Completely Transform Green Bean Casserole With French Onion Flavors

Though cuisine in the United States is mostly an amalgam of hundreds of overlapping culinary traditions, there are a handful of recipes that are distinctly American — many of which are comfort foods showcasing convenience products like canned soups. One of the most famous of these is the green bean casserole, a dish designed to use shelf-stable ingredients so 1950s homemakers could put together a nutritious veggie-based side without rushing to the grocery store.

Since then, chefs and home cooks alike have honored this classic dish with dozens of creative twists and upgrades, from smothering fresh green beans in sausage, mushrooms, and alfredo sauce to sautéing canned green beans in bacon fat to infuse them with smoky richness. Though most of these variations are undeniably delicious, our favorite version infuses this holiday staple with flavors traditionally found in French onion soup, namely sweet, peppery caramelized onions and beautifully melty, rich, nutty Gruyère cheese.

This upgrade works particularly well because it's really just a more sophisticated version of the original flavors. Creamy mushroom soup is replaced by a velvety Gruyère bechamel, while caramelized onions bring the astringent saltiness of their French fried cousins with additional layers of complex flavor. Additionally, while it's not gauche to use canned green beans in this recipe, fresh ones impart a slightly acidic earthiness and brightness that pairs perfectly with the other flavors. This recipe is also a little more work, but you can make it ahead of time to make things a bit easier later in your week.

As mentioned, this fresher, elevated version of green bean casserole is more labor intensive than the original recipe, but it doesn't require any advanced cooking skills — just a bit of time and patience. For starters, you'll need to parboil the fresh green beans, since roasting alone isn't enough to achieve the same velvety softness as the canned variety. While they cook, you can begin caramelizing your onions. Yellow onions will impart that classic French onion flavor, but you can use whatever kind you like best.

Once your onions are caramelized, you can use the same pan to build your creamy Gruyère sauce. Not only does this add flavor, it also helps unify the dish. Making a cream sauce can be a little tricky if you've never done it before, but the key is to keep your whisk moving and exercise patience — it usually comes together just about the time you think it never will. You can then assemble the casserole in layers just like you would the classic recipe, and bake until golden and bubbly.

One of the best things about this recipe is that it's fairly easy to tailor to your personal tastes. For instance, if you love big onion-y flavors and live for crunchy textures, go ahead and sprinkle the top with French fried onions too. Adding roasted creminis to your creamy cheese sauce would be an elevated nod to the original canned mushroom soup while lending a deeper flavor.