What Meat Goes with Green Bean Casserole? 13 Ideas
Green beans casserole is an old-fashioned side dish, an epitome of holiday supper. Green beans themselves may be bland, but making them into a casserole turns them into a delicious dish! I like adding crispy-brown shallots, which make the texture extra crispy, while cheese draws out the deep taste. In my family, green bean casserole alone is never a self-standing dish; it always requires something to serve it with. So, the question is: What meat goes with green bean casserole?
Green bean casserole goes well with almost any meat, from chicken to fish. Some of the best matches are beef wellington, roasted lamb, slow-cooked pork, or roasted wild animals like a rabbit. If the taste of the meat is too strong, you can modify the flavors of the casserole.
Having a staple dish to arrange the dinner around it is the first step to stress-free holidays. This one is easy to make, and it also goes well with many kinds of dishes. Whether you want to keep it classic or experiment with the worldwide flavors, here is a series of ideas for the perfect feast. Let’s dig in!
Meat Dishes to Match with Your Green Bean Casserole
From holiday classics, like Beef Wellington or holiday turkey, to family favorites, like roasted chicken or chicken nuggets — the list below is the ultimate one! Find your perfect main dish to combine with a green bean casserole by exploring these ideas.
Beef Wellington
A holiday classic, Gordon Ramsey’s trademark, show-stopping dish you can never go wrong with — paired with green bean casserole, this option will make a real feast! It’s not as tricky to make as it looks; you just need a fine piece of meat.
It is also filled with mushroom spread, but just like bean casserole, you won’t feel its texture. Yes, they have a specific flavor, and if you don’t enjoy it, definitely skip this dish or just leave it out of the recipe. Overall, mushrooms don’t have a strong flavor, but slightly woodsy that lingers on your taste buds.
Succulent beef wrapped in crunchy puff pastry goes well with the creamy casserole. Both dishes take surprisingly little time to make, though. They are both done in less than an hour, but taste like you spend the whole day making it.
Holiday Turkey
Another holiday classic, prepared in any way you like it to – roasted, fried, or smoked is suitable to serve with beans casserole. The traditional taste of this duo pairs well because of the citrus and herbs in the meat. Its zesty touch smashes the earthy undertone of the casserole.
Crispy French onion in green bean casserole compliments juicy turkey slices. Clean-cut turkey meat and nutritious green beans make a well-balanced meal, too. Furthermore, the buttery sauce of the casserole makes a superb substitute for the classic gravy.
The sweetness of the onion and the meaty flavor of mushrooms will draw out the seasoning-rich turkey flavor. I always prepare turkey in ways that keep it moist and tender, and I usually save its juices to sprinkle over the meat. Yum!
Slow-Cooked Pork Chops
This is the simplest method to prepare lush and appetizing meat. Pork chops in the slow cooker will take about 10 minutes of prep time and hours to be ready; just set the timer, and you’re good to go. Use only salt and pepper to season the meat directly, but be generous with seasoning the broth.
Bake the chops in a chicken broth enriched with garlic, paprika, and dried herbs. Don’t forget to baste the pork for more moistness. If you like less different tastes in one meal, I recommend replacing mushroom powder in the casserole with chicken broth.
Meatballs
Meatballs are the perfect form of any ground meat. You can make them in numerous ways, as they don’t need to taste the same twice. From ground turkey to pork, meatballs come in a rich sauce that makes them moist. Just modify the spices to the side dish, green beans casserole, in this case.
Try ground turkey meatballs, as the turkey goes finely with mushrooms in casserole. When making these, keep in mind that the turkey meat is very lean, and they tend to be dry if you don’t give them a boost. So, add crème fraiche or sour cream, eggs, a drizzle of sparkling water, and a few drops of olive or grapeseed oil.
The best dressing for this dish is mushroom sauce, but bean casserole already contains a pinch of it. Hence, you can replace it with lemon, tomato, or marinara sauce. The zesty tang of lemon sauce will smash the deep flavors of casserole and meat, yet for a bit of acidity, I usually choose tomato.
For beef or pork meatballs, you don’t need many extras for them to be moist, as red meat contains more fat. Tomato sauce is the most effective here, but it goes well with mushrooms, too. Chop fresh herbs, preferably cilantro, and dust them over the dish before serving.
Slow-Cooked Rabbit
Rabbit is on the drier side whatsoever, a little chewy and tough. But rabbit in a stew has a whole new dimension of flavor. It is overall bland meat, like chicken breasts, yet ideal for different seasonings. It is a nice twist on a holiday table, along with a casserole classic.
A slow-cooked rabbit will be tender and succulent, especially when cooked in red wine. Be generous with the amounts of vegetables you add, like peppers, onion, carrots, potatoes, and mushrooms, as they give a superior taste to the stew.
It requires a lot of broth, so for the best taste, choose chicken broth. Also, be open-handed on seasonings – garlic, parsley, thyme, and pepper for a bit of spice are all excellent choices. If you want to skip using alcohol, add more bouillon with a spoonful of vinegar, lemon, or apple cider.
Juicy meat in dark sauce goes along with a simple flavored green bean casserole. If you opt for rabbit stew, use mild cheddar cheese in the casserole, as an intense flavor tends to take over the taste. Consider leaving the beans a bit crispier because they complement the soft texture of the stew nicely.
Roasted Chicken
Chicken is the blank canvas among the meat as it fits almost every other ingredient. Roasting is nothing special; it’s probably the most common way of preparing chicken. That doesn’t mean it can’t be upgraded to a holiday-table-worthy dish.
Marinate the bird in mustard and garlic for the win, and other seasons according to your taste, like salt, pepper, and dried veggie spice. Make a bed of rice, prunes, and dried apricots, and place the meat on top. Soak the rice and fruits in chicken stock and roast them regularly.
