
- Half & half – This is the creamy element of the sauce. Equal parts milk and heavy whipping cream work as well.
- Water chestnuts – Contrary to belief, water chestnuts aren’t nuts at all. They are, in fact, very nutritious aquatic vegetables. Trust me, green bean casserole and water chestnuts are meant to be.
- Green beans – And last but certainly not least, the star of the casserole. I like using frozen green beans as they come out perfectly crisp-tender.
How To Make Loaded Green Bean Casserole
Step 1: Bread onions. First, preheat the oven to 425°F. Meanwhile, bread thinly sliced onions by adding them to a large bowl with flour, panko, and coarse salt and tossing until the onions are evenly coated.
Step 2. Bake onions. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and spread the onions on the pan in a single layer.
Spray cooking spray over the top and bake for 25-30 minutes or until the onions are golden, stirring occasionally (I like to stir every 8-10 minutes). Remove from the oven and transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Reduce the oven heat to 400°F.
Step 3: Sautė pancetta with mushrooms and aromatics. In a large oven-proof skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add the diced pancetta and mushrooms. Season with salt & pepper and cook for 4-5 minutes. Then add the garlic and nutmeg and cook for another minute or two. At this point, your home should smell divine!
Step 4: Add flour and deglaze. Sprinkle the flour over the pancetta mixture, give everything a good stir, and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the chicken stock and let simmer for 1 minute more.
Step 5: Add cream and water chestnuts. Lower the heat to medium-low. Add the half-and-half and water chestnuts, and cook until the mixture thickens, occasionally stirring (about 6-8 minutes). Remove the skillet from the heat.
Step 6: Assemble skillet and bake. Stir in the thawed, drained green beans and ¼ of the crispy onions. Sprinkle the remaining crispy onions over the top and bake for 15 minutes. Serve hot, and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- The onions should be sliced thin and evenly. A mandoline slicer or spiralizer is the best way to cut the onions just right.
- Make sure the onions have some wiggle room on the baking sheet. If the baking sheet is overcrowded, the onions won’t crisp evenly and may end up soggy.
- You must thaw and drain the green beans very well, and they will deliver the same fresh-tender toothsome bite you’d expect from fresh green beans. I like to quick thaw under cold running water. Use a paper towel or cheesecloth and press out any excess water before adding them to the skillet.
- Bake the skillet uncovered so the onions become even crispier and the sauce thickens.
Variations
Make it cheesy – Make it fully loaded by shredding a generous layer of cheese straight from the block over the creamy green bean mixture before topping it with crispy onions and baking. Cheddar, Monterey jack, and parmesan are great options.
Store-bought topping – While I highly recommend making the crispy onions, you can also use a store-bought substitution. For example, try crushed Ritz crackers, or fresh breadcrumbs as an alternative to French fried onions.
Serving Suggestions
Complete your Thanksgiving feast with these classic holiday sides.
- Loaded Mashed Potatoes
- Gluten-Free Cornbread Dressing
- Southern Macaroni & Cheese
- Gluten-free Sweet Potato Casserole
- Bacon-fat Roasted Brussels Sprouts
- Southern-Style Collard Greens
- Homemade Cranberry Sauce
Storing
Cover leftovers and keep refrigerated for 3-4 days. When ready to reheat, preheat the oven between 325°F-350°F and bake for 15-20 minutes or until warmed through. Technically you can freeze the leftovers as well, but the crispy topping and sauce won’t be the quality it was before.
Recipe FAQ
You can thaw and drain the green beans in advance, but as for assembling the skillet, it’s best to cook everything fresh so the onions are hot and crispy and the sauce is nice and smooth when served.
If it comes out mushy, it may be because the sauce is too thin. To avoid this, dry the thawed green beans well and simmer the sauce long enough to thicken. It could also be that the assembled skillet stood too long before going in the oven. Once the sauce is ready, add the green beans and onion topping, and bake immediately.
Yes.! If you do not have a cast iron skillet or heavy-bottomed oven-safe pan, cook the mushroom mixture and sauce in a regular pan. Once thickened, transfer to a baking dish with the green beans. Top with crispy onions and bake.
You can. Just know that canned green beans will be MUCH softer. The thawed frozen beans have the perfect crisp/tender texture for this dish.
Fresh green beans are perfectly fine, but it involves an extra step. Before adding the green beans to the skillet, they must be par-boiled, blanched, and dried thoroughly.
More Ways To Cook Green Beans
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Skillet Loaded Green Bean Casserole
Equipment
- Oven-proof skillet cast-iron works great here
- Baking sheet
Ingredients
- 2 medium onions thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour can also use gluten-free all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp panko bread crumbs can also use GF panko bread crumbs
- 1 tsp coarse salt
- olive oil cooking spray
- 1 tbsp butter
- 8 oz mushrooms cut into 1/2 inch pieces
- 4 oz pancetta diced, uncured
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly cracked pepper
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg freshly ground
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour can also use GF here
- 1 cup chicken stock or broth
- 1 cup half and half
- 2 oz water chestnuts diced
- 1 lb frozen green beans thawed and drained well
Instructions
- First, prepare the oven-fried onions by preheating the oven to 425 degrees F.
- In a large bowl, toss the thinly sliced onions with the flour, panko, and coarse salt until evenly coated.
- Spray a baking sheet with olive oil spray and spread the onions on the pan. Give them a spritz of olive oil and bake for 25-30 minutes, stirring every 8-10 minutes. Remove the baked onions and set aside. Reduce the oven heat to 400 degrees F.
- In a large oven-proof skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat.
- Add the diced pancetta, mushrooms, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring often, for 4-5 minutes, until the mushrooms begin to give up some of their liquid.
- Add the garlic and nutmeg and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
- Sprinkle the flour over the mushroom mixture, stir, and cook for 1 minute. Add the chicken stock and simmer for 1 minute more.
- Lower the heat to medium-low and add the half and half and water chestnuts. Cook until the mixture thickens, stirring occasionally, about 6-8 minutes.
- Remove the skillet from the heat, stir in the green beans and 1/4 of the onions. Top with the rest of the onions and bake in the oven for 15 minutes. Serve immediately.
Notes
- The onions should be sliced thin and evenly. A mandoline slicer or spiralizer is the best way to cut the onions just right.
- Make sure the onions have some wiggle room on the baking sheet. If the baking sheet is overcrowded, the onions won’t crisp evenly and may end up soggy.
- You must thaw and drain the green beans very well, and they will deliver the same fresh-tender toothsome bite you’d expect from fresh green beans. I like to quick thaw under cold running water. Use a paper towel or cheesecloth and press out any excess water before adding them to the skillet.
- Bake the skillet uncovered so the onions become even crispier and the sauce thickens.
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LOVE this!! I’m all about healthier eating and this looks luscious and fabulous! Won’t miss all that icky stuff in the traditional method. #pinning #onthemenu Thank you for linking up wtih #FoodieFridays
You bet! Thanks so much Christie!
This looks so rich and creamy. thanks for linking this to the linkz party.
Thank you for hosting Simi! 🙂