Food Recipes Side Dishes Vegetable Side Dishes Green Bean Casserole with Almost-Burnt Almonds 5.0 (4) 4 Reviews With incredible crunch and intense nutty flavor, almost-burnt almonds take this riff on a Thanksgiving classic to the next level. By Justin Chapple Justin Chapple Justin Chapple is a chef, recipe developer, food writer, video host, and cookbook author. In addition, he is the culinary director-at-large of Food & Wine and host of their video series, Mad Genius Tips, for which he was nominated twice for a prestigious James Bead Award. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on October 17, 2024 Tested by Food & Wine Test Kitchen Tested by Food & Wine Test Kitchen Recipes published by Food & Wine are rigorously tested by the culinary professionals at the Dotdash Meredith Food Studios in order to empower home cooks to enjoy being in the kitchen and preparing meals they will love. Our expert culinary team tests and retests each recipe using equipment and ingredients found in home kitchens to ensure that every recipe is delicious and works for cooks at home every single time. Meet the Food & Wine Test Kitchen Save Rate PRINT Share Active Time: 45 mins Total Time: 1 hr 25 mins Servings: 8 to 10 Jump to recipe Justin Chapple's fresh take on the classic casserole features crisp-tender green beans in a silky vegetarian sauce, with no canned soup required. Instead of topping the dish with store-bought fried onions, which tend to get soggy as the casserole sits, Chapple uses a mix of deeply roasted almonds and panko breadcrumbs to provide the quintessential crunch. When making the sauce, he coaxes as much flavor as possible from the onions by caramelizing them with garlic before adding the other ingredients. Try this green bean casserole with almonds, and you'll never return to a soggy fried onion topping again. 38 Vibrant Vegetable Sides for the Holiday Season Frequently Asked Questions Why is it important to blanch green beans? Blanching green beans before assembling your casserole is essential to preserve their fresh flavor, crisp texture, and vibrant color. Equally important is shocking them in ice water afterward, which halts the cooking process so they don't become overdone when baked. How can I make a vegan green bean casserole? For a plant-based version of this green bean casserole with almonds, simply swap out the butter for margarine and use your favorite unsweetened non-dairy milk — soy or oat are both particularly good options. Note from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen Since getting a good toast on the almonds is essential to the flavor and texture of this dish, carefully cut one almond in half after the initial bake to make sure it’s browned all the way through before proceeding with the recipe. Make ahead Almonds can be toasted up to one week in advance and stored in an airtight container. Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 3/4 cup raw almonds 2 pounds fresh green beans, trimmed 1/4 cup unsalted butter, plus more for greasing baking dish 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided 1 medium-size yellow onion, chopped 6 garlic cloves, sliced 3 teaspoons kosher salt, divided 1 1/2 teaspoons jarred vegetable stock base (such as Better Than Bouillon) 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 2 cups whole milk 2 cups water 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1/2 cup panko Directions Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread almonds in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven until well browned inside and out, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Chop and set aside. (Do not turn oven off.) Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high. Add green beans; cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat. Using a slotted spoon, transfer beans to a bowl filled with ice water; let stand 2 minutes. Drain well and pat dry; set aside. Discard water in pot; wipe pot clean. Add butter and 2 tablespoons oil to pot; cook over medium until butter melts. Add onion, garlic, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and well browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in stock base and crushed red pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, 30 seconds. Add flour; cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is bubbling, about 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in milk and 2 cups water; bring to a boil over medium-high. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer, whisking constantly, until mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; whisk in vinegar. Fold in green beans, black pepper, and remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Grease a 3-quart baking dish with butter; spoon green bean mixture evenly into dish. Stir together chopped almonds, panko, and remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a bowl; sprinkle evenly over green bean mixture. Bake at 350°F until casserole is bubbling and almonds are deeply toasted, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from oven; let stand 10 minutes. David Malosh Originally appeared: November 2020 Rate It Print