Lighter Green Bean Casserole is a lighter yet satisfying version of green bean casserole. Take a second scoop of this holiday staple!
Today I’m sharing a healthy yet decadent-tasting vegetable side dish that might just revolutionize your holiday dinner table: Lighter Green Bean Casserole with Crispy Shallots.
Throw out every memory you have of gloopy green bean casseroles from holidays past, and instead imagine crisp-tender steamed green beans in a light and silky mushroom-cheese sauce, with fresh parsley and crispy shallots.
We’re talking all the flavor of green bean casserole, in a non belt-busting format. Can you say UPGRADE?
This lighter version of the classic uses low-fat milk plus fresh mushrooms to create a homemade creamy mushroom sauce that’s very waistline friendly, but tastes anything but. Special enough for any holiday, but so delicious you won’t want to wait for one to make it!
Start by steaming fresh, trimmed green beans until they’re crisp tender.
Classic Green Bean Casserole recipes use canned green beans, which are super soft, but for this lightened up version I like the green beans to retain a little snap.
Set the beans aside then make the crispy shallot topping.
Crispy shallots mimic the fried canned onion rings that typically top green bean casserole, but there’s no breading needed, and the shallots are pan vs deep fried.
Peel the shallots then slice them into very thin rings and separate the layers.
Pan-fry the shallot rings in extra virgin olive oil until light golden brown — it only takes a minute or two — then transfer them to a paper towel-lined plate and sprinkle with salt. Set aside.
To the same skillet, add sliced mushrooms then saute until the mushrooms release their liquid. Once the liquid has cooked off, add dried thyme, garlic, salt, and pepper then saute for another minute.
Scoop the mixture into a large mixing bowl then set aside.
Again, to the same skillet add low fat milk whisked together with gluten-free or all-purpose flour (dish will not be GF if using AP flour.)
Season with salt and pepper then cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thick and bubbly.
Scoop the sauce into the bowl with the mushrooms then add the green beans plus chopped parsley and grated parmesan cheese then stir well to combine.
Scoop the mixture into a casserole dish, top with the crispy shallots and a dusting of a bit more parmesan cheese, then bake until golden brown and bubbly. SO GOOD!
As if this recipe couldn’t get any better, it’s make-ahead, too!
Skip the shallot frying step and assemble the dish up until the baking part, then cover and refrigerate. The next day, fry the shallots then add to the top of the green beans and bake. Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 1-1/2 lbs fresh green beans, trimmed
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 6 medium shallots, sliced into rings (about 1 cup)
- 1 lb button or baby bella mushrooms, sliced
- 6 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 3 cups milk, 1% or unsweetened almond milk recommended
- 3 Tablespoons gluten free flour, or AP flour if not gluten free
- 1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese, divided
- 1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
- salt and pepper
Directions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees then spray a 2-quart baking dish with nonstick spray and set aside.
- Steam green beans until crisp-tender then set aside.
- Heat oil in a medium sized skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1/4 of the shallots then saute, stirring frequently, until golden brown, 1-2 minutes. Transfer shallots to a paper-towel lined plate to drain then sprinkle with salt. Repeat with remaining shallots then set aside.
- Add mushrooms to the remaining oil then saute until the mushrooms have released their liquid. Continue to saute until the liquid has cooked off and the mushrooms are golden brown. Add the garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper then saute for 1 more minute. Transfer mixture to a large mixing bowl.
- In a measuring cup, whisk together milk and flour until well combined then pour into the skillet. Season generously with salt and pepper then bring mixture to a bubble while whisking constantly. Turn heat down to medium/medium-low then stir using a spatula until mixture is thick and bubbly, 10 minutes. Turn off the heat then add the parmesan cheese and stir until smooth. Pour mixture into bowl with mushrooms. Add green beans and parsley to the bowl then stir to combine.
- Spoon green bean mixture into prepared baking dish then top with crispy shallots and remaining parmesan cheese. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown on top.
Notes
- From Ellie Krieger
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
This looks great. I’ve always been scared of green bean casserole, but your recipe sounds fantastic.
I’ve never tried green bean casserole (always too scared!), but this one looks ahhhmazing! I will definitely be trying this bad boy out :) thanks! p.s. I LOVEEE Miss Ellie
i hate the normal green bean casserole which is weird cuz i like everything that goes into it except for those nasty canned OR’s which are easy enough to leave off. but THIS one that you have made sounds wonderful! i need one of those steamer basket things. wonder if i could just boil the beans for a bit? or use canned cuz oddly enough i LOVE canned whole beans! and yes….turkey day dinner is pretty much a no holds barred eating frenzy for me! it’s all about food and family cuz i refuse to celebrate the demise of the great American Indians!
I love canned great beans too! I’m sure you could just boil the beans for the same amount of time. :)
I was going to make green beans with caramalized onions but this looks so good. Hhhmmmm gotta think on that one!
Is the double doozie for tomorrow a corn casserole? I hope so!
I want to try this for Thanksgiving. I have been looking for ways in trying to make healthier dishes included this casserole. But I didn’t want to experiment too much since I haven’t green bean casserole before.
I love that shallots is used instead of store bought french onion which I find a tad bit greasy.
Thanks for the recipe.
Can this dish be made the night before and then baked on Thanksgiving? I’m in charge of the veggie dish for Thanksgiving that this dish just moved to the top of my list. I would like to make it ahead of time so I can try and avoid overcrowding the kitchen on the big day.
I think it’d be fine to make ahead – I would just cool the beans and sauce completely before mixing together and placing in the baking dish. I’d also fry the shallots the day of!
also Heather, you can use the crock from your crock pot as the casserole dish and bake it in the oven. when done baking just drop the crock back into the heating element and away ya go! this works great for traveling w/hot food and makes it easy to plug in & keep hot when you arrive at the party.
This might have gotten added to the Thanksgiving menu. It looks so good! I attack thanksgiving as a no holds barred kind of day. Eat whatever I want, with an effort to not go so far overboard that I get sick. It’s just one day a year, right?
Must try this!
This dish looks awesome! I don’t always like using canned cream soups, like the traditional so it is nice to have an alternative to the classic green bean casserole.
Love the candy cane spatula! Where did you find that?
A friend actually got that for me a number of years ago. I think it was from Target!
Really dislike the gloopy gloppy green bean thing that everyone serves and raves about, but THIS… looks incredible. You have done it again!
Omg that looks absolutely incredible! Bookmarking this for Thanksgiving! Thanks so much!
Sounds really good. And where did you get that red and white striped spatula that you used to stir up the sauce. Like it too.
A friend gave it to me several years ago from Target!