Next to turkey, green bean casserole is the dish most associated with Thanksgiving. In this version, rather than using mushrooms for the sauce, we combine cream cheese, Parmesan, garlic, chives, and parsley for a creamy sauce that’s reminiscent of Boursin cheese. The beans are mixed in, put in a baking dish, and topped with panko and slivered almonds for a twist on the classic fried onions.

What to buy: Panko is coarse Japanese-style breadcrumbs. It’s available in the international section of most supermarkets.

See our Ultimate Thanksgiving Guide for more tips, tricks, and recipes.

  • Yield: 4 to 6 servings
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Total: 1 hr 15 mins

Ingredients (12)

  • 1 cup panko
  • 1/4 cup slivered almonds
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 pounds green beans, stem ends trimmed and broken into 1-1/2-inch pieces
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 8 ounces cream cheese
  • 1/3 cup packed, finely grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 ounce)
  • 3 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed
  • 1/3 cup finely chopped chives (from about 2 bunches)
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves

Instructions

  1. Heat the oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil over high heat. Meanwhile, place the panko, almonds, and butter in a medium bowl, season with salt and pepper, and use your hands to evenly combine; set aside.
  2. Add the green beans to the boiling water and cook until they’re bright green and crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. (They won’t be fully cooked.) Drain in a colander and rinse under cold water until the beans are cooled, then set aside in the colander. Reserve the pot.
  3. Place the cream, cream cheese, Parmesan, garlic, and measured salt and pepper in the pot over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is smooth and bubbling. Stir in the chives and parsley until evenly combined. Add the green beans and stir until evenly coated. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper as needed.
  4. Transfer to a 2-quart baking dish and pat the beans into an even layer. Sprinkle evenly with the reserved panko-almond mixture and bake until bubbling around the edges and heated through, about 30 to 35 minutes.