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Home By Diet Vegetarian

Healthy Green Bean Casserole

★★★★★ 11 Reviews Recipe Print
vg
By: Erin11/10/21

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

Healthy Green Bean Casserole
Healthy Green Bean Casserole

Ditch your old recipe and upgrade with Healthy Green Bean Casserole. Made with mushrooms, parmesan cheese, and garlic, it’s a flavor-rich dish that compliments any main course!

The most delicious healthy bean casserole

I don’t know about you, but I can always go for some tasty green bean casserole. I feel like a lot of people share my opinion, so why is it seemingly always limited to holidays and special occasions?! If it were up to me, green bean casserole would be present at least monthly. At least.

After you try this healthy green bean casserole recipe, I can guarantee you’re going to feel the same way.

This recipe takes everything good about green bean casserole and up-levels it to a healthier place. We remove a couple of the less nutrient-rich ingredients and replace them with things that are just as flavorful, like cremini mushrooms and parmesan cheese.

Ingredients in this healthy green bean casserole recipe

When it comes to this casserole’s ingredients, each item plays an important role. Some contribute to the flavor, others to the texture and density. When all is said and done, you’re left with a delicious casserole that’s perfect for gatherings or just for the family!

  • Green beans: Begin with 2 lbs of green beans. Since these are the main ingredient in the dish, we’re loading them in!
  • Olive oil: Next, set aside 2 tbsp of olive oil. This will be used to sauté the yellow onion.
  • Yellow onion: You will need 1 small yellow onion, finely diced.
  • Mushrooms: Include 10 oz of cremini mushrooms for flavor.
  • Garlic: Next, season things up with 5 cloves of minced garlic.
  • Salt & Pepper: Include 1 tsp each of salt and pepper.
  • Nutmeg: 1/4 tsp of nutmeg adds some earthy spice (but not hot) flavor.
  • Parmesan cheese: 2 tbsp of parmesan cheese will be used in the filling.
  • Broth: Next, use 1/2 cup of chicken broth to add density to the sauce.
  • Almond milk: 1 cup of unsweetened almond milk thickens up the casserole filling.
  • Arrowroot powder: 2 tbsp of arrowroot powder is just enough powder to help the filling reach the correct consistency.
  • Broth: You will need an additional 3 tbsp of broth.
  • Olive oil: 2 tbsp of olive oil is used to cook the shallots.
  • Shallots: You will need about 5 shallots, and they should be sliced into rings.
  • Parmesan: Finally, the dish is complete with 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese.

Tools needed to make healthy fresh green bean casserole

When it comes to kitchen tools, you’ll need a few cooking pots, measuring cups, a mixing bowl, and a couple of other items. Here’s a full list:

  • Pot
  • Strainer
  • Pan
  • Spatula or stirring utensil
  • Mixing bowl
  • Whisk
  • 8×11 baking dish

For measuring, you’ll need the following sized cups: 1/4 tsp, 1 tsp, 1 tbsp, 1/4 cup, 1/2 cup, and 1 cup.

How to make healthy green bean casserole

It will take about 15 minutes to prep the casserole. After that, let the oven do the work as it bakes for around 40 minutes.

Begin by preheating the oven to 350ºF.

Add the green beans to boiling water for 6-7 minutes, and then drain and rinse with cold water.

Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and mushrooms and cook for about 5 minutes or until softened. Add the garlic, salt, pepper, and nutmeg, and stir in the parmesan cheese.

Finally, add the chicken broth and almond milk.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the arrowroot power and additional chicken broth. Pour the mix into the onion and mushroom mixture. This will help to thicken the sauce over the next several minutes.

Once thick, pour 1/4 of the sauce mixture into the bottom of an 8×11 baking dish.

Add the green beans to the dish and then pour the rest of the sauce mixture on top.

Bake for 40 minutes.

While baking, heat the olive oil and cook the shallots over high heat for 4-5 minutes or until they turn golden brown. They will burn easily, so keep your eye on them. Drain on a paper towel.

Once the casserole is done, add the crispy shallots and parmesan cheese to the top.

What makes this casserole healthier?

