# Components:
→ Vegetables
01 - 2 lb fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces (or frozen cut green beans, thawed and drained)
→ Sauce Base
02 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
03 - 9 oz cremini or button mushrooms, sliced
04 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
05 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
06 - 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
07 - 1 cup whole milk
08 - ½ cup heavy cream
09 - ½ cup low-sodium vegetable broth
10 - 1 tsp salt
11 - ½ tsp black pepper
12 - ½ tsp ground nutmeg (optional)
→ Topping
13 - 1½ cups crispy fried onions (store-bought or homemade)
# Preparation steps:
01 - Set oven temperature to 350°F.
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add green beans and cook for 5 minutes until just tender and bright green, then drain and rinse under cold water to halt cooking. Set aside.
03 - Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and sauté for 5-6 minutes until browned and tender. Add onion and garlic, cooking an additional 2-3 minutes until softened.
04 - Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually whisk in milk, heavy cream, and vegetable broth. Simmer and cook until sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg if desired.
05 - Add blanched green beans to the skillet and toss to coat evenly with the sauce.
06 - Transfer the green bean mixture into a 2-quart baking dish. Sprinkle half of the fried onions over the top.
07 - Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes until bubbling.
08 - Remove from oven, add remaining fried onions on top, and bake for another 5-7 minutes until golden and crispy.
09 - Allow to cool for 5 minutes to set before serving.
