Lightened Up Green Bean Casserole (From Scratch)

This Christmas season, enjoy a lighter, healthier version of the classic green bean casserole recipe made from scratch without canned soup.

Green bean casserole

You will love this modern take on the classic! The perfect accompaniment to your Thanksgiving turkey along with all the fixins like sweet potato casserole, cranberry sauce, filling and mashed potatoes. You can see all of my Thanksgiving recipes here.

Confession: I don't like mushy green beans. Year after year I've been asked to post a healthy recipe for a green bean casserole and I decided against it because the thought of mushy green bean canned fried onion soup just doesn't do that for me. I am very specific about how I like my green beans. I love them roasted and cooked until they are tender and crispy, sautéed with a little garlic and oil and even in a salad. But frozen or canned – I can do without them.

I know so many of you love this popular Thanksgiving side dish. After many inquiries, I was inspired to just try from scratch. I put the bowl in the oven and crossed my fingers. When it was done I served myself a plate and liked it so much that I had two servings. This absolutely delicious green bean casserole is a keeper and the perfect addition to your holiday table.

How to make green bean casserole from scratch

In this new lighter version, I use fresh green beans in my green bean casserole. I blanched them for two minutes so they wouldn't turn to mush. If you like them soft I would cook them for 6-8 minutes.

Tips & variations:

Cut the green beans in half to make them easier to serve.
To make it gluten-free: Sub gluten-free panko for breadcrumbs and use gluten-free flour mix instead of all-purpose flour.
For more flavor, try adding a little bacon or pancetta to the breadcrumbs topping.
Cut the recipe in half to support a family of four.

More holiday dishes you will love:

Lightened green bean casserole with a shallot crumb topping

Preparation time: 30th min

Cooking time: 30th min

Total time: 1 hours

A lightened, healthier version of the classic green bean casserole made from scratch, no canned soup.

2 lbs green beans, halve, cut and wash

For the green bean topping

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 Cup Shallots, finely diced
1/2 Cup seasoned breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon grated romano or parmesan cheese
1/2 TL dried thyme, or 1 teaspoon fresh

For the green beans:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/3 Cup Shallots, chopped
16 oz sliced mushrooms, (I used cremini)
1/4 Cup Flour
1 Cup reduced sodium chicken broth, or vegetables for vegetarians
1 Cup 2% milk
1/4 Cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese

Boil a large saucepan of water, add green beans as they cook, and blanch for 2 minutes (or 6-8 minutes if you like them softer). Drain in a colander and rinse under cold water to prevent them from boiling.
In the meantime, prepare the toppings and heat a medium-sized pan over medium heat. Add the shallots and sauté them for about 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown.
Reduce the heat to medium-low, add breadcrumbs, grated cheese, and thyme; Sauté until golden brown for 5-6 minutes, stirring frequently, being careful not to burn them.
Preheat the oven to 375 °. Lightly spray a 13 by 9 inch baking dish.
Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add shallots and fry for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper and fry for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Sprinkle the mushrooms with flour, stirring constantly for about a minute, then slowly add chicken broth, and then milk.
Bring to the boil and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened. Stir in Romano cheese.
Add blanched green beans and mix well, season with salt and pepper as needed; Pour into the prepared baking dish.
Cover with roasted breadcrumbs and bake for about 30 minutes.

Portion: 1/ 8th recipe, Calories: 160kcal, Carbohydrates: 22ndG, Protein: 7thG, Fat: 6thG, Sodium: 280.5mg, Fiber: 4thG, Sugar: 2G

Blue Smart Points: 3

Green Smart Points: 3

Purple Smart Points: 3

Points +: 4th

Keywords: best green bean casserole, green bean casserole, green bean casserole from scratch, green bean casserole no soup how to make green bean casserole

sent November 11, 2020 by Gina

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