Most green bean casseroles consist of about 4 ingredients – green beans, cream of mushroom soup, salt, and fried onion pieces. While those recipes are a breeze to make, they simply don’t pack in all of the nutrients that this recipe provides! To make this healthier and add lots of flavor, we’re making two big changes.

Broth, almond milk, and mushrooms
First, we’re skipping cream of mushroom soup and instead using a blend of broth, almond milk, mushrooms, and spices to achieve the same flavor and result. A few other ingredients help with the consistency, like arrowroot powder and parmesan.

Parmesan cheese
Next, we’re ditching the fried onions and using a parmesan cheese coating instead. This is my favorite way to make green bean casserole because the cheese becomes golden brown and makes a delicious top layer!

If you liked this recipe, you’ll want to try these!

The casseroles don’t stop there. Try some of these ideas for hearty meals that pack a punch and supply loads of flavor!

  • Healthier Sweet Potato Casserole
  • Cranberry Chicken Casserole
  • Buffalo Chicken Sweet Potato Casserole
  • Lemon Chicken Spaghetti Squash Casserole

Recipe by Erin Morrissey and Photos by The Mindful Hapa

green bean casserole
★★★★★ 5 from 11 reviews

Healthy Green Bean Casserole

Ditch your old recipe and upgrade with Healthy Green Bean Casserole. Made with mushrooms, parmesan cheese, and garlic, it’s a flavor-rich dish that completes any main course!

Prep: 20Cook: 40Total: 1 hour
Yield 10 servings 1x
Print Pin it Rate

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs green beans
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
  • 10 oz cremini mushrooms
  • 5 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 2 tbsp parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 1 cup unsweetened almond milk (or regular milk)
  • 2 tbsp arrowroot powder
  • 3 tbsp chicken broth
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 5 shallots, sliced into rings
  • 1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350F.
  2. Add green beans to boiling water for 6-7 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water.
  3. Heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and mushrooms and cook for about 5 minutes or until softened. Add in garlic, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir in parmesan cheese.
  4. Add in chicken broth and almond milk.
  5. In a separate bowl, whisk together arrowroot powder and chicken broth. Pour into onion and mushroom mixture. This helps thicken the sauce over the next several minutes.
  6. Once thick, pour 1/4 of the sauce mixture into the bottom of an 8×11 baking dish.
  7. Add all of the green beans to the dish and then add the rest of the sauce mixture on top.
  8. Bake for 40 minutes.
  9. While baking, heat olive oil and cook shallots over high heat for 4-5 minutes or until golden brown. They will burn easily so keep your eye on them. Drain on paper towel.
  10. Once casserole is done, add crispy shallots and parmesan cheese to the top.
  11. Enjoy!
Author: ErinCategory: holiday, dinner, side dishMethod: bakeCuisine: AmericanDiet: Gluten Free
green bean casserole

Did you make this?

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There may be affiliate links in this post! By purchasing a product I recommend, I may receive a small compensation. However, I only recommend products I absolutely love and use myself. Thank you for supporting Erin Lives Whole, it helps keep this blog afloat 🙂

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Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

  1. Maggie says

    Posted on 11/26 at 6:27 am

    Made for thanksgiving and was so flavorful and light! The perfect side to go with mashed potatoes, stuffing, etc!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Erin says

      Posted on 11/27 at 7:59 pm

      Hi Maggie, so happy you loved it so much! 🙂

      Reply
  2. Beckie says

    Posted on 11/25 at 8:07 am

    Delicious! Big hit for Thanksgiving. So flavorful and creamy mushroom sauce. I baked it the whole way at home and then just 5 mins in the oven at our destination was perfect. Definitely need to stand guard for the shallots and stir constantly. But they are a must! Adds so much flavor.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Erin says

      Posted on 11/25 at 11:30 am

      Hi Beckie, so happy you loved it so much!

      Reply
  3. Tara says

    Posted on 3/13 at 8:31 pm

    This was so good! I liked this so much more than the traditional style green bean casserole. It was creamy and delicious. So full of flavor!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Erin says

      Posted on 3/14 at 3:40 pm

      Hi Tara, so glad you loved it!!

