What You Can Do To Fix A Watery Green Bean Casserole - Tasting Table (2024)

FAQs

What You Can Do To Fix A Watery Green Bean Casserole - Tasting Table? ›

Add a thickener

The Casserole Is Too Soupy

Don't worry, there's a relatively easy and quick fix that will help soak up the excess liquid: Make a slurry of flour or cornstarch in liquid (broth or water) to help thicken it up and then cook it for a bit longer.

Make a cornstarch slurry for a fast and easy thickener.

Use one tablespoon of cornstarch per cup of liquid you would like to thicken. Stir out all the lumps. A few minutes before your casserole is done, add it a little at a time until you are happy with the thickness. Then, let the casserole finish baking.

Sprinkle seeds into your bake

In fact, they're able to absorb 12 times their weight in water. This makes them an ideal choice if you're worried about watery casseroles. What's more, they swell in size when wet and develop a gummy texture, both of which help thicken your casserole base.

The best way to prevent it from drying out is to add a little bit of water, around ¼ cup, to the top of it. Allow the water to seep between the food and the sides of the baking dish. Cover with aluminum foil to seal in the moisture.

Mistake #5: A Runny Casserole

If you sense it's a little watery, "add a thickener like roux or starch to absorb the additional liquid or cook a little longer," she says. That'll give it that rich, dense consistency you're looking for.

Combine 2 tablespoons flour with every 1/4 cup cold water and whisk until smooth. Add the mixture to your sauce over medium heat, and continue to stir and cook until you've reached your desired consistency. Test with a spoon.

Add A Starch

Even if you're a beginner cook, you probably know that adding a starch can help transform liquidy dishes into creamy delights. Cornstarch and flour are two popular options, but don't you dare add them directly to your casserole. Instead, make a slurry.

Add a little sugar

Adding sugar to water creates a solution that is thicker than water, and further heating (boiling or simmering) makes it even thicker.

Should you bake casseroles covered or uncovered? ›

Generally, casseroles with grains, rice or pasta that will cook during the baking process are usually covered, for at least part of the time. Casseroles made of cooked ingredients are usually baked uncovered. If you like a crisper, browner top, be sure the casserole is uncovered for at least part of the bake time.

To prevent a soupy casserole, be sure to fully thaw any frozen vegetables in a colander over a bowl, and pat dry, squeeze excess moisture out of greens like spinach or chard, and quickly precook watery fresh vegetables like onions, mushrooms or squashes just until they release their moisture.

Make-ahead meals (especially baked casseroles) are terrific because you can completely assemble them in advance and bake them just before serving. They're the ultimate comfort food as they come bubbling hot and delicious straight from the oven to the table to the delight of family and friends.

The solution for watery casseroles is instant potato mash powder or cornflour - slake (mix with a little water) at first or it will go lumpy. Stir well. Alternatively, don't add so much water at first, especially if you're using a slow cooker.

If you're reheating a large amount of leftovers, pop the whole casserole dish into a 350 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes. You may need to cover the casserole with foil if the topping is getting too browned. Be sure to pull the dish out of the fridge about 30 minutes before reheating if you're going the oven route.

Covering a casserole is especially important if you're making anything with uncooked ingredients that need a lot of moisture. A rice-based casserole like chicken broccoli and rice, for example, especially needs that steam trapped so that the rice has a chance to soak up all the liquid in the pan.

Add a thickening agent.

In a separate bowl, dissolve a teaspoon or two of cornstarch or all-purpose flour in a small amount of cold water. Add the slurry to the bubbling soup. The soup should thicken up. Add more cornstarch or flour as needed until the soup reaches your desired consistency.

The overall method for cooking frozen green beans without them getting watery and rubbery is to thaw and drain off water first, then cook fast and hot (and don't overcook!). Thawing then draining before cooking lets you get rid of most of the water that would come out during the cooking process.

Easy. Either drain off some of the excess liquid, add a thickener such as a starch slurry, or simply cook the beans longer until the liquid reduces out.

To ensure this flavor-packed sauce clings to the green beans, we add corn starch as our thickener. It helps forms a thicker glaze. If you find the sauce too thick for your liking, you can always add a touch of water to reach your desired consistency!