By Melissa Pette

Let’s be real, Thanksgiving just hits different. Whether you’re an expat missing home or a proud Tico soaking in the vibes of this fairly new holiday, it’s all about good food, good people, and taking a moment to be grateful and...  okay... maybe unbutton your jeans afterward.

Fun fact: “Día de Acción de Gracias” officially became a holiday in Costa Rica in 2022! Yup, Congress passed a law to make the last Thursday of November the real deal, part gratitude, part food coma, and part tourism boost after the pandemic. Love that energy.

But alright, enough politics, let’s talk food.

Last week, we kicked off our mini Thanksgiving series with a Classic Stuffing that had everyone going back for seconds.

This week? We’re keeping the tradition alive with the iconic green bean casserole, made fresh, no cans, no shortcuts, just the good stuff: crispy fried onions, tender green beans, and creamy homemade mushroom sauce that’ll make you forget that canned one ever existed.

Let’s get cookin’!

What you’ll need to serve 8 friends, you can find right at your local Costa Rican supermarket.

• 2 lbs fresh green beans, ends trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces.

• 1 lb onions (or shallots), peeled and thinly sliced.

• 2 cups of cooking oil.

• 1½ lbs white button mushrooms, rinsed and dried.

• 2 tsp soy sauce.

• Juice of 1 lemon (about 2 tsp).

• 2 cups chicken stock.

• 1½ cups heavy cream.

• 2 tbsp butter.

• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced.

• ¼ cup flour.

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.

Toss your sliced onions and oil into a wok or medium saucepan; the onions should just peek over the oil. Crank up the heat and stir often until they turn soft, about 5 minutes. Keep going until they’re light golden brown.

Strain them out, set the oil aside, you’ll use it later, and spread the onions on paper towels. Pat them dry, sprinkle a little salt, and let them cool for about 45 minutes. Boom, homemade crispy fried onions!

Smash the mushrooms. Yep, literally press them down with the bottom of your skillet, great stress relief.

Mix soy sauce, lemon juice, chicken stock, and cream in a bowl.

In a large skillet, heat up 2 tbsp of that onions oil and butter. When it’s hot and foamy, toss in the mushrooms. Stir now and then until the liquid cooks off and they start to sizzle, about 6–10 minutes.

Drop the heat to medium-high, add garlic for 30 seconds, then the flour. Stir until it turns slightly golden (1–2 minutes). Whisk in your stock-and-cream mix, bring to a boil, then simmer until it thickens up like a pancake batter consistency. Season with salt and pepper.

Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Boil water with ¼ cup salt, then add the beans. Cook until tender but still bright green, about 5 minutes. Dump them into an ice bath to stop the cooking, then drain.

Mix the beans with your creamy mushroom sauce and 1 cup of the crispy onions. Pour into a baking dish, bake for 15–20 minutes until bubbly, then top with the rest of those crunchy onions.

That’s it, your green bean casserole, all dressed up and ready to steal the show. Serve it next to the turkey, or honestly, just eat it straight from the dish.

Pop open your favorite Costa Rican wine, beer, or cider, gather your people, and give thanks for good food, great company and traditions.

Have a Pura Vida Thanksgiving!

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Feel free to share your own recipes by emailing a horizontal photo of your dish to food@amcostarica.com. You can find more tasty Costa Rican recipes over on the AM Costa Rica Food page.

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