World's Greatest Green Bean Casserole with Spinach and Sausage
World's Greatest Green Bean Casserole with Spinach and Sausage is the modern day version of the classic holiday green bean casserole with a delicious lemony twist. This is sure to be a show-stopper on any table! These are green beans that pair so amazingly with the savory cream sauce, Italian sausage and spinach that you will be making these babies all year round.
Ingredients
- 2.5 Pounds Green beans trimmed
- 1 Pound Italian sausage
- 5 Ounces Baby spinach
- 3 Tablespoons Salt
Cream Sauce
- 3 Tablespoons Olive oil
- 3 Tablespoons Onion, chopped
- 5 Cloves Garlic, chopped
- ¼ Cup Butter
- ¼ Cup Grated parmesan cheese
- 1 Cup Whole milk
- 8 Ounces Cream cheese
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
- ½ Teaspoon Black pepper
- 1 Teaspoon Garlic powder
- 1 Teaspoon Dried parsley
- 1 Teaspoon Dried oregano
- 1 Teaspoon Smoked paprika
- Zest of 1 lemon
Breadcrumb Topping
- 1½ Cups Italian-style breadcrumbs
- ¾ Cups Grated parmesan cheese
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
Instructions
- In a large pot, bring water to a boil and add the green beans and 3 tablespoons of salt. Lower to medium heat and allow to boil for 15 minutes. Drain and transfer to a pan sprayed casserole dish to cool.
- While the green beans are boiling, heat a skillet and add Italian sausage. Remove the sausage from the casings by using a knife to make a slit down the length of the sausage and squeeze out the meat. Add to the skillet while flattening and squeezing the meat so it hits the pan in chunks. Brown for about 20 minutes or until cooked through.
- Mix together the ingredients for the breadcrumb topping in a medium sized bowl. Once the sausage is cooked thoroughly, use a slotted spoon and add the sausage to the breadcrumb topping. Stir until the sausage is coated in the mixture.
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Heat olive oil in a pan. Add chopped onion and garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes until translucent. Add butter, grated parmesan cheese, milk and cream cheese. Whisk for 2 minutes until warmed and add the remaining cream sauce ingredients. Continue to whisk for about 10 minutes until all ingredients are combined and cream cheese has melted down.
- Add baby spinach to the casserole dish with the green beans. Cover with the cream sauce and stir to mix together. Add the breadcrumb topping and stir once again. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Enjoy!
