Featuring fresh green beans, a homemade mushroom gravy, and delightfully crunchy onions, there is so much to love about my healthy green bean casserole. It’s light, wholesome, and a delicious addition to any holiday menu!
This is a favorite Fit Foodie Finds Thanksgiving side dish. You all have been making it and loving it for years! Don’t want to take my word for it? The comments speak for themselves! 😋😋😋
“I made this for Thanksgiving this year and it was a hit with my family! So much better than the canned version. My family already requested it again next year. Delicious, thank you for sharing!” – Kendra
“Loved this! Not as heavy as the traditional but still packed with flavor. Can’t wait for leftovers.” – Leslie
Why This Recipe Is So Great
One of my all-time favorite Thanksgiving recipes is green bean casserole. Growing up, my family used to make it the old-fashioned way with canned green beans, Campbell’s cream of mushroom soup, and crunchy onions (or Funyuns). I grew up in the midwest after all! While there’s nothing wrong with that version, I wanted to give this classic Thanksgiving side a Fit Foodie upgrade with healthy, better-for-you ingredients.
Meet my healthy green bean casserole! It’s just as creamy and still topped with crunchy onions, but everything is homemade with real ingredients. The casserole portion features a from-scratch mushroom gravy that we combine with fresh green beans. The crispy onions bake in the oven and are wonderfully seasoned with parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs.
When combined, this oven-baked green bean casserole has so much savory flavor and is much lighter than the classic.
Ingredients You Need
- Fresh green beans: Only use fresh green beans for this recipe! Canned green beans will result in a mushy and sad green bean casserole.
- Mushrooms: I use fresh sliced mushrooms for allllll the amazing umami flavor but without the canned cream of mushroom.
- Butter + milk: This combined with flour gives the mushrooms a thick and creamy base without the can. I honestly think the flavor is even better than the OG!
- Flour: Flour will help thicken the creamy mushroom base. My go-to is AP flour, but GF 1:1 AP flour will also work great!
Ingredient Highlight: Crunchy Onion Topping
Ditch the can of crispy fried onions and top this casserole with real baked crunchy onions. They’re so so good, and super easy to make! Don’t skip ’em 🥰
- Toss sliced red onions in an egg wash (egg + water).
- Then, coat the slices with breadcrumbs, grated parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper.
- They’ll crisp up as they bake. For maximum crispiness, I recommend broiling them for a few minutes before using them to top the casserole.
Easy Swaps and Variations
Use my green bean casserole recipe as a starting point, and customize it to your liking! Here are a few swaps and substitutions to try (all of which I’ve tested and can wholeheartedly recommend!):
FAQs
How can you make green bean casserole gluten free?
For a gluten free green bean casserole, use certified GF breadcrumbs and GF flour. I’ve made this variation for a friend and it turned out great!
What kind of onions are best for the crunchy topping?
Use whatever kind of onion you have on hand. I love the color contrast between the green beans and the red onions, but yellow or white onions work great, too.
Broil them for the last 3-5 minutes of baking. All ovens are different, so make sure to keep an eye on the onions so they don’t burn!
Is this green bean casserole vegetarian?
Yes! This is a naturally vegetarian side dish.
If you have any leftover green bean casserole, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Make Ahead Instructions
This is a great recipe to make ahead of time, especially if you’re making a whole Thanksgiving spread!
If you plan to make this green bean casserole ahead of time, prepare the mushroom gravy and toss with the uncooked green beans in the casserole dish. Tightly cover the casserole dish for up to 2 days.
When ready to bake, follow the instructions in the recipe below. For best results, wait to make the onions until immediately prior to serving so they are perfectly crunchy!
Serving Suggestions
It’s not Thanksgiving without green bean casserole! Add this healthy version to your menu this year – serve it alongside other favorite sides like sweet potato casserole (or mashed sweet potatoes), crockpot mashed potatoes, sausage stuffing, and roasted Brussels sprouts with bacon.
For the Onions
For the Green Bean Casserole
For the Onions
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In a large bowl, whisk the egg and water together. In a separate smaller bowl, mix the breadcrumbs, parmesan, salt, and pepper together.
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Slice 2 large onions – we used setting #4 on the mandoline (a sharp knife works, too). Add the sliced onions to the bowl with the egg mixture. Stir to coat the onions.
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Add the breadcrumb mixture to the onions. Gently fold everything together until the onions are well coated.
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Spread the onions onto the prepared baking sheet and set aside.
For the Green Bean Casserole
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Place the rinsed and trimmed green beans into the prepared casserole dish. Set aside.
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Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan set over medium/high heat. When the oil is fragrant, add the mushrooms and 1/8 teaspoon of salt. Sauté for 4-6 minutes. Remove the mushrooms from the heat and transfer to a separate bowl. Set aside.
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In the same saucepan, prepare the roux. Melt the butter over medium/high heat. Add the flour to butter and mix until a thick paste forms.
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Slowly pour in the milk while continually whisking the milk, butter, and flour together. Whisk until mixture is thick. Remove the saucepan from the heat.
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Add the broth, cooked mushrooms, and the remaining 1/8 teaspoon of salt to the roux. Mix well.
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Pour the roux over the green beans and toss (directly in the baking dish) so the beans are coated.
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Place both the green bean casserole and onions in the oven at the same time.
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Bake for 20 minutes. Toss the onions and bake for an additional 20 more minutes.
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After 40 minutes, remove the casserole from oven. For extra crispy onions, turn the oven to high broil and broil the onions for 3-5 minutes.*
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Once onions are crunchy, use a spatula to gently transfer onions to top the green bean casserole. Serve warm.
- Storage: Store leftover green bean casserole an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Make Ahead Instructions: If you plan to make this green bean casserole ahead of time, prepare the mushroom gravy and toss with the uncooked green beans in the casserole dish. Tightly cover the casserole dish for up to 2 days – when ready to bake, follow the instructions in the recipe below. For best results, wait to make the onions until immediately prior to serving so they are perfectly crunchy!
- Breadcrumbs: Plain or Italian breadcrumbs work, too.
- Flour: Feel free to use all-purpose or gluten free flour instead of white whole wheat flour.
- Gluten Free Option: For a gluten free green bean casserole, use certified GF breadcrumbs and GF flour.
- Extra Crispy Onions: This step is optional, but highly recommended. All ovens are different, so make sure to keep an eye on your onions in the broiler!
Calories: 176 kcal, Carbohydrates: 17 g, Protein: 7 g, Fat: 10 g, Fiber: 3 g, Sugar: 6 g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
