Ingredients:

  • 2 lbs fresh green beans, trimmed and snapped into 2-inch pieces
  • 8 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced thin
  • 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
  • 6 slices thick-cut bacon, diced
  • 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1.5 cups whole milk, room temperature
  • 0.5 cup heavy cream
  • 2 cups sharp white cheddar cheese, freshly shredded and divided
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder
  • 0.25 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1 cup French fried onions
  • 0.5 cup Ritz-style crackers, crushed
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 0.5 tsp cracked black pepper

Instructions:

  1. Blanch the beans. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Drop in your 2 lbs of trimmed green beans and cook for 3 minutes until they are bright green and slightly tender. Note: Salted water seasons the beans from the inside out.
  2. Shock and dry. Immediately move the beans to a bowl of ice water for 5 minutes. Drain them thoroughly and pat them dry with a clean kitchen towel. Note: Excess water will thin out your sauce later.
  3. Crisp the bacon. In your large skillet over medium heat, fry the diced bacon slices. Cook until the fat has rendered and the bits are golden and crunchy.
  4. Sauté aromatics. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon but leave the fat. Add the diced onion and sliced mushrooms. Sauté for about 8 minutes until the mushrooms have released their moisture and turned golden brown.
  5. Create the roux. Sprinkle 3 tbsp of flour over the vegetables. Stir constantly for 2 minutes until the flour smells slightly nutty and no white streaks remain.
  6. Build the sauce. Slowly pour in the 1.5 cups of milk and 0.5 cup of heavy cream while whisking. Simmer for 3-5 minutes until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
  7. Melt the cheese. Stir in the garlic powder, nutmeg, salt, pepper, and 1.5 cups of the shredded cheddar. Keep stirring until the cheese is fully melted and the sauce is silky.
  8. Combine. Fold the blanched beans and half of your cooked bacon into the skillet. Mix gently until every bean is cloaked in that velvety cheese sauce.
  9. Prepare topping. In a small bowl, toss the fried onions, crushed crackers, remaining bacon, and the last 0.5 cup of cheddar cheese. Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the top of the beans.
  10. Bake. Place the skillet in a preheated oven at 375°F (190°C). Bake for 20-25 minutes until the sauce is bubbling at the edges and the topping is a deep golden brown. > Chef's Note: If you notice the topping browning too quickly, loosely tent the skillet with foil for the last 10 minutes. This allows the center to get piping hot without burning your crust.