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Home » Side Dishes + Vegetables » Healthy Green Bean Casserole Recipe

Healthy Green Bean Casserole Recipe

Profile photo of chef Jessica Randhawa of The Forked Spoon Jessica Randhawa
September 19, 2018
4.91 from 11 votes


Last Updated November 14, 2019 | 1 Comment

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Healthy Green Bean Casserole Recipe. No one will miss the canned soup or fried onions thanks to this healthy alternative. Made entirely from scratch, this Green Bean Casserole is rich, creamy, and super easy to prepare.

Healthy Green Bean Casserole Recipe

A Healthier Green Bean Casserole Recipe

Green bean casserole has always been one of my favorite holiday side dishes.  No, not because I actually enjoyed green beans as a kid – quite the opposite, actually. But my dad’s twice-yearly green bean casserole made from canned green beans, canned cream of mushroom soup, and canned fried onions was always a favorite. Especially when mixed together with scoops of mashed potatoes, creamed corn, and rich gravy. These days, I still get really excited anytime I know my dad will be sharing it for Thanksgiving dinner.

Despite my obsession with this highly processed version of vegetables, I was determined to make a darn good minimally processed green bean casserole that is actually healthy. You know, an experiment.

To save you from the suspense (I know, it’s a real nail-biter), I’ll just come right out with the answer- this healthy green bean casserole is fabulous. Now, is it the same as the canned-everything version? No. This one, being homemade and all, has chunks of real (not canned) mushrooms, green beans that are not soggy, and onions that actually taste like crispy onions.

In other words, it’s different (because it is!), but just as addictive and delicious.

No-nonsense ingredients

  • Butter + olive oil
  • Onions
  • Panko breadcrumbs
  • Parmesan cheese
  • Green beans
  • Mushrooms
  • Garlic
  • All-purpose flour
  • Low-sodium chicken broth
  • Milk or half-and-half

Skillet filled with homemade green bean casserole with crispy onions

How to make healthy green bean casserole

Step one. Cook some onions

Heat the butter and olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and sauté for 8-12 minutes, or until onions are soft and just starting to brown. As the onions cook, combine the Panko breadcrumbs, salt, and parmesan cheese in a bowl. Transfer the cooked onions to a clean plate and sprinkle with the Panko, salt, and cheese mixture. Gently toss well to combine and set aside.

Step two. Blanch your green beans

Bring a large stockpot of water to a boil over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of salt to the water. Once boiling, add the trimmed green beans to the pot and blanch for approximately 4-5 minutes. Drain immediately and transfer the green beans to an ice bath to stop cooking. Drain and set aside (guys, don’t forget to blanch your green beans).

Step three. Prepare your Mushroom Sauce

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Heat the same skillet used to cook the onions over high heat. Melt one tablespoon of butter and add the mushrooms, salt, and pepper. Cook the mushrooms, stirring often, for approximately 3-4 minutes, or until the mushrooms begin to release their moisture. Stir in the garlic and cook for one minute more.

Reduce heat and sprinkle the mushrooms with 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour. Stir to combine. Add the chicken broth, whisk well, and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and gently whisk in your milk-of-choice. Cook, stirring occasionally until the sauce has thickened to your preferred consistency (approximately 5 minutes.).

Step 4. Assemble (yay!)

Remove the skillet from heat and stir in the drained green beans, 1/2 cup of shredded parmesan cheese, and approximately 1/3 of the onions. Mix it all together and season with salt and pepper.

If you find that your sauce is too thick, slowly whisk in more milk. On the other hand, if the sauce is too thin, slowly add more Parmesan cheese, until you reach the desired consistency.

Smooth out the top of the green beans and top with the remaining onions. Bake for approximately 10-15 minutes, or until edges are bubbly. 

