Paleo Green Bean Casserole
Paleo Green Bean Casserole is a healthy traditional side dish that is a must have holiday favorite including homemade crispy onions as a topping!
Have you ever been to a holiday feast where there wasn’t a green bean casserole? I haven’t! The one thing I don’t particularly like is that most conventional green bean casseroles are filled with processed ingredients like crispy onions and condensed soups. Which is exactly what inspired me to create a healthy, paleo version!
I cannot wait for you to add this healthy holiday dish to your menu, because your crowd is going to love it regardless if they do or don’t follow the paleo lifestyle.
Ingredients Needed to Make Paleo Green Bean Casserole
green beans – I am using fresh green beans which makes all of the difference!
olive oil
baby bella mushrooms
onion
garlic cloves
vegetable broth
almond milk – that is plain and unsweetened, or you can use any dairy free milk
salt and pepper
arrowroot flour
crispy onions for topping – if you aren’t truly following the paleo lifestyle you can use store bought, but I highly recommend you trying these homemade crispy onions!
Ingredients for Paleo Friendly Crispy Onions
Olive oil
Onion
Arrowroot flour
Salt
How to Make Paleo Green Bean Casserole
Add the fresh green beans that have been trimmed and halved into a pot of boiling water and blanch them for 5 minutes. They should be a little tender but still crisp.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees while you wait.
After 5 minutes of cooking the beans, transfer them to an ice bath. Then drain and set them to the side. Placing them in the ice bath immediately stops the cooking process.
Over medium-high heat, add a little olive oil to a large skillet. Add the sliced mushrooms and diced onions, allowing them to cook for 10 minutes or until they are soft.
Then stir in the minced garlic, salt, and pepper, followed by the veggie broth and milk. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
In a small bowl, add the arrowroot flour along with 2 tablespoons of water to make a slurry. Then pour it into the pan to thicken the sauce. Turn off the heat and continue stirring until the sauce has reached the desired consistency.
Toss the green beans in the sauce until they are covered completely and transfer them to a baking dish.
Bake for 10 minutes, then top with the crispy onions and continue baking for an additional 5 minutes.
Making the Homemade Crispy Onion Toppers
Cut one onion in half and peel off the outer layer.
Slice the onions very thin and use a mandoline if needed.
Add a little oil over medium heat. While the oil is heating, place the sliced onions into a shallow plate of arrowroot flour and add them to the pan.
Cook them for about 4 minutes flipping halfway through. Be sure to not overload the pan or the onions will not come out as crispy.
When the onions begin to brown around the edges, transfer them to a paper towel until the batch has finished cooking.
Can You Use Canned Green Beans Instead?
Fresh is the best, especially in this dish but that doesn’t mean you can’t use canned. I get it, it’s more convenient and takes a little less time. If you are going to use canned, get the green beans that don’t have added salt and drain them before adding them to the baking dish.
Making Paleo Green Bean Casserole Ahead of Time
Holiday cooking can be stressful so I definitely recommend you making this dish ahead of time, just to save you the stress.
This casserole can be stored for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. However, if you do choose to make it ahead of time, hold off on adding the onions until you are ready to serve so they stay crispy!
I hope your holidays are extra special! Once you make the casserole, tag me on Instagram @hellospoonful so I can see what you think!
More Paleo Recipes You’ll Love:
- Paleo Pecan Pie Bars
- Paleo Cookie Bars
- Paleo Pumpkin Bread (Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Grain Free, Oil-free)
- Paleo Butternut Squash Soup
- Healthy High-Protein Egg Bake Casserole with Ham, Feta, Spinach and Sun-dried Tomatoes
Paleo Green Bean Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds fresh green beans trimmed and halved
- 1/3 cup olive oil divided
- 10 ounces baby bella mushrooms sliced
- 1 small onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 cup vegetable broth
- 1 1/2 cups unsweetened plain almond milk (or any dairy free milk)
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons arrowroot flour
- 1 cup crispy onions for topping can use store bought if not paleo. If paleo, follow the below recipe for paleo crispy onions
Ingredients for paleo crispy onions
- 1 cup olive oil
- 1 onion
- 1 cup arrowroot flour
- Salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375F. Then, bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the green beans. Blanch the green beans for 4-5 minutes, or until slightly tender but still crisp.
- Immediately transfer the green beans to an ice water bath, drain, and set aside.
- Then, heat two tablespoons of olive oil on medium high heat in a large pan. Add the diced onion and sliced mushrooms and cook for 8-10 minutes, or until soft.
- Stir in the minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Then add the vegetable broth and milk, and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Make a slurry by stirring the arrowroot or cassava powder with 2 tablespoons of water in a small bowl. Turn off the stove, pour the slurry into the pan, and stir until the sauce has thickened.
- Add green beans to the sauce and coat evenly.
- Transfer to a 9×13 baking pan and bake for 10 minutes or until warmed through.
- Remove the green bean casserole from the oven, top with the crispy onions and bake for another 5 minutes. Serve immediately.
HOW TO MAKE ONIONS:
- Cut onion in half from root to tip. Peel off the outer skin of onion.
- Slice onions as thin as possible (or use a mandoline).
- Heat oil on a medium heat. To test that it has heated thoroughly, drop a tiny bit of the arrowroot and see if it sizzles.
- Dredge the onions in the arrowroot
- Drop small amounts of the starch coated onion into oil and cook for 4 minutes, turning once after 2 minutes. Do not crowd the pan or the onions will stick together and not brown properly.
- When the onion starts to brown around the edges it’s time to remove it, do not wait until it’s really brown or you will have overcooked it.
- Remove the onions from oil and place on paper towel to cool. Sprinkle with salt if needed.
