No Oven Required Green Bean Casserole
The hottest commodity on Thanksgiving isn’t the wishbone, my friends… It’s oven space. My mom’s side of the family gets together every year at Thanksgiving at my aunt and uncle’s house (shout out to Steve and Terri!) who literally have to clear out ALL of their downstairs furniture to fit us in. It’s amazing, it’s loud, the drinks are kept cold on the back deck, and the spread is always perfect. We generally get a mass group text saying “let us know what you’d like to bring!” but everyone has their role and generally brings the same item year after year. My move is always green beans. Since we have about 40 people most years, the oven space is coveted, to say the least. This green bean casserole can be made entirely on the stove which helps when it comes to planning your day. This green bean casserole isn’t mushy, but instead each green bean crunches in your mouth. The bacon bits are thick cut and could be the star of the show themselves. The sauce is thick and luscious, and just the tiniest bit spicy. I love love love this recipe and hope you’ll give it a try this year!
NO OVEN REQUIRED GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE
Yields 8-10 servings, 30 minutes total
Ingredients:
8 slices thick cut bacon
4 T butter, separated
1 white onion, diced
5 garlic cloves, minced
½ t red pepper flake
1 t dry parsley
1 t dry thyme
1 t salt
1 t pepper
3 T flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 ½ pounds green beans, washed and trimmed
1 cup crispy onions
Directions:
1.) Cook the bacon. I like to add my bacon slices to the air fryer and cook for 5-7 minutes at 400, but any way you like is fine. Once the bacon is cooled, dice them into large pieces and set aside.
2.) Add the diced onion to a saucepan over medium-low heat along with 1 T of butter. Cook for 6-7 minutes until softened. Remove half of the onions and set aside.
3.) Mix in the garlic and all of the spices (red pepper flake, parsley, thyme, salt and pepper) to the saucepan. Soften the garlic for 2 additional minutes.
4.) Add in the remaining butter and flour. Stir together to make a roux. Allow this to cook for 2 minutes before slowly stirring in the chicken stock. Whisk in the chicken stock until you have a thick and delicious sauce. Taste at this point and add additional spices if necessary.
5.) Add the green beans (I cut the larger ones in half) into the sauce and cover with a lid. Lower the heat to low and allow the beans to cook through until slightly softened but still crunchy. Check after a few minutes and add a tablespoon or two of water if you need to thin out the sauce.
6.) Once the green beans are cooked through, assemble on an oven safe platter. Pour all of the sauce over the top. Sprinkle bacon bits, the remaining sautéed onion, and crispy onions on top. Serve warm. No oven is required, but you may need to warm it up before serving!
