Healthy Green Bean Casserole

Green Beans:

Fresh green beans all the way! Canned or frozen ones are just not the same — and in my opinion they are the whole reason that green bean casserole recipes sometimes get a bad rap.

Trim the green beans and cut them in half so that the pieces are easier to eat.

Fried Onion Topping:

• Onion – I used yellow onion, but feel free to use red or white onion, or even Vidalia onion.
• Olive Oil – Or avocado oil.
• Breadcrumbs – This is a gluten-free green bean casserole, so I use gluten-free panko breadcrumbs, but regular work if they fit your lifestyle. If you want to skip breadcrumbs entirely, you can just use parmesan alone (but it’ll be more melty than crispy) or make my low carb green bean casserole instead.
• Grated Parmesan Cheese – This addition allows my healthy green bean casserole to use less breadcrumbs. Plus, it adds more flavor!
• Sea Salt

Mushroom Sauce:

• Cremini Mushrooms – Sometimes I see these called baby bella mushrooms at the store. You can also use white button mushrooms.
• Broth & Milk – These thin out the sauce together. I recommend reduced sodium broth to prevent your sauce from being too salty, and almond milk to keep it light (but regular dairy milk works). If you’ve got my homemade chicken broth, bone broth, or almond milk on hand, feel free to use those.
• Cream Cheese – Makes the sauce thick and creamy. Let it sit at room temperature to melt into the sauce easily.
• Garlic – Fresh cloves will give you the most flavor, but if you’re short on time, 2 teaspoons of jarred garlic works fine.
• Olive Oil – Or any neutral cooking oil.
• Sea Salt & Black Pepper

Blanch The Green Beans:

Bring a large pot or Dutch oven of salt water (I use 1-2 tablespoons of salt per quart of water) to a boil. Add the green beans and blanch, until they turn bright green and are crisp tender.

Drain and immediately run under cold water in a colander to prevent overcooking. Pat dry and transfer to a baking dish. Season with more salt to taste if needed.

Make The Fried Onion Topping:

• Fry the onions. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. (I recommend a 12-inch skillet – 10 inch will work but is more crowded when making the sauce later.) Add the onions and saute until tender and starting to brown.
• Toss with topping. Transfer the onions to a medium bowl. Add the breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, and salt, and toss to coat.

Make The Mushroom Sauce:

• Saute the mushrooms. Wipe the skillet, then heat more oil over medium-high heat. Saute the mushrooms until browned and soft, letting the liquid evaporate.
• Add the garlic. Reduce heat to medium-low. Move mushrooms aside, add the garlic, and saute until fragrant. Stir together.

• Add the broth and milk. Scrape any browned bits from the pan, and bring to a boil. Simmer the sauce until it’s reduced by half.
• Add the cream cheese. Reduce the heat to low. Move mushrooms to the sides and add the cream cheese in the center. Whisk until melted and smooth.
• Simmer again if needed. After the cream cheese melts, if the sauce isn’t thick yet, increase heat to a gentle simmer again and simmer until it thickens. Remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper to your taste.

Assemble:

Pour the sauce over the green beans in the casserole dish. Mix the green bean casserole with cream cheese and mushroom sauce. Top with the fried onions, along with any extra crumbs from the bottom of the bowl.

Bake:

Place your healthy green bean casserole in the oven, and bake until the topping is golden brown.

Make Ahead Instructions

You’re probably making a lot of Thanksgiving recipes for this holiday, so it gets hectic! Anything I can make ahead always feels like such a win, and this healthy green bean casserole is one of those.

You can blanch the green beans and make the mushroom sauce in advance. Feel free to fry the onions ahead as well, but I recommend tossing with the parmesan and breadcrumbs right before baking to keep the crunch. You could also assemble the entire casserole in advance (totally done it!), but again, the topping is best if you mix it fresh.

Serving Ideas

My healthy green bean casserole goes perfectly with all your favorite holiday dishes! Here are a few of my faves:

• Thanksgiving Recipes – For the perfect Thanksgiving spread, serve this dish alongside my juicy Thanksgiving turkey, healthy sweet potato casserole, and sugar free cranberry sauce — I’ve got all 3 pictured above! I also like to start things off with a Thanksgiving charcuterie board and Thanksgiving salad!
• Christmas Recipes – Swap the turkey for my prime rib roast or roasted beef tenderloin, and try my roasted potatoes and creamed spinach for side dishes. My Christmas charcuterie board, bacon wrapped water chestnuts, and Christmas salad make festive appetizers.
• Weeknight Mains – Who says this green bean casserole recipe has to be reserved for holidays? If you prep it ahead, I think it’s great for weeknights with roasted chicken, smothered pork chops, or seared salmon.

My Tools For This Recipe

• Dutch Oven – It retains heat well, so your green beans blanch quickly and stay crisp.
• Baking Dish – My go-to that you’ll spot in hundreds of my healthy recipes. It’s pretty enough to serve your healthy green bean casserole right in the dish.
• Large Skillet – I’ve got this one in every size and multiple colors!