This Cheesy Green Bean Casserole with Gruyere and Panko is exceptionally delicious. It’s made from fresh green beans, a luscious bechamel sauce with Gruyere Cheese, and topped with crunchy, buttery toasted Panko breadcrumbs.

This recipe is similar to my other super delicious cheesy casseroles: Cheesy Broccoli Au Gratin and Cheesy Brussels Sprouts with Gruyere and Bacon. Try them all and let me know which one is your favorite.

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Green Bean Casserole with Gruyere & Panko – an Alternative to the Traditional Green Bean Casserole Dish, made with a Cream of Mushroom Soup

If you grew up eating traditional green bean casserole with cream of mushroom soup and fried onions, this recipe might be a bit surprising for you. It doesn’t contain any canned mushroom soup, nor fried onions.

Personally, I didn’t grow up eating the traditional American casserole, and for some reason, the combination of beans with canned mushroom soup just doesn’t work for me. And don’t get me wrong, I love beans and I love mushrooms, but the combo just isn’t my thing. Maybe it’s the canned Cream of Mushroom Soup itself that I’m not a huge fan of. Perhaps if I hade made from scratch then I might like it…I don’t know.

With that said, I love green beans and I wanted to make a casserole that would have a European flair and be super delicious. I’m hoping that this will give some folks who, like me, aren’t fans of the inclusion of canned mushroom soup, a perfect holiday alternative.

What Is Needed To Make this Casserole

For this recipe, you’ll need to get:

Fresh French Style Green Beans (no canned beans, please);
The required ingredients for the classic bechamel sauce:
- Butter,
- Flour,
- Milk;
Gruyere Cheeses;
Panko Breadcrumbs;
More butter for toasting breadcrumbs.

See the recipe card below for exact measurements of the ingredients.

How to Make Cheesy Bean Casserole

This section is meant to visually show you how to make this dish. For exact instructions, nutritional information,m and measurements, scroll down to a printable recipe card.

Parboil your beans: trim and cut the beans and place them into boiling hot, well-salted water, for approximately 3-4 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Prepare your bechamel sauce: add butter to the skillet and melt it down on medium heat. Add flour and mix it well. Gradually start adding milk, until all is incorporated and the sauce is smooth.
Make the cheesy sauce: once your bechamel sauce is done, remove it from the heat. Shred your Grueryre cheese and add it to the sauce; mix well, until the cheese is melted and fully incorporated into the sauce. Season the sauce with freshly grated nutmeg, salt, and fresh pepper.
Make toasted breadcrumbs: add another pat of butter to a separate skillet and let it melt on medium-high heat. Add Panko breadcrumbs and then toss them with butter. Let them cook for a couple of minutes; often mixing, until crunchy. Once done, set the pan aside.
Prepare your casserole: Preheat your oven to 375ºF. Using a casserole dish (9″x 13″ will work), add a little sauce to the bottom of the dish. Then add beans. Pour the remaining sauce on top of the beans. Top it with toasted breadcrumbs and more Gruyere cheese. Place into the oven and bake for 25 minutes. Remove, let it cool slightly. Garnish with fresh herbs (chives or parsley) and serve.

What Goes Well with Green Bean Casserole

Any amazing dishes that you like to eat around holiday would pair great here with this green bean casserole. Below I have a few recipes that you may want to take would compliment these green beans wonderfully:

Other Popular European Style Casserole Recipes