Nostalgic creamy side with tender green beans, savory mushrooms, and crispy fried onions, perfect for festive meals.
# What You'll Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 2 lb fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces (or 2 lb frozen cut green beans, thawed and drained)
→ Sauce Base
02 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
03 - 9 oz cremini or button mushrooms, sliced
04 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
05 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
06 - 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
07 - 1 cup whole milk
08 - ½ cup heavy cream
09 - ½ cup low-sodium vegetable broth
10 - 1 tsp salt
11 - ½ tsp black pepper
12 - ½ tsp ground nutmeg (optional)
→ Topping
13 - 1½ cups crispy fried onions (store-bought or homemade)
# How to Make It:
01 - Set the oven to 350°F.
02 - Boil a large pot of salted water. Add green beans and cook for 5 minutes until tender yet bright green. Drain and cool immediately under cold running water. Set aside.
03 - Melt butter over medium heat in a large skillet. Sauté mushrooms for 5-6 minutes until browned. Add onion and garlic; cook 2-3 minutes until softened.
04 - Stir flour into skillet and cook for 1 minute, stirring continuously. Gradually whisk in milk, cream, and vegetable broth. Simmer for about 5 minutes until thickened. Season with salt, pepper, and optional nutmeg.
05 - Add drained green beans to the skillet and toss gently to coat with sauce.
06 - Transfer mixture into a 2-quart baking dish. Sprinkle half of the crispy fried onions evenly over the surface.
07 - Bake for 25 minutes until bubbling. Remove from oven, add remaining fried onions on top, then bake an additional 5-7 minutes until golden and crisp.
08 - Allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving.