Tips & Tricks

  1. I’ll start with the first tip that I forgot the first time I made this recipe- don’t forget to blanch the green beans. Translation, the green beans need to boil for 4-5 minutes, drain, and then be transferred to an ice bath to stop cooking. Guys, we want green beans that are soft, but not mushy. So just promise me you won’t forget this step 🙂
  2. Don’t overcook the onions. The onions start their journey in this recipe by sautéeing in a little butter and olive oil until soft. The goal is that the onions just start the caramelization process, without actually going through the process. We still want the onions to have a little bite to them.
  3. Don’t be afraid to modify the recipe. If whole sliced mushrooms aren’t your thing, don’t be afraid to chop them into smaller pieces or blend the mushroom sauce together. I haven’t tried this personally, but I can only imagine that it would taste just as delicious.
  4. The same can be said about using only fresh ingredients. If you really love those French’s fried onions (they really are delicious), use them!
  5. Save time by prepping the vegetables ahead of time. This includes blanching those beautiful and delicious green beans.
  6. Baking dish: If you prefer to bake your green bean casserole in a baking dish, transfer the creamy mushroom sauce to a large casserole dish sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Add the blanched and drained green beans, 1/2 cup of shredded parmesan cheese, and approximately 1/3 of the onions. Mix to combine and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Smooth out the top and sprinkle with remaining onions before baking.
  7. Leftovers: Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To reheat, transfer to a microwave-safe dish and microwave at 30-second intervals until heated through.

Skillet green bean casserole with chunky mushrooms

Is Green Bean Casserole healthy

Typically, no.

Fried onions, cream of mushroom soup and all kinds of other unknown or heavy ingredients? Not healthy. While it may be true that for many of us this luscious casserole is only eaten once or twice a year, for others, it means days and days of leftovers, ultimately resulting in weeks of bloat and discomfort.

So to answer the question of whether green bean casserole is healthy or not I’m going to say it all boils down to ingredients and preparation.

This green bean casserole is significantly healthier than the alternative I grew up eating. That said, it still contains some butter, oil, cheese, and some kind of milk or cream. However, it also contains loads of real mushrooms, green beans, and onions. You know, actual real-life vegetables.

What to serve with this Healthy Green Bean Casserole

If you’re in Thanksgiving mode, then I highly recommend a turkey. Assuming, of course, that’s your tradition and you’re not a vegetarian. Sadly, no turkey recipe on this site yet, but stay tuned because I’m thinking it’s time I bust out my roasting pan.

Sides, on the other hand, I have loads of delicious holiday sides that pair perfectly with this healthy green bean casserole.

  • Crispy Herb and Butter Roasted Potatoes
  • Shredded Brussels Sprout Salad Recipe with Lemon Vinaigrette
  • Spinach Pear and Feta Salad Recipe
  • Easy Herb and Brown Sugar Roasted Sweet Potatoes
  • Scalloped Root Vegetable Skillet
  • Four Cheese Mashed Potatoes with Crispy Sage
  • Homemade Cranberry Sauce

More vegetable side dishes

  • Oven Roasted Green Beans Recipe with Garlic and Parmesan
  • Roasted Asparagus Recipe; How to Roast Asparagus
  • Mashed Cauliflower Recipe (Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes)
  • Peas and Pancetta- Easy Holiday Side
  • Roasted Brussels Sprouts

If you make this Healthy Green Bean Casserole Recipe, please leave me a comment and let me know! I always love to hear your thoughts.

Wooden spoon taking a scoop of green bean casserole with crispy onions

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Cast Iron Skillet filled with homemade Healthy Green Bean Casserole Recipe made with homemade cream of mushroom soup and fried onions.

Healthier Green Bean Casserole Recipe

4.91 from 11 votes
Chef: Profile photo of chef Jessica Randhawa of The Forked SpoonJessica Randhawa
Healthy Green Bean Casserole Recipe. No one will miss the canned soup or fried onions thanks to this healthy alternative. Made entirely from scratch, this Green Bean Casserole is rich, creamy, and super easy to prepare.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe Save Saved!
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 50 mins
Total Time 1 hr
Course Casserole, Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 8 servings
Calories 218 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

For the Onions

  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 2 medium onions - peeled and sliced
  • 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup freshly-grated Parmesan cheese

For the Green Bean Casserole

  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 2 pounds fresh green beans - trimmed and cut into bite size pieces
  • 2 tablespoon butter - or olive oil, divided
  • 16 ounces mushrooms - sliced
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly grated pepper
  • 6 cloves garlic - minced
  • 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth - or vegetable broth
  • 1 ¼ cup milk of choice - (see notes)
  • ½ cup Parmesan cheese - grated
  • salt + pepper - to taste
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Instructions
 

For the Onions

  • Heat the butter and olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and sauté for 8-12 minutes, or until onions are soft and just starting to caramelize. Stir often.
  • As the onions cook, combine the Panko breadcrumbs, salt, and parmesan cheese in a bowl. Mix well to combine. 
  • Transfer the cooked onions to a clean plate and sprinkle with the Panko, salt, and cheese mixture. Gently toss well to combine and set aside.

