Healthy Green Bean Casserole
This Healthy Green Bean Casserole uses fresh green beans, mushrooms, a creamy homemade cheese sauce, and a crispy breadcrumb topping. No canned soup needed! It's an easy, lighter Thanksgiving side dish that everyone will love.
Servings: 4
Equipment
- knife
- baking dish
- Pot to blanch green beans
- Bowl to cook green beans
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds Fresh Green Beans trimmed
- 1 tablespoon Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 Cup Button Mushrooms Finely Chopped
- 3-4 Garlic Cloves minced
- ½ tablespoon Dried Oregano
- Kosher Salt and Pepper to taste
- ½ Cup Low-fat milk of choice
- 1 tablespoon Cornstarch
- ½ Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese or any other cheese
- ¼ Cup Whole Wheat Panko
Instructions
- Prepare an ice bath. In a large pot of salted boiling water, add 1½ pounds Fresh Green Beans and cook until bright green and crisp-tender, about 2-3 minutes.
- Quickly drain and transfer to a prepared ice bath to cool, drain again, and transfer the green beans to the casserole.
- Heat 1 tablespoon Extra-Virgin Olive Oil in a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 Cup Button Mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes.
- Add 3-4 Garlic Cloves, season with ½ tablespoon Dried Oregano, Kosher Salt and Pepper, and cook for about a minute, or until the garlic is fragrant and the mushrooms are golden. Transfer to the casserole and mix with the green beans.
- Meanwhile, in a saucepan, whisk ½ Cup Low-fat milk of choice, 1 tablespoon Cornstarch, a pinch of salt, and pepper. Bring it to a boil and stir in the ½ Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese. Continue to simmer for a couple of minutes, until the sauce thickens and the cheese has melted.
- Remove from the heat, add to the green bean casserole, and toss to combine. Sprinkle with ¼ Cup Whole Wheat Panko and place it in the preheated oven.
- Bake at 350 F until bubbly and golden on tops, about 10-12 minutes. Enjoy!
Notes
- Green beans: Fresh green beans work best, but frozen will also work. Thaw and drain them well before using.
- Don't overcook: Blanch the green beans just until crisp-tender so they don't become mushy in the oven.
- Make ahead: Prepare the casserole a day ahead without the breadcrumb topping. Refrigerate, then add the breadcrumbs just before baking.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.
- Reheating: Reheat in a 350°F oven until warmed through. Cover loosely with foil if the topping starts browning too much.
Nutrition
Calories: 187kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 144mg | Potassium: 517mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1384IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 222mg | Iron: 2mg