This is not your grandma’s green bean casserole: It’s so much better!! The BEST Green Bean Casserole is a homemade variation of the classic dish. It’s a little fancy with a white cheddar wine sauce with mushrooms and garlic. Everyone will rave about this dish and want more!
As a nutritionist, I just have to say, friends don’t let friends eat casseroles with canned soup! Yes, this casserole is decadent, creamy, and absolutely delicious comfort food. But you know what else? It’s made completely from scratch! Real food ingredients that you can pronounce, fresh vegetables, and just down right AHHHHMAZING!!!
I am 100% team side dish when it comes to holidays like Thanksgiving or Easter. While a delicious and perfectly cooked turkey is always a huge hit, I count down the hours until I can enjoy my favorite side dishes. My favorites include my Butternut Squash Au Gratin, Stuffing with Sausage and Apples, Brussels Sprouts, and this fantastic Green Bean Casserole.
No offense to grandma, but this variation is sure to be a new family favorite.I can’t wait for you all to try it and report back. It might be one of your favorite Wholesomelicious recipes to date!
How to make the BEST Green Bean Casserole
Let’s get started! Here are the ingredients you will need:
- Fresh green beans
- Mushrooms
- Shallots
- Garlic
- Butter or cooking oil
- Arrowroot starch (can also use flour or tapioca starch)
- White wine (like a sauvignon blanc, can also use chicken broth in place of wine)
- Milk
- Sharp white cheddar
- Sea salt
- Panko breadcrumbs, Nutcrumbs, or your choice of crunchy topping (ideas below)
This green bean casserole comes together with a few simple steps:
- Trim the green beans into 1-1.5 inch pieces and boil for about 8-10 minutes until softened.
- Make the sauce by sauteeing the mushrooms, shallots, and garlic in butter or oil.
- Sprinkle in the arrowroot starch to coat the veggies. Add in the wine and milk, allow the mixture to bubble and thicken. Toss in cheese and sea salt.
- Combine the green beans and mushroom sauce into a casserole dish. Sprinkle with topping and bake!
Make ahead, Storing, and Re-heating:
- Make ahead: Can you make this green bean casserole in advance? Of course! I know this will be a question many of you will have, especially when you want to save some stovetop room and time on Thanksgiving day. Simply boil the green beans and place in a casserole dish. Make the mushroom/white cheddar sauce and pour over the green beans. Store in the fridge. When ready to bake, bring to room temperature, top with your breadcrumbs (or topping of choice), and bake for same amount of time.
- Storing: have leftovers? Simply store in the fridge for up to 5 days
- Re-heating: this casserole is best re-heated in the oven for 20 minutes with foil or a lid on top. Remove lid/foil for the last 5 minutes.
Can I make this dairy-free?
Yes you can! To make this dairy-free, replace the milk with full fat coconut milk. You can omit the cheese altogether, or add in 1/4 cup nutritional yeast to give it more of a cheesy flavor. If omitting the cheese, also add in an additional tbsp of arrowroot starch to thicken the sauce.
I also have 2 other dairy-free green bean recipes you might love! Try my Skillet Green Beans with Bacon or Spicy Green Beans and Mushrooms
Toppings:
For a gluten-free variation, I use Nutcrumbs as a topping. You can also use panko, freshly made breadcrumbs, broken crackers, or even crunchy onions.
If you love make and enjoy this recipe, please leave a rating and comment below! Also, tag me on Instagram @wholesomelicious! I love seeing your creations.
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The BEST Green Bean Casserole
30 minutes of bake time and real food ingredients is all you need to make this amazingly delicious Green Bean Casserole! So comforting and perfect for the holidays.
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs fresh green beans
- 8 oz sliced mushrooms
- 3 small shallots
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tbsp butter, avocado oil, or olive oil
- 1 tbsp arrowroot starch
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 3/4 cup white wine*
- 3/4 cup milk**
- 1.5 cups grated sharp white cheddar cheese
- 1/3 cup breadcrumbs***
Instructions
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Before starting, prep the vegetables. Trim the green beans and cut into 1 inch pieces. Dice up the mushrooms, shallots, and garlic. Add 8 cups of water to a large pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add the green beans. Boil for 8-10 minutes until softened. Strain and set aside.
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Heat a medium sized saucepan to medium heat. Once hot, add in the oil or butter. Saute the shallots, mushrooms, and garlic for 5-7 minutes.
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Sprinkle the vegetable mixture with arrowroot starch and stir to coat the vegetables. Now add in the wine and milk, increase the heat until the mixture begins to bubble. Reduce the heat to medium low and add in the cheese. Mix until cheese is melted.
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Place the green beans inside a 9×13 inch greased casserole dish. Pour the cheesy mushroom mixture on top. Top the casserole with breadcrumbs or topping of choice. Transfer to the oven.
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Bake for 30 minutes, or until casserole is bubbly and lightly browned. Season with salt and pepper, and optional fresh thyme to serve!
Recipe Notes
*Use a dry white wine like a sauvignon blanc or chardonnay. You can also use vegetable or chicken broth in it’s place!
**This can be whole milk or full fat coconut milk.
***Breadcrumbs can be a GF variation like nutcrumbs, or GF panko. Feel free to replace with your favorite crunch topping (check out the options in the blog post!)
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