Serves 10
60 min
Cajun Green Bean Casserole
Recipe GLPR9e11983f01084a
A savory Cajun-spiced green bean casserole loaded with crispy bacon, sautéed vegetables, and a creamy milk-based sauce, topped with crispy fried onions for extra crunch.
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Ingredients
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus additional salt for cooking water
2 pounds fresh green beans, ends trimmed and halved crosswise
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil, divided
4 strips bacon, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 small red bell pepper, chopped
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning, divided
4 tablespoons salted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup half-and-half cream
2 teaspoons hot sauce
2 2.8-ounce cans crispy fried onions (about 3 cups)
Directions
Preheat your oven to 375°F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil over high heat. Add the trimmed and halved green beans, then cook until they are bright green and just tender to the bite, approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Drain the beans in a colander and immediately rinse them under cold running water to stop the cooking process. Transfer to a clean kitchen towel and pat thoroughly dry.
Pour 1 tablespoon of olive oil into a large skillet and place over medium heat. Add the chopped bacon to the hot oil and cook, stirring occasionally, until the bacon becomes crispy and releases its rendered fat, about 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic, chopped celery, onion, and red bell pepper. Continue cooking and stirring until the vegetables have softened slightly and become fragrant, approximately 5 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of the Cajun seasoning and stir well, then remove from heat.
Place the butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-low heat and allow it to melt completely. Sprinkle the flour over the melted butter and stir constantly to form a smooth paste. Cook this roux for about 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Slowly pour in the whole milk and half-and-half cream while whisking continuously to prevent lumps. Adjust the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook the sauce, stirring occasionally, until it thickens and becomes smooth, approximately 2 minutes. Whisk in the hot sauce and the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt.
Transfer the cooked bacon and vegetable mixture from the skillet into the Dutch oven containing the cream sauce. Add the blanched green beans and fold everything together gently but thoroughly, making sure all the green beans are evenly coated with the sauce. Pour the entire casserole into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. In a medium bowl, combine the fried onions with the remaining 1 teaspoon of olive oil, tossing to coat lightly. Sprinkle the remaining 1 teaspoon of Cajun seasoning over the fried onions and toss again to combine. Scatter this seasoned onion mixture evenly over the top of the casserole. Bake at 375°F until the sauce is bubbling around the edges and the fried onion topping is golden brown, about 15 minutes. Serve hot.
