I used to think that green bean casserole was a boring addition to the Thanksgiving table and something to be avoided at all costs. The traditional green bean recipe called for canned green beans, cream and butter and was not only unhealthy, it was, in my opinion, a sloppy mess and a waste of calories. I felt that it was time to upgrade this recipe and turn it into a worthy side dish for our Thanksgiving spread this year and I was pleasantly surprised at how tasty this dish turned out! Give it a try and let me know what you think!
Ingredients
- 1 pound of fresh green beans; preferably French green beans
- 1 pound of thinly sliced shitake mushrooms
- 4 Tablespoons vegan butter (I like Monty’s NYC or Miyoko’s)
- 2 Tablespoons avocado oil
- 4 minced garlic cloves
- 3 Tablespoons gluten free flour (I like Mama’s Almond Flour Blend)
- 2 ½ cups Almond Milk
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
- Salt & Pepper
- 1 Cup of gluten free/vegan fried onions (If you live in the San Diego Area, Sprouts has them)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees
- Rinse the green beans and then trim the ends off.
- Cut green beans in half so that they are bite size pieces
- Steam the green beans for approximately 7-10 minutes. You want them to be soft but not overcooked since they will cook further in the oven.
- Heat the oil in a large fry pan and add the garlic and the sliced mushrooms. Sauté until the mushrooms are soft and slightly browned. Remove the cooked mushrooms and place them in a bowl.
- Using the same fry pan, add the vegan butter and melt on low/medium heat. Add the flour to the melted butter and whisk to make a roux. Then whisk in the almond milk, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Simmer the sauce while whisking for about 5 minutes.
- Once the sauce has thickened, add the mushroom/garlic mixture to the cream sauce and stir to combine. Add more salt and pepper as needed.
- Add the steamed green beans to a bowl and pour the mushroom cream sauce over it and mix it until the beans are well coated with the sauce.
- Pour the green beans into a medium baking dish and back for about 20-25 minutes.
- Sprinkle the casserole with the fried onions and then bake for a few minutes until the onions are slightly browned.
- Serve hot.