For the Green Beans and Mushroom Sauce

  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
  • Don't forget this step- Bring a large stockpot of water to a boil over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of salt to the water. Once boiling, add the prepared green beans to the pot and blanch for approximately 4-5 minutes. Drain immediately and transfer the green beans to an ice water bath to stop cooking. Drain again and set aside.
  • Heat the same skillet used to cook the onions over high heat. Melt one tablespoon of butter and add the mushrooms, salt, and pepper, mixing well. Cook the mushrooms, stirring often, for approximately 3-4 minutes, or until the mushrooms begin to release their moisture. Stir in the garlic and cook for one minute more.
  • Reduce heat to medium and sprinkle the top of the mushrooms with 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour and stir until just combined. Slowly add the chicken broth and simmer for approximately 3 minutes, stirring well to combine.
  • Reduce heat to medium-low and gently whisk in your milk-of-choice. Cook, stirring occasionally until the sauce has thickened to your preferred consistency (approximately 5 minutes.).

Assembly

  • Remove the skillet from heat and stir in the drained green beans, 1/2 cup of shredded parmesan cheese, and approximately 1/3 of the onions. Stir well to combine. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
  • If the sauce turns out too thick, slowly whisk in more milk. Conversely, if the sauce is too thin, slowly add in more Parmesan cheese, until you reach the desired consistency.
  • Smooth out the top of the green beans and top with the remaining onions. Transfer to the preheated oven and bake for approximately 10-15 minutes, or until edges are bubbly. Carefully remove from the oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Jessica's Notes

Milk: The milk you use is entirely up to you. I have used both whole milk and fat-free half-and-half (which I thought was regular half-and-half at the time of purchase). The creamier the milk you choose, the creamier your casserole will be.
Baking dish: If you prefer to bake your green bean casserole in a baking dish, transfer the creamy mushroom sauce to a large casserole dish sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Add the blanced and drained green beans, 1/2 cup of shredded parmesan cheese, and approximately 1/3 of the onions. Mix to combine and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Smooth out the top and sprinkle with remaining onions before baking.
Leftovers: store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To reheat, transfer to a microwave-safe dish and microwave at 30 second intervals until heated through.
Originally published September 19, 2018

Nutritional Information

Calories: 218kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 23mg | Sodium: 474mg | Potassium: 570mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1075IU | Vitamin C: 17.7mg | Calcium: 259mg | Iron: 2.2mg

(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.)

Keyword green bean casserole recipe, healthy green bean casserole
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About Jessica

Profile photo of chef Jessica Randhawa of The Forked Spoon

Jessica Randhawa is the head chef, photographer, and recipe developer of The Forked Spoon. Jessica fell in love with cooking while traveling through Asia and Europe, where she discovered her passion for good food and new adventures. Her recipes have been featured on Yahoo, MSN, USA Today, FeedFeed, and many more. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California.

443 shares
Profile photo of chef Jessica Randhawa of The Forked Spoon

About Jessica Randhawa

Jessica Randhawa is the head chef, photographer, and recipe developer of The Forked Spoon. Jessica fell in love with cooking while traveling through Asia and Europe, where she discovered her passion for good food and new adventures. Her recipes have been featured on Yahoo, MSN, USA Today, FeedFeed, and many more. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California.

Comments

  1. Willa says

    April 25, 2020 at 11:28 am

    5 stars
    Thanks for this yummy recipe, it turned out great for my Easter family get together!

    Reply

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Chef Jessica Randhawa of The Forked Spoon

I’m Jessica! Aka mom, wife, chef, and travel-obsessed photographer. Welcome to The Forked Spoon. Here you can browse hundreds of incredible family-friendly recipes covering dozens of diets, courses, and cuisines. Learn more about me.

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