Green bean casserole is one of my sneaky favorites at Thanksgiving, partially because it’s a dish I really only eat at the holiday so each bite has nostalgic flavors. I’ve made a few riffs on Thanksgiving green bean recipes over the years and had an idea to dress up those crunchy veggies with the savory, rich flavors of French onion soup. The recipe starts with caramelizing the onions, which takes quite a bit of time! The good news is you can prep the onions in advance, get them caramelized the day before, deglaze the pan and add in the green beans, and then store the dish covered in the fridge until you’re ready to serve it. On Thanksgiving Day, just add the cheese on top and bake it in the oven – it may need 5 extra minutes of cooking time to get the onions and green beans bubbling hot again. I like to make this in a dish that can go from oven to stove to table, it’s one less dish to worry about when hosting (I use this stainless steel pan). The onion flavor is sweet and savory from the caramelization, and the melted cheese on top gives the dish a salty balance – it’ll make you want an extra helping of green beans on your Thanksgiving plate! Get the full recipe below:
- 3 Yellow Onions, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
- 2 Tbsp of Butter
- 2 Tsp of Sugar
- 1 Cup of Beef Stock
- 1 Tbsp of Sweet Vermouth
- 1 Tsp of Worcestershire Sauce
- Fresh Thyme
- 1.5 Lbs. of Fresh Green Beans, trimmed
- Salt and Pepper
- ¾ Cup of Fontina or Gruyere cheese
- Add the thinly sliced onions and butter to a pan over medium heat. Cook the onions for about 30 minutes before sprinkling the sugar on top. Cook for an additional 10-15 minutes, until the onions are soft and caramelized.
- Once the onions are caramelized, deglaze the pan with beef stock, vermouth, and Worcestershire sauce. Add Thyme sprigs and green beans to the pan and cook for 10 minutes, until the green beans are tender, and the liquid has reduced by about half. Remove thyme sprigs and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- When you’re ready to serve, top the green bean and onion mix with the shredded cheese and bake in a 425 oven for 10 minutes, until the liquid is bubbling and cheese has melted.
