Paleo Green Bean Casserole

One of the most beloved – or unloved – dishes on the holiday table is a green bean casserole. We strongly believe that no Thanksgiving should go by without a healthy, Paleo version, maybe even twice. Besides the green beans, it is the cream of mushroom soup that really brings this tempting side dish home. We’ve included a condensed version here, but use any recipe you wish, so long as it is rich with mushrooms, herbs and a creamy dairy-free sauce, then you can call it done – and wait ever so patiently to dig in. It’s hard. You better have an enticing appetizer on hand!

Toppings for your green bean casserole? In some circles, crispy fried onions and melted cheese are set atop this divine dish, though we are fond of branching out and trying new things. How about slivers of crispy pork rinds, to enhance the many flavors? What about a crispy crumble made with almond meal, chopped onions, and ghee? The point here is that a true green bean casserole has to have a crunch, so bake it as crispy as you can make it.

Green bean casserole has got to be one of the best sides you can bake, though if the stress of cooking for a crowd has you down, you could always go the slow cooker route and modify the recipe accordingly. Add the toppings just before serving, and free up oven space, so there is plenty of room for homemade pumpkin pie!

Paleo Green Bean Casserole Recipe

Serves: 6

Prep: 25 min

Cook: 45 min

Ingredients

• 1 lb. fresh green beans, trimmed and halved
• 6-8 oz. baby bella mushrooms, minced
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 cup full-fat coconut milk
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tsp. fresh thyme
• 1 1/2 tsp. coconut aminos
• 3 tbsp. tapioca starch
• 1 tbsp. cooking fat
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Topping Ingredients

• 1 sweet onion, diced finely or minced
• 3/4 cup almond flour
• 1/4 cup coconut flour
• 1/4 cup pork rinds, crushed
• 1/2 cup ghee
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

1. Preheat your oven to 400 F.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
3. Add the green beans and blanch for 5 minutes.
4. Remove from the stove and strain the green beans with cold water to stop the cooking. Add back to the pot and set aside.
5. Heat a tablespoon or two of the ghee for the topping in a skillet over medium-high heat.
6. Add the onion and sautée until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
7. Transfer to a medium-size bowl and let cool.
8. Combine the rest of the ingredients for the topping to the onions and mix well.
9. If you’d like you can spread out 1/3 cup of the topping on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake for 5-8 minutes until browned, stirring if needed.
10. Next, heat a tablespoon of cooking fat in a large skillet over medium heat and add the mushrooms. Cook for 5-8 minutes until soft.
11. Add the garlic, thyme, and season to taste; stir, cooking for another 2 minutes.
12. Sprinkle the tapioca starch over the mushrooms and mix.
13. Pour in the broth, coconut milk, and coconut aminos and bring to a boil.
14. Stir constantly until the mixture thickens.
15. Mix the mushroom sauce in the pot with the green beans. Stir in the 1/3 cup topping and mix well.
16. Transfer to a casserole dish and top with remaining onion crumble.
17. Bake for 15 minutes until bubbling and top is golden brown.
18. Cover lightly with foil if top browns too fast.