Healthy Green Bean Casserole {Paleo, Vegan} - Shuangy's Kitchen Sink (2024)

Tender green beans tossed with a thick and creamy homemade mushroom soup and topped with crispy fried onions. Paleo, gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan-friendly, this green bean casserole is a must-have at Thanksgiving dinner.

This easy and healthy green bean casserole tastes just like the classic Thanksgiving casserole, but better!

And don’t forget to add my easy 3-ingredient healthy cranberry sauce to the side dish menu.

Is Green Bean Casserole Healthy?

This one is!

Traditionally, green bean casserole is made with cream of mushroom soup, green beans (obviously) and some good ol’ crispy fried onions.

Store-bought cream of mushroom soup is often filled with undesirable ingredients such as corn oil, canola oil, MSG along with other wheat, milk and soy products.

Luckily, I was able to make this healthy green bean casserole paleo, vegan, gluten-free, and low carb by making a few simple swaps.

And it’s still just as delicious as the one momma used to make!

For this recipe I used coconut cream instead of heavy cream or butter.

And in order to maintain that thick and creamy texture that cream of mushroom soup has I added a little bit arrowroot flour, which is a paleo-friendly starch, to thicken the sauce.

What Can I Use Instead of Cream of Mushroom Soup?

Canned mushroom soup is definitely a time saver, but if you’re looking to make a healthy dish you’re gonna have to explore some other options.

I used a combination of coconut milk and arrowroot flour for the sauce, but you can play around with different dairy-free milks/creams and using gluten-free starches to thicken it some.

Chickpea flour, tapioca flour/starch, potato starch and arrowroot flour are all good gluten-free/grain-free options for thickening your sauce.

How Do You Thicken Healthy Green Bean Casserole?

Arrowroot flour is my secret weapon when it comes to thickening sauces while keeping it gluten and grain free.

It’s used most commonly as a substitute for cornstarch in recipes and is great for thickening all kinds of soups and sauces.

Ingredients Needed to Make Healthy Green Bean Casserole

Just a few simple ingredients are all you need to create this drool-worthy Thanksgiving classic.

For Mushroom Sauce:

• Cremini mushrooms
• Chicken stock or broth of your choice
• Canned Coconut cream
• Parmesan cheese (optional, omit if following a vegan, paleo, or dairy free diet)
• Salt & Pepper
• Small onion
• Arrowroot flour

Main Casserole Ingredients:

• Green beans (fresh, frozen or canned)
• Crispy onions (I used a gluten-free store-bought, you can also make your own!)

How Do You Make Healthy Green Bean Casserole From Scratch?

Don’t be intimidated by seeing “made from scratch.” It’s actually really simple!

First, Bring a pot of water to a boil then add green beans.

Allow green beans to boil for 4 minutes, then immediately drain and put in ice water to stop cooking.

Make the cream of mushroom soup:

In a small to medium pot or saucepan , heat 1-2 Tbsp oil, then sauté mushrooms and onions until soft (about 2 – 3 minutes)

Then add bone broth to the pot and bring to a boil.

Add salt, pepper and coconut cream. Then immediately turn to simmer. Simmer for about 4 – 5 minutes then add arrowroot flour. Whisk well.

Next, combine roughly 1/2 cup of crispy onions with green beans and mushroom soup. Stir to thoroughly combine.

Transfer the mixture to a baking dish and top with a generous amount crispy onions.

Bake at 350 F for 20 – 25 minutes and voila! Healthy, creamy, delicious green bean casserole!

Can You Make This Healthy Green Bean Casserole In Advance?

Yes you can!

Do yourself a favor and prep this ahead of time so there’s one less dish you have to worry about on the day of.

First, follow the instructions as you normally would.

Then allow casserole to cool.

Carefully seal dish with plastic wrap and place in the fridge.

Lastly, when you are ready to reheat, pop it in a 375 F oven for about 15 – 20 minutes and your onions will be crispy again!

How to Keep Green Bean Casserole From Getting Soggy

Nobody likes a mushy, soggy green bean.

To keep your green beans in tip-top shape, there are a couple of steps you need to take to prep them for storage.

If you’re storing your fresh green beans in the fridge, you’ll need a paper towel and a plastic bag that can be sealed air tight.

DO NOT wash them. This can lead to mold growth from moisture left on the bean. Simply place the beans in the ziplock bag with the paper towel and keep them in the vegetable crisper for up to a week.

If you are freezing your beans, boil them first then place them into ice water (this is called blanching) and place them in a freezer bag.

Don’t forget to put the date on the bag so you know when you put them in there. They can stay good in the freezer for up to 8 months!

What to Serve With easy Green Bean Casserole

I think it goes without saying that this gluten-free green bean casserole goes perfectly with some turkey, stuffing and mashed potatoes!

You could also serve this as a side dish to any meal making it a great way to get your veggies in.

Throw it over some cauliflower mashed sweet potatoes and you’ve got a super filling, nutrient-rich main dish too!

What’s your favorite way to make green bean casserole? Leave a comment below!

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More Healthy Holiday Recipes You may Like:

1. Healthy Pumpkin Pie {Paleo, Low Carb}

2. Vegan Pecan Pie Bars

3. Quinoa Stuffed Acorn Squash (Vegan, GF)