Healthy Green Bean Casserole
With Thanksgiving just around the corner, I thought I’d give the classic green bean casserole a Downshiftology twist. I’m ditching store-bought cream of mushroom soup for a homemade dairy-free, gluten-free version, and I’m swapping flour-fried crispy onions for more delicate (and of course gluten-free) crispy shallots. It’s an easy swap.
Then, all you’ve just got to do is add those items to fresh green beans and you’ve got yourself one tasty, healthy green bean casserole. It’s a Thanksgiving side dish worthy of a coveted spot on your table, perhaps right next to a healthy sweet potato casserole.
What Goes In This Green Bean Casserole
Green Beans: Use fresh green beans if you have access to them. If not, frozen ones work just fine since they’re frozen at their peak.Olive Oil: An essential for giving the mushrooms life while sauteing.Mushrooms: Cremini mushrooms (or baby bella mushrooms) work great in this recipe.Onion & Garlic: Adds aromatics and savory goodness to the mushroom sauce.Tamari Soy Sauce: This gluten-free soy sauce gives a punch of flavor. You can also use coconut aminos.Chicken Broth: For layered richness to the sauce.Milk: You can use almond milk, cashew milk, or any dairy-free milk.Arrowroot Powder: Works wonders to thicken up the mushroom sauce.Shallots: Makes for the best crispy topping to this casserole.
Let’s Make A Healthy Green Bean Casserole
First, prep the green beans. Preheat your oven to 375F. Then, blanch the green beans for about 4-5 minutes until they’re tender yet crisp. Then transfer them to an ice water bath, drain, and set aside.
Next, create the sauce. Saute the oil, onion, and mushrooms on high heat for 8-10 minutes. Then, stir in the tamari soy sauce, garlic, salt and pepper. Once it’s mixed in, add the chicken broth and milk, and let it simmer for about 5 minutes. You want all those flavors to meld together.
In a small bowl, make a slurry by whisking together arrowroot powder and 2 tablespoons of water. Turn the stove off and pour the slurry into the pan and give it all stir until thick.
Layer it up and bake! Pour 1/3 of the mushroom sauce into the baking pan, add the green beans, and pour the rest of the sauce across the top. Then, bake for 10-15 minutes.
Lastly, make the crispy shallots. Saute the sliced shallots on medium high heat with olive oil for about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and cook for another 3-4 minutes. Keep a close eye on them! Once they’re done cooking, transfer them to a paper towel lined plate. To finish off the dish, remove the casserole from oven and top it with crispy shallots. And you’re done!
Meal Prep, Store, And Reheat
To make ahead: place everything in the casserole pan except the crispy shallots. Then cover and store in the fridge for up to two days. Store the crispy shallots separately.To heat: pop the casserole dish in the oven for 15-20 min, top with the crispy shallots and cook another 5 min.For storing: this will keep in the fridge for about 4 days if stored correctly in an airtight container.
A Few Green Bean Casserole Tips
Make it a cheesy. While this recipe is dairy-free, you can add some grated parmesan to the sauce before baking or top it with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.Make sure your beans are dry. After blanching, blot them with a paper towel to dry them. Otherwise, you’ll end up with a much softer casserole.Keep an eye on your shallots! They can easily turn from golden brown to burnt. So keep a close eye on them after reducing the heat to low.
More Favorite Thanksgiving Side Dishes
I’ve got you covered with all the side dishes you need. Here are some of my favorites:
Honey Glazed CarrotsBest Mashed PotatoRoasted Brussels Sprouts Baked Sweet PotatoesMashed Sweet PotatoesAir Fryer Green Beans
Healthy Green Bean Casserole (gluten-free, dairy-free)
from votes Prep: 10 minutes Cook: 50 minutes Total: 1 hour Servings: 8 servings PrintPinReviewSaveSaved
Description
This healthy green bean casserole is a Thanksgiving classic with creamy mushroom sauce, fresh green beans, and topped with crispy shallots!
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds fresh green beans, trimmed1/3 cup olive oil, divided10 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced1 small onion, diced1 teaspoon tamari soy sauce or coconut aminos3 cloves garlic, minced1/2 cup chicken broth, or vegetable broth for vegan1 1/2 cups almond milk, cashew milk, or other dairy-free milksalt and pepper, to taste2 tablespoon arrowroot powder4-5 shallots, thinly sliced into rings
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 375F. Then, bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the green beans. Blanch the green beans for 4-5 minutes, or until slightly tender but still crisp.
Immediately transfer the green beans to an ice water bath, drain, and set aside. 
Then, heat two tablespoons of olive oil on medium high heat in a large pan. Add the diced onion and sliced mushrooms and cook for 8-10 minutes, or until soft. 
Stir in the tamari soy sauce, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Then add the chicken broth and milk, and simmer for 5 minutes. 
Make a slurry by stirring the arrowroot powder with 2 tablespoons of water in a small bowl. Turn off the stove, pour the slurry into the pan, and stir until the sauce has thickened. 
Transfer about 1/3 of the mushroom sauce to a baking pan, add the green beans on top, then top with the remaining sauce. I put the sauce down the middle for presentation, but you could spread it evenly across the top. Then bake for 10-15 minutes or until warmed through. 
While the green beans are baking, add the sliced shallots to a pan with 1/4 cup or so of olive oil. Heat on medium high heat for 5 minutes, stirring the shallots, then reduce the heat to low and cook for another 3-4 minutes. Keep a close eye on the shallots after 7-8 minutes, as they go from golden to burnt very quickly. 
Once the shallots are lightly golden, remove them to a paper towel lined plate. 
Remove the green bean casserole from the oven, top with the crispy shallots and serve. 
Nutrition
Calories: 143kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 200mg | Potassium: 428mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 587IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 87mg | Iron: 1mg Course: Side Dish Cuisine: American Keyword: green bean casserole, healthy green bean casserole, thanksgiving side dish
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