Healthy green bean casserole has always been a staple at holiday dinners, but the versions I’ve had in the past almost always call for a can of cream of mushroom soup. While I love the flavor, my body simply can’t handle the MSG and preservatives found in most canned soups. Over the years, my allergy to MSG has become increasingly dangerous, so I’ve learned to carefully check the ingredient list on nearly all processed foods I consume.
Thankfully, this healthy green bean casserole recipe from Cooking Light has become my new favorite! It delivers all the fresh flavor and creamy goodness of the traditional dish but without any preservatives or MSG. Everything is made from scratch!
Let me show you the side dish you’ll definitely want to include on your Thanksgiving menu this year:
What Makes This Healthy Green Bean Casserole Unforgettable
Green bean casserole is a classic favorite, but this fresh and wholesome version takes it up a notch. Made with real ingredients and no canned soups, it’s a must-have for your Thanksgiving menu or any family gathering.
Step 1: Prepare the Green Beans
Start with 1 pound of haricot verts, also known as French green beans. If these are not available, you can use regular green beans or even drained green beans from a can. Wash them and cut off any ragged ends.
Heat some water in a large sauté pan in order to blanch the green beans. Blanching is a simple process that cooks food just until it is done, and then you immediately stop the cooking process by plunging the food into ice-cold water.
So while the water boils, fill a large bowl with ice water so that it is very, very cold. When the water is at a rolling boil, add the green beans and boil them for about 3-4 minutes or until they are tender. Immediately remove the green beans from the hot water and put them in the ice bath.
Healthier is good. Already-made is also good.
Heidi's green bean casserole is oven-ready for the holidays.
Step 2: Prepare the Bread Crumbs
Drain the green beans after they have cooled and pull out a small food processor. (I just use my small Cuisinart food processor.) You need to pulse two pieces of whole wheat bread until coarse crumbles form.
Then chop up a small onion, 1/4 cup of fresh flat-leaf parsley, and 6 oz of mushrooms. If you don’t like mushrooms, you can easily leave them out.
Combine the bread crumbs with the parsley and add 2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese.
Step 3: Make the Bread Crumb Mixture
Stir in one tablespoon of olive oil and 1 teaspoon of minced garlic. Mix it all together so that it is well combined. This will be the topping for the green bean casserole.
Step 4: Sauté the Vegetables
In a cast iron skillet or large oven-safe sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil and saute the onion and mushrooms. Cook them for about 8 minutes or until they are tender.
Step 5: Make the Sauce
Stir in 1 1/2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour and cook for one minute. Then stir in 1/2 cup of chicken stock, 1/2 cup of milk, and 2 tablespoons of sherry. If you don’t have sherry, you can use any type of wine you have on hand. If you want to leave out the wine altogether, just add in a bit more chicken stock. Bring this mixture to a simmer and cook for 3 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in 4 more tablespoons of Parmesan cheese. You’ll also want to add 1/2 teaspoon of Kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon of ground pepper, and 1/8 teaspoon of nutmeg.
Step 6: Assemble and Bake the Casserole
Add your reserved green beans to the mushroom mixture and coat them thoroughly.
Then sprinkle the breaded mixture on top and bake in a 400-degree oven for 10 minutes. You can also use your broiler for 2 minutes.
Why You’ll Love This Healthy Green Bean Casserole
When I pulled this healthy green bean casserole out of the oven, I knew it was love. It’s creamy and flavorful… what’s not to love?
And then, when I had my first bite, I knew I would never resort to my old sloppy green bean casserole again. I loved that the beans were crisp, not squeaky, and overdone like most recipes. The creaminess from my own sauce was far better than that of any soup manufacturer. And the crunch of the breading was a simple blend of bread and herbs, something way healthier than fried onions (although those French fried onions are pretty amazing!).
I initially served this healthy green bean casserole with a creamy herbed chicken breast, but I think it would be a sensational side for any piece of meat.
It’s definitely being added to my Thanksgiving menu this year! For more savory side dishes, check out my recipe index or my Scrumptious Sides board on Pinterest. Happy cooking, y’all!
Healthy Green Bean Casserole
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Wash the green beans and trim any ragged ends. Bring a large sauté pan of water to a rolling boil and fill a large bowl with ice water.
- Boil the green beans for 3-4 minutes, until tender. Immediately transfer them to the ice bath to stop the cooking. Drain once cooled.
- Pulse the whole wheat bread in a small food processor until coarse crumbs form.
- Chop the onion, parsley, and mushrooms. In a bowl, combine the bread crumbs with the parsley and 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan.
- Stir the olive oil and minced garlic into the bread crumb mixture until well combined. Set aside; this is the topping.
- In a cast iron skillet or large oven-safe sauté pan, heat the 2 tablespoons of oil and sauté the onion and mushrooms for about 8 minutes, until tender.
- Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the chicken stock, milk, and sherry. Bring to a simmer and cook for 3 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the remaining 4 tablespoons of Parmesan, the kosher salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
- Add the green beans to the mushroom mixture and coat them thoroughly. Sprinkle the bread crumb topping evenly over the top.
- Bake at 400°F for 10 minutes, or broil for 2 minutes, until the topping is golden. Serve warm.
Notes
- If haricots verts are unavailable, use regular green beans or drained canned green beans.
- Mushrooms can be left out if you prefer.
- No sherry? Use any wine you have, or add a little more chicken stock instead.