      Reply
  4. Hannah says

    Posted on 1/30 at 9:12 pm

    I’m generally not a fan of green bean casserole, but saw this recipe and had to try – so glad we did! Tasted really fresh, green beans still had a little crunch, and the creamy mushroom sauce was delicious! The shallots didn’t really get crispy (and yes, they are super easy to burn!) but I put them on the casserole with the cheese and pot back in the oven for another 3 minutes to melt it all together. Will make again for sure!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Erin says

      Posted on 2/2 at 8:34 pm

      Hi Hannah, so happy you loved it and great idea!!

      Reply
  5. Jody says

    Posted on 12/28 at 12:49 pm

    Made the casserole twice this Christmas!! Everyone was used to eating the casserole with the cream of mushroom soup, and throughout dinner, everyone said this was so much better than the one they were used to eating. It was a hit and there were no leftovers for us to keep. Will make this recipe over and over again!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Erin says

      Posted on 12/28 at 5:49 pm

      Hi Jody, so glad you loved it so much! 🙂

      Reply
  6. Ilana says

    Posted on 12/19 at 8:44 pm

    I made this for thanksgiving and it was such a hit. Everyone loved it and it went so fast. Such a great dish that compliments everything else on the table.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Erin says

      Posted on 12/19 at 9:43 pm

      Hi Ilana, I am thrilled everyone loved it!

      Reply
  7. Tori says

    Posted on 12/19 at 1:59 pm

    Made this for the holidays this year and it was such a hit! We have some people in our family that we’re beyond skeptical to stray from the basic canned green beans and campbells soup version ( 😷 )

    I insisted on making this anyways and after they begrudgingly tried it, they all loved it! Thanks for the great recipe and helping me get my family off the other recipe haha

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Erin says

      Posted on 12/19 at 4:36 pm

      Hi Tori, so happy everyone loved it so much!!

      Reply
  8. Casey Colodny says

    Posted on 11/30 at 10:31 am

    May be the best green bean casserole ive had yet!! that mushroom topping was good enough to eat on its own!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Erin says

      Posted on 11/30 at 12:52 pm

      Hi Casey, so glad you loved it!!

      Reply
  9. Emily says

    Posted on 11/28 at 10:53 am

    Made this for Thanksgiving & it was great! LOVED!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Erin says

      Posted on 11/28 at 1:53 pm

      Hi Emily, so glad you enjoyed it! 🙂

      Reply
  10. Lauren says

    Posted on 11/26 at 3:22 pm

    Made this for our Thanksgiving dinner last night and it was a huge hit! Not only did everyone love how it tasted, it also looks great on the table. Another great recipe, Erin!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Erin says

      Posted on 11/28 at 1:47 pm

      Hi Lauren, I am so glad everyone loved it!! 🙂

      Reply
  11. Nicole says

    Posted on 11/25 at 11:09 am

    SUCH A HIT! Lightened up, super flavorful. We loved it.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Erin says

      Posted on 11/26 at 12:26 pm

      Hi Nicole, so happy you loved it!!

      Reply
  12. Stephanie says

    Posted on 11/24 at 8:52 am

    Hi Erin,

    Can this be made ahead of time and reheated? Or is it really better to be made the day of?

    Reply
    • Erin says

      Posted on 11/24 at 12:50 pm

      Hi Stephanie, I recommend making and eating it day of, but if you need to make it ahead of time and reheat it, just save the crispy shallots and parmesan cheese for after it is reheated. Let me know how it comes out!

      Reply
  13. Sarah says

    Posted on 11/22 at 5:02 pm

    Never mind I see it!!! Thanks so much – I can’t wait to try it out!!!

    Reply
    • Erin says

      Posted on 11/23 at 1:32 pm

      Hi Sarah, ah awesome and let me know how it comes out!! 🙂

      Reply
  14. Sarah C says

    Posted on 11/22 at 5:00 pm

    Hi! Should it be the arrowroot power and unsweetened almond milk together? Or is it the arrowroot powder and chicken broth? I see it on the recipe but not sure where it comes into play!

    Thanks!!

    Reply
  15. Amelia CarbiesAnon says

    Posted on 11/15 at 2:27 pm

    Hello! Can I substitute the arrowroot powder with cornstarch?!

    Reply
    • Erin says

      Posted on 11/15 at 2:39 pm

      Hi Amelia, yep that should be fine! Let me know how it comes out!!

      Reply

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