Green bean casserole is a Thanksgiving staple for many, but what is it supposed to taste like? The ingredients—cans of green beans, cans of cream of mushroom soup, and packets of fried onions—are all flavorless vehicles of texture. Together, they result in a dish that tastes like nothing at all. Yes, if ever a dish was ripe for disruption, it’s green bean casserole.

By adding layers of depth, adding some acid, and most importantly, leaving all those cans alone, you can create a dish that is exceptional in its own right and goes far better with poultry than any version of GBC I've ever tasted.

Crispy onions are mostly a matter of texture. You can get the same texture and a better flavor profile with fried shallots. Making them is remarkably simple, as far as frying projects go, and can be done ahead of time. Use a mandoline or your best knife skills to thinly slice the shallots, no more than ⅛-inch. (You’ll need about a cup of shallots to fill an 8×8” baking dish, so scale accordingly.)

Add 1 and 1/2 inches of peanut or vegetable oil to a medium, high-sided skillet and turn the heat to high. After five minutes, toss a shallot into the oil; if the oil bubbles, it's done. (If it doesn't, test again in a minute.) Carefully add the shallots and transfer them to a spider strainer or steel slotted spoon. Continue to swirl the shallots in the oil, not stopping, for as long as it takes for them to turn golden brown—about 10 minutes. Once they start to turn, they'll do so quickly, so be prepared to remove them and place them on a paper towel-lined plate to dry.