This casserole starts in Wisconsin soil. Not a test kitchen.Not a trend cycle.A field.
Green beans grown by Wisconsin farmers anchor this dish. They bring snap and color you can taste. The cheddar comes from local milk. That matters here. Wisconsin cheese does not whisper. It shows up.
The mushrooms? Grown close to home. Earthy. Familiar. The beer? A Wisconsin lager. Because of course it is.
You know this recipe feels right the moment it hits the table.
This Something Hidden Green Bean Casserole is the 2025 Wisconsin State Fair Recipe Contest winner, created by Barbara Strahler of Reedsburg. Judges saw dozens of entries. This one stood out. It honored tradition without copying it. It kept the comfort. It added a little surprise. Hidden, but not shy.
The beer slips into the sauce and deepens the flavor. The cayenne adds a quiet kick. The breadcrumbs bring crunch without stealing the show. This is the green bean casserole for people who say they do not like green bean casserole.
It also tells a bigger story.
When you cook with Wisconsin-grown ingredients, you keep dollars local. You support farms that shape your communities. You help the next generation stay on the land. That choice starts in your cart and ends at your table. You do not need fancy tricks. You need good food grown close to home.
Serve this at a holiday or serve it on a random Tuesday with the family. Serve it when you want to remind people where good meals begin.
What Wisconsin-grown ingredient are you cooking with next? The best recipes do more than feed people. They connect them.
Something Hidden Green Bean Casserole
Ingredients
- 5 tbsp Butter divided
- ½ cup flour
- ½ cup lager beer
- ½ tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp paprika
- 6 cups green beans
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup Bella mushrooms sliced
- 1 ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tbsp chopped onion
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large saucepan, melt 4 tbsp of butter and stir in flour until smooth. Whisk in the milk and beer and cook until thick. Add cheese, salt, Worcestershire sauce and all other seasonings.
- Add beans, mushrooms and onions. Stir to combine and transfer to a 2 qt. baking dish.
- Melt the remaining butter and stir in breadcrumbs and then sprinkle over the casserole.
- Bake uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes, until bubbling and top becomes golden brown.