Gluten-Free Green Bean Casserole

Kind of packed a lot into that recipe title, didn’t I? (Which was initially going to be named: “Ermahgerd Green Bean Casserole” because ERMAHGERD this Thanksgiving staple is so good that I nearly shed a tear as I scraped up the last few bites!)

Let’s break it down:

Gluten-Free Green Bean Casserole: canned fried onions and cream of mushroom soup have a lock on traditional Green Bean Casserole, but neither are typically gluten-free. Problem solved with this re-imagined Thanksgiving side dish recipe with major flavor thanks to…

Garlic-Butter Mushrooms: while I was g-free’ing this recipe I figured I might as well improve upon it so I added sliced mushrooms sauteed in butter, garlic, and homemade seasoned salt. Trust me when I tell you this is a MAJOR UPGRADE.

Crispy Shallots: no gluten-free store bought fried onions – no problem! Crispy shallots are easy to make and there’s no breading required. They give this casserole a craveable, caramelized onion flavor and classic crunch. They’re my favorite part of the whole dish.

No Condensed Soups: true, there are gluten-free condensed soups options at the grocery store nowadays, but to my knowledge none of them are gluten-free AND dairy-free, which is important to many including my family. My Cream of Mushroom Soup calls for fridge and pantry staples, can be easily made dairy-free, and is make-ahead too.

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Now lets address the elephant in the room – canned green beans. Yep, I’m a fan! While I’ve used fresh green beans for Green Bean Casserole in the past, I have to say my heart is with canned. First of all they come trimmed, cut, and cooked, so thanks, canning. Second of all I just really love the taste and texture of canned green beans. Third of all, since we’re going homemade with the condensed soup and crispy shallots, lets show ourselves a bit of self love and take the time we’d spend trimming and, I don’t know, watch an episode of Flip or Flop Atlanta or something (love that show!)

Whether you have to eat gluten-free or not, this Green Bean Casserole should NOT be missed this holiday season. I was not kidding when I talked about tearing up when the last bite was gone. It is so, so tasty. Let’s cook!

Start by sauting the garlic-butter mushrooms. You’ll want to do this in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet – preferably cast iron – because you’ll use the same skillet to pan fry the shallots.

Melt 2 Tablespoons butter or vegan butter in the skillet over medium-high heat then add 8oz sliced mushrooms. You could use white mushrooms or baby bellas, which is what’s shown here. Saute the mushrooms until they release their liquid, the liquid cooks off, and the mushrooms turn golden brown, 5-7 minutes. Add 3 cloves pressed or minced garlic, season generously with homemade seasoned salt and pepper, then saute until the garlic is very fragrant, 1-2 more minutes.

I have to say that homemade seasoned salt adds a TON of flavor to this dish and is beyond easy to make – it’s just a mixture of salt, paprika, onion and garlic powders. I hardly ever use regular salt when cooking anymore! You’ll love it.

Scoop the mushrooms into a medium-sized baking dish like an 8×8″ or similar then add 2 cans cut green beans that have been drained, an extra shake of seasoned salt, and 1 batch Homemade Cream of Mushroom Soup. PLEASE NOTE that my homemade version yields more then a standard can of cream of mushroom soup that you’d buy at the store. PLEASE ALSO NOTE that homemade cream of mushroom soup is so good you’ll want to eat the whole thing with a spoon. </rant>

Fold everything together using a spatula then bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Meanwhile, wipe the skillet out with wet paper towels or a dish cloth (you want to remove any bits of garlic that might burn and turn bitter during the shallot frying process.) Slice 4 large shallots then separate the slices into rings to equal 1-1/2 cups sliced shallots rings.

Heat 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil in the skillet over medium-high heat then, once the oil is hot, add half the shallots and fry until golden brown. I like to gently shake the skillet every now and again to make sure they’re frying evenly, and also use this tool to stir the shallots around and remove them to a paper towel lined plate once they’re done.

Lightly salt the fried shallots then fry/drain/salt the remaining shallots. (Note: some of these look soggy but I assure you that even very light golden brown fried shallots are still crispy – YUM!)

Last step is to sprinkle the fried shallots on top of the Green Bean Casserole then bake for 5 more minutes. Let the casserole cool for 10 minutes or so then scoop and serve! I hope you LOVE this insanely delicious take on green bean casserole! Enjoy!