Green bean casserole is a well-loved option for including the ubiquitous green bean on the Thanksgiving table. But let’s take a moment to contemplate green beans. Once upon a time, fresh green beans in November were not necessarily easy to come by for most people. Canned was possibly the best option available. Casseroles are a wonderful way to elevate the humble canned green bean to celebratory fare.
In most of the US, however, you can now generally find fresh green beans in November. And if you can get fresh green beans, they really don’t need more than a light treatment of garlic and herbs to be worthy of playing handmaiden to the sacrificial bird, so to speak. Color and crunch are also often lacking on a Thanksgiving table. While you could provide those with a salad, you could also save yourself time, money, and oven space by swapping in a fresh green bean recipe like this one instead.
If the classic is a must-have in your family, you can always treat yourselves to the beloved (and always-in-season) classic canned casserole on another day. Since that one is made of canned ingredients and comes together quickly, it’s a decent dish to have stuff for on hand to make for a snow day when your family could use a little return to holiday cheer.