It will come out of the oven juicy, spicy, and candied as the aroma of dried fruit will infiltrate to the bone. Slight sweetness won’t bother the taste of casserole, indeed, but make it a good side dish to tranquilize the syrupiness.
Osso Buco
Osso Buco is a traditional Italian dish with bone marrow-rich veal shank as the main ingredient. Brown it in the pan at medium-high temperature, then fry vegetables in the same pan till soft. Use only one dish, as vegetables are the best to sauté in olive oil used for the shank to drive in all the flavors.
You can use olive oil, butter, or pancetta. The pancetta will add a different taste dimension to it, so try it if you like the porky flavor but without smokiness whatsoever. Bake the meat for about three hours along with vegetables, beef broth, and seasoning.
The rich taste of veal meat goes along with green beans. Both dishes are luscious and best served warm, so to smash the taste, I especially like to serve them with gremolata. Don’t avoid this garnish, as it will elevate the taste to another level.
Make gremolata of parsley, garlic, and lemon, so its tangy taste will ease in savory meat. Green bean casserole goes along with this mixture, so be generous when dressing it.
Shish Kebab in the Pan
Shish kebab is a delish and easy-to-make dish with only a few ingredients. A lean cut of veal is the best to use here, chopped into cubes. You’ll need onion and carrot, too, so make sure to chop them all into equal pieces.
Salt and pepper are the only seasonings you’ll need if you want to keep the traditional taste. Just arrange them on a toothpick, one by one, and place them in the pan. Brow them slightly on butter from each side and cover them with steaming water. Cook them till the meat is tender, but never mix it.
Tender pieces of meat with simple vegetables like carrots and onion served with casserole will make a real rhapsody of tastes. Make a sauce of thick yogurt, diced garlic, parsley, and a few drops of lemon, and garnish it over the kebab for the best flavor.
Roasted Beef Steak
The path to first-class steak is a high-quality piece of meat. Keep it low on seasoning, though; use just salt and pepper and massage them into the meat. In this case, herb butter is a real game-changer. The best is to make it alone; just mix premium butter with finely chopped garlic and herbs: parsley, chervil, dill, rosemary, thyme, and sprinkle it with lemon.
The beef steak will work with or without mushrooms in green beans casserole. I prefer to use mild cheese as the base, like Emmental, and add a dash of parmesan with its sharp aftertaste.
Moroccan Chicken
Moroccan chicken pie is a special occasion dish. Sweet and savory at the same time, enriched with different spices, this pastilla is a real treat. What’s more, it will fit finely with the piquant and slightly earthy casserole.
Cook the chicken and separate the meat from the bones. Keep the broth, and simmer it with honey to reduce. Next, add eggs and cook till thick and silky, and toast the almonds for the third part of the filling.
Honey, cinnamon, powdered sugar, saffron, ginger, turmeric, garlic, pepper, and salt make the chief spice mix for a dash of Africa. Take phyllo and layer the fillings in a round pan for a cake-like look. Bake it till golden crispy for less than half an hour, as all ingredients are already cooked.
This is a rich, flavorful dish, well paired with green beans; just reduce the use of strong-smelling cheese in the casserole. You can also exchange mushroom cream for chicken broth. A crusty piece of the pie with soft filling fits like a glove with the creamy casserole.
Air-Fried Chicken Nuggets
McDonald’s, but make it fine-dine with homemade chicken nuggets. Tender inside but crunchy outside, this chicken is a delightful addition to green beans casserole. You can make a creamier casserole, as the mushrooms are the best side dish to nuggets, plus you can dip them in.
Blend chicken breasts, bread crumbs, egg, and spices: garlic, pepper, and kosher salt. If you want a bit of creamier nuggets, add cooked potatoes to the mixture. Cover it in flour, egg, and cornflakes, and toss it in the air fryer.
Roasted Lamb
Lamb is a very specific meat to prepare, as it can turn out very chewy and dry. When prepared finely, its grassy and slightly smokey flavor won’t pass unnoticed. Lamb is the most tender and buttery among red meat cuts.
The key to the juicy lamb is citrus. Always drizzle it with lemon and salt it richly. If you roast it in the oven, pour some red wine into the pan and place the meat on the rack. Leave it to brown thoroughly, as the crispy, salty skin is the best part of the lamb.
After that, leave it at least for an hour more at a reduced temperature, whether you like it medium-rare or well done. A clean cut of meat like this goes well with any side dish, though, as well as this delicious casserole. It hasn’t many different flavors, so it’s always a secure option if you don’t want to experiment.
On the other side, if you’re a fan of exotic and unusual flavors, make Middle Easter-induced lamb. The secret lies in a wide range of spices, of course. Blend coriander, garlic, lemon, orange, coffee, olive oil, and parsley, and marinate lamb in it. Bake it in the oven, chop the meat, and garnish with mint, pomegranate, dates, feta, and pistachios.
This is a whole lot of flavors, so reduce the strongness of cheese and spices in the casserole. Green beans alone have a very bland taste, so they won’t disturb these delicate flavors, especially if you cut out the mushroom part. If you still aren’t ready for this flavor cruise, just leave out the garnish.
Baked Salmon
If you want to keep it light for dinner, opt for salmon. This buttery boneless fish is very easy to make, as the seasoning is the key. A mixture of salt, pepper, turmeric, honey, olive oil, and lemon will make it mouth-watering.
You’ll need about 40 minutes of prep time plus baking, as you don’t need to worry about drying it out with this top-notch seasoning. Fish blends with green beans perfectly! Salmon is soft, so the crispy onion in the casserole will make a good contrast to it.
Which meat dish is your favorite alongside a tasty green bean casserole? I’m looking forward to reading about your favorites in the comments below!
