Best Ever Green Bean Casserole
- For the topping:
- 2 medium onions, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons panko bread crumbs
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Nonstick cooking spray
- For beans and sauce:
- 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 1 pound fresh green beans, rinsed, trimmed and halved
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 12 ounces mushrooms, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup half-and-half
Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F.
Combine the onions, flour, panko and salt in a large mixing bowl and toss to combine. Coat a sheet
pan with nonstick cooking spray and evenly spread the onions on the pan. Place the pan on the middle
rack of the oven and bake until golden brown, approximately 30 minutes. Toss the onions 2 to 3 times
during cooking. Once done, remove from the oven and set aside until ready to use. Turn the oven down
to 400 degrees F.
While the onions are cooking, prepare the beans. Bring a gallon of water and 2 tablespoons of salt
to a boil in an 8-quart saucepan. Add the beans and blanch for 5 minutes. Drain in a colander and
immediately plunge the beans into a large bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Drain and set
aside.