This Lighter Green Bean Casserole recipe delivers all of the comforting flavors of your favorite holiday side without all of the canned additives. Swapping two canned ingredients for homemade lightens up the dish so you can enjoy more of it!
Lighter Green Bean Casserole Recipe
In this Lighter Green Bean Casserole recipe, you’ll find the familiar comforting flavors of a traditional casserole dish without adding the canned soup or those fried onions that always come out during the holidays. Swapping those two canned ingredients with homemade makes all the difference in the world, yet won’t affect the taste.
Trust me, I love those canned fried onion rings just as much as the next person. It’s probably my most favorite part of a Green Bean Casserole! With that being said, though, my homemade version of a Crispy Onion Topping is so much better for you. All of the flavor, but none of the guilt or preservatives.
Swapping the can of creamed soup with a homemade mushroom sauce using 2% milk ensures that your beans will still have that creamy texture you know and love while reserving the calories for something like dessert. Let’s be honest, you know you’re going to want to save room for dessert.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds green beans, trimmed
- 6 tablespoons butter, divided
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 8 ounces sliced mushrooms (or more depending on preference)
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups 2% milk
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup almond meal
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF.
- Lightly grease a 9x13 casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray; set aside.
- Bring a large stockpot of water to a boil and add the green beans. Boil for about 3-4 minutes, or until almost tender but still slightly crisp. Drain and rinse under cold water until completely cooled. Drain the beans thoroughly, place in a large bowl and set aside.
- Add 3 tablespoons of butter to a large skillet. Add the diced onions to the skillet, cooking over medium heat until soft and translucent. Add the mushrooms and cook an additional 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and transfer to the bowl with the green beans.
- In the same skillet, melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour; continue to whisk for about 1 minute, or until the flour turns light brown. Slowly pour in the milk and continue to whisk and cook for about another 4 minutes, or until the sauce thickens. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg then remove from heat. Let stand for 5 minutes.
- While the sauce is resting, make the onion topping.
- Heat the olive oil in a large fry pan until hot. Add the thinly sliced onions and cook, stirring occasionally for 5-8 minutes or until they are tender and starting to brown. Remove the onions and place into a mixing bowl. Add the almond meal to the same onion pan, cook, stirring frequently for 3-4 minutes until the almond starts to turn golden. Remove from heat and combine with the onions. Add the parmesan cheese and salt; toss to combine.
- Stir the sauce and pour over the green beans and mushrooms; toss to combine and coat evenly. Transfer the green beans into the prepared casserole dish.
- Top with the crispy onions and bake for 30-35 minutes. The sauce will be bubbly and the green beans will be heated through.
Notes
Home Chef Tip: Don't skip rinsing the green beans under cold water, or placing into an ice water bath- this will stop the cooking process and maintain a nice crunch to your beans.
One bite of this Lighter Green Bean Casserole will have you forgetting all about the heavier version you may be accustomed to. While it does take a bit more time to prepare, it’s a recipe you can feel good about indulging in. Do you have a favorite holiday recipe you’ve lightened up?
We hope you love this Lighter Green Bean Casserole recipe from SoFabFood Home Chef, Aimee from Southern From Scratch, as much as we do. If you enjoyed this recipe, you can find more like it by visiting our Side Dish Section. For daily recipe inspiration, subscribe to our newsletter, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Pinterest. Enjoy!
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