Quick Answer
Yes, you can prepare green bean casserole the night before and then cook and serve it the next day. To prepare it in advance, cook the green beans and make the sauce, then combine everything in a casserole dish and refrigerate overnight. Right before cooking, top with french fried onions. With this make-ahead method, your green bean casserole can be prepped and ready for a fuss-free holiday meal.
Detailed Answer
Green bean casserole, with its crunchy fried onion topping and creamy mushroom sauce, is a staple at holiday meals like Thanksgiving and Christmas. While delicious, it does require some time to prepare – washing and snapping the green beans, cooking them just right, and mixing up a velvety mushroom sauce. For holiday hosts with crowded schedules and multiple dishes to prep, green bean casserole may get pushed to the last minute, adding stress.
Luckily, with a few tips and the right approach, this comforting casserole can be readied the day or night before and left to chill in the fridge until you’re ready to pop it in the oven and serve. Here’s how to go about preparing green bean casserole ahead of time.
Can You Cook the Green Beans Ahead of Time?
Yes, you can absolutely cook the green beans in advance. In fact, it’s recommended to boil the green beans the night before assembling the full casserole. Here are some tips for pre-cooking the green beans:
– Trim ends and remove any strings from approximately 2 pounds fresh green beans. Rinse clean.
– Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add green beans and cook for about 5 minutes until the beans are fork tender but still have a bite. Be careful not to overcook.
– Drain beans and immediately rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process. Allow to cool completely.
– Store cooked green beans in an airtight container and refrigerate overnight.
Cooking the green beans ahead takes one step off your plate right before the big day. The beans can be prepped and ready to mix into the casserole.
Can You Make the Mushroom Sauce Ahead of Time?
The creamy mushroom sauce is arguably the most time intensive part of green bean casserole. However, you’ll be relieved to know the sauce can also be prepared in advance. Here are some tips:
– Prepare your desired mushroom sauce recipe. Most recipes call for sautéed mushrooms, cooked in butter or olive oil with garlic and herbs. Flour and chicken or vegetable broth are whisked in to thicken it up.
– Cook the sauce until thickened, then let it cool completely before transferring to an airtight container.
– Store the sauce in the fridge overnight. The cooled sauce will thicken even more as it chills.
Getting the sauce ready ahead of time means even quicker assembly the day of. Just remember to bring the refrigerated sauce to room temperature before adding to the casserole dish.
How to Assemble the Casserole for Baking Day-Of
On the big day, pull your prepared ingredients from the fridge – cooked green beans and mushroom sauce. Here are the easy final steps for assembling green bean casserole before baking:
– Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 3-quart casserole dish.
– In a large bowl, mix together cooked green beans, mushroom sauce, and any other desired ingredients like cooked bacon or crispy fried onions.
– Transfer green bean mixture to prepared casserole dish. Spread into an even layer.
– Top with french fried onions. Reserve some to sprinkle on after baking.
– Bake for 25-30 minutes until hot and bubbly.
– Let sit for 5 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with extra fried onions.
Thanks to your advance prep, the hands-on time day-of is under 10 minutes. Simply mix the ingredients, transfer to a baking dish, and pop into the hot oven until heated through.
Tips for Making Ahead and Reheating
Follow these tips for the best results when preparing green bean casserole in advance:
– Be sure to completely cool cooked green beans and sauce before assembling casserole to prevent premature baking or mushiness.
– Store assembled, unbaked casserole in the fridge in a sealed container up to 2 days before baking.
– Let refrigerated casserole sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes before baking to prevent cracking or uneven cooking.
– Cover casserole dish tightly with foil before baking to prevent onion topping from burning.
– Bake chilled casserole at a slightly lower temperature (325°F) and increase time by 5-10 minutes.
– Heat leftovers in microwave until hot and sizzling, adding broth or milk if dried out.
Freezing Cooked Green Bean Casserole
In addition to refrigerating overnight, green bean casserole can also be assembled, then frozen for longer term storage. Here’s how:
– Follow recipe directions to cook green beans and prepare sauce. Allow to cool completely before assembling casserole.
– Combine green bean mixture in casserole dish but do not add fried onions. Cover tightly.
– Freeze unbaked casserole up to 3 months. Thaw in fridge overnight before baking.
– When ready to bake, top with fried onions and bake as directed until bubbly.
With this freezing method, you can prep green bean casserole well in advance so it’s ready to bake straight from the freezer whenever you need it.
Full Recipe and Ingredients
To make preparing green bean casserole the night before even easier, follow this recipe with handy make-ahead instructions built in:
Ingredients
– 2 pounds fresh green beans, trimmed and cleaned
– 1⁄4 cup butter
– 8 ounces sliced mushrooms
– 1⁄4 cup all-purpose flour
– 1 cup chicken broth
– 1⁄2 cup heavy cream
– Salt and pepper
– 1⁄4 cup fried onions
Instructions
1. Cook green beans: Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add green beans and cook 5 minutes until fork tender. Drain and immediately rinse with cold water. Refrigerate overnight.
2. Make sauce: Melt butter in skillet over medium heat. Cook mushrooms for 5 minutes until tender. Whisk in flour and cook 2 minutes more. Gradually whisk in broth and heavy cream. Simmer until sauce is thickened, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and let cool completely, then refrigerate overnight.
3. Assemble casserole: The next day, preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 3-quart baking dish. Add cooked green beans and mushroom sauce to dish. Mix well. Bake 25-30 minutes until hot. Top with fried onions in the last 5 minutes of baking. Let sit 5 minutes before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I prepare everything including the onion topping ahead of time?
It’s best to add the crispy fried onion topping right before baking. Fried onions can get soggy if sitting atop the hot casserole too long. Prep them while the casserole bakes.
How long is leftover green bean casserole safe to eat?
Leftover casserole stored in the fridge in an airtight container will keep for 3-4 days. Reheat thoroughly until steaming hot. The flavors meld nicely after a day or two!
Can I substitute frozen or canned beans?
Fresh green beans are ideal for the best flavor and texture. But if needed, you can use about 16 ounces frozen green beans, thawed and drained. Lower the frozen bean cooking time to 2-3 minutes. For canned, drain and rinse two 15-oz cans green beans before adding to the casserole.
Should I make any recipe adjustments for make-ahead assembly?
No recipe adjustments are needed. Just be diligent about fully cooling beans and sauce before assembling so the casserole doesn’t partially cook. And remember to let the chilled casserole sit out to lose the fridge chill before baking.
Conclusion
Preparing components of green bean casserole ahead – like cooking the beans and making the savory mushroom sauce – makes putting together this traditional holiday dish much easier. With some simple planning, the casserole can be assembled a day or two in advance, then refrigerated until you’re ready to bake and serve. Getting prep out of the way guarantees you’ll have a delicious and stress-free holiday meal. Now pass the fried onions!