Green Bean Casserole

I make a whole pot of this green bean casserole because not only does it keep well in the fridge, it’s a great alternative to rice or potatoes. I also have it as a savory snack when it’s a bit early for dinner. I love recipes that allow you to eat the not-so healthy food, such as fried onions, and add tons of amazing healthy ingredients to them. This recipe fits the bill.

Green Beans Can Be Tasty

Green beans have tons of fiber and are low calorie. They are filled with Vitamins A (vision and immune system), K (bones), C (tissues), and B9 (cells and tissues). I think one of the reasons why people are put off by them is that they are sometimes undercooked.. In pop culture, green beans are one of these vegetables that kids are forced to eat because they are supposed to taste horrible. It’s the quintessential vegetable to use to show why vegetables suck. Blanching the green beans on the softer side allows the beans to absorb the flavor of the mushroom base well. And It’s also better for digestion. I think of this recipe more as a creamy mushroom soup with a whole lot of green beans and fried onions. 

Cooking this green bean casserole requires a bit of multi-tasking if you want to save time. I chop the veggies, while I’m waiting for the salted pot of water to boil for the green beans. And as the green beans are blanching, I’m preparing the mushroom sauce. 

On the Ingredients 

In the video, I used yellow onions and it tastes great. But shallots do give it a bit more buttery/creamy flavor. Our local grocery store seems to always be out of shallots, so I only have the onions here. But this is not a big issue. 

To thicken the sauce, I used arrow root starch, but you can certainly use corn starch or even potato starch if that’s what you have available. They key is to dissolve the starch in water so you don’t get clumps. 

For the bouillon, I used Better Than Bouillon vegetable paste. You can always sub the water for veg stock if you prefer. Or even use miso paste and add a bit of soy sauce. 

Cook more at home. Use fresh ingredients when possible. Eat more greens. This eating habit has worked for me and I hope it does the same for you, your loved ones, and your health. 

Green Bean Casserole

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Serves: 8 Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cooking Time: 30 Minutes 30 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 1 voted )

Ingredients

• 2 lbs green beans chopped 1 1/2 to 2 inch length (Costco sells 2-pound bag or you can get two 1-pound bags from Trader Joe’s)
• 1 cup chopped onion or shallot
• 5 garlic cloves (minced or chopped finely)
• 3 cups chopped mushrooms (such as crimini or button)
• 1 tsp dried or fresh thyme
• 1/2  cups water  and also 1/4 cup or so (see notes if you’re using vegetable stock instead of bouillon or paste
• 1 1/2 nut milk
• 2 tbs veg paste or 2 veg bouillon (I use Better Than Bouillon).
• 2 tbs arrow root starch (corn or potato will also do)
• 2 cups of fried onions (I use the Trader Joe’s brand for this video)
• Salt to taste

Instructions

1. Set oven to 375ºF.
2. Fill a heavy bottomed pot with water and salt. Bring it to a boil.
3. While waiting for the pot of water to boil, start chopping your veggies.
4. When the water is boiling, add the green beans and leave them for 6 minutes in high flame.
5. In the meantime, heat oil in an oven-safe pot or dutch oven. I use a 5.5 quart Le Creuset, which fits all the ingredients perfectly.
6. Add onions. Add a dash of salt to the onions so they cook fast.
7. Add garlic and mushrooms and a bit of water (1/3 cup or so). This is more to prevent the onions from stick to the pan. Cover and let the mushroom cook for about 3 minutes.
8. This is about the time I remove the green beans from the boiling water and drain them.
9. Mix 1 1/2 cup of milk and water. (If you’re using vegetable stock instead of paste, sub water for stock).*
10. Open the lid and add thyme, the milk-water, and vegetable paste.
11. Cover and let it cook for about 5 minutes or until it starts to boil.
12. Dissolve the arrow root starch in 1/4 cup of water and stir until you don’t see lumps. Add it to the pot and keep stirring. It will thicken after a few minutes.
13. Taste and add salt to taste.
14. When it reaches soup-thickness quality, turn off flame.
15. Start assembling. Add 1/2 of the steamed green beans, then 1 cup of fried onions. Add the rest of the green beans and add the rest of the fried onions on top.
16. Put in the oven for about 10 minutes or until you see the mushroom sauce bubbling on the side.

Notes

If you're out of vegetable paste or stock, a combination of miso paste and soy sauce also does the job.