Basil pesto green bean casserole dresses the holiday side dish up with Italian flavors with virtually no extra work. Your guests will love this fresh spin on the classic holiday staple.
It’s not the holidays without all the fixings.
Yes, everyone knows a turkey and some mistletoe make a season bright.
But let’s be honest.
The best part of the meal is definitely the sides.
And one of our favorite sides is green bean casserole.
I’m not talking about the standard casserole recipe written on the back of the soup cans.
Oh no!
This version dresses it up with new flavors like pesto and Parmesan for a yummy Italian spin on the dish you’ll love, while still paying homage to the classic.
Ingredients
To make this you’ll need:
- Green beans– Fresh beans, washed and trimmed
- Cream of mushroom soup
- Garlic– Minced or pressed
- Half and Half– Don’t substitute for lower fat dairy
- Chicken broth– You could substitute turkey stock if you want
- Parmesan cheese– Shredded
- Pesto– Your favorite brand or homemade basil pesto
- French fried onions
How to Make
This is pretty similar to making the green bean casserole you are familiar with.
Start by cooking the beans in a large pot of boiling water over high heat for 5 minutes.
After 5 minutes, immediately drain the beans and then transfer them to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process.
Set the beans aside.
Cook the garlic in a large skillet over medium heat for 30-60 seconds, just to cook off any bitter taste.
Then, add the cream of mushroom soup, half and half, and chicken broth to the skillet, whisking them together until evenly combined.
Bring the sauce to a simmer, then reduce the heat slightly.
Simmer the sauce for 5 minutes until it thickens some.
Once the sauce thickens, remove the skillet from heat and stir in 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese and the pesto until completely incorporated.
Then add the beans to the skillet, tossing gently to incorporate.
Spread the bean mixture out in a 9×13″ baking dish you’ve sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.
Top with the remaining cheese evenly out overtop, followed by the fried onions.
Bake at 400°F for 15 minutes.
Serve warm and enjoy!
Storing Leftovers
Store leftover pesto green bean casserole in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Reheat in the microwave until warmed through.
Tips and Tricks
- You can substitute frozen green beans in this, just make sure to warm them first and drain them well.
- No need to make homemade pesto. Your favorite store bought kind works beautifully or leftovers of this homemade pesto recipe work well.
- You can cut the green beans in half if you’d like before cooking but you don’t necessarily need to.
- To save time and still use fresh beans, look for the pretrimmed bags of beans. They are normally available in the produce section of the grocer in 16 and 32 ounce bags.
Other Italian Holiday Side Dishes
This basil pesto green bean casserole puts a delightful Italian spin on the holiday classic. Make it and enjoy!
Looking for other Italian holiday side dishes? Try these:
If you’ve tried these BASIL PESTO GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE, or any other recipe on the site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out, we love hearing from our readers! You can also follow along with me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, and INSTAGRAM to see more amazing recipes and whatever else we’ve got going on!
Basil Pesto Green Bean Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 - 2 1/4 lbs fresh green beans washed & trimmed
- 1 can cream of mushroom soup
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 1 cup half & half
- 3/4 cup chicken broth
- 3/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup basil pesto
- 3/4 cup french fried onions
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat. Add the prepared beans to the boiling water, cooking for 5 minutes.
- After 5 minutes, immediately drain the beans and then transfer them to a bowl of ice water. Set aside.
- Set a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and let it cook for 30-60 seconds, just to cook off any bitter taste.
- Add the remaining ingredients (EXCEPT THE BEANS, PESTO, AND CHEESE) to the skillet. Whisk them together until evenly combined. Bring the sauce to a nice simmer, then reduce the heat slightly. Let the sauce simmer, stirring often, for 5 minutes- just until thickened some.
- Remove the skillet from heat and stir in 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese & the pesto until completely incorporated.
- Add the beans to the skillet, tossing gently to incorporate.
- Spray a 9x13" baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Add the beans to the dish, and spread out evenly. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of cheese evenly out overtop, followed by the fried onions.
- Bake at 400°F for 15 minutes.
- Serve warm & enjoy!
Notes
- You can substitute frozen green beans in this, just make sure to warm them first and drain them well.
- No need to make homemade pesto. Your favorite store bought kind works beautifully or leftovers of this homemade pesto recipe work well.
- You can cut the green beans in half if you'd like before cooking but you don't necessarily need to.
- To save time and still use fresh beans, look for the pretrimmed bags of beans. They are normally available in the produce section of the grocer in 16 and 32 ounce bags.
Nutrition
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