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Ultimate Homemade Healthy Green Bean Casserole

A from-scratch, healthier take on the classic holiday casserole featuring a creamy mushroom cashew sauce, crisp-tender green beans, and a crispy baked shallot & almond topping.
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Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American, Holiday
Calories: 320

Ingredients
  

Crispy Shallot & Almond Topping
  • 2 large shallots thinly sliced
  • 2 tbsp olive oil or avocado oil divided
  • 0.5 cup sliced almonds
  • 0.25 cup almond flour
  • 1 tbsp nutritional yeast optional
  • 0.25 tsp sea salt
  • 0.125 tsp black pepper
Creamy Mushroom & Cashew Sauce
  • 1.5 cups raw cashews soaked
  • 1.5 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 12 oz cremini mushrooms thinly sliced
  • 1 yellow onion finely diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tsp fresh thyme or 3/4 tsp dried
  • 1 tbsp tamari or coconut aminos
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 0.5 tsp sea salt
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg
For Assembly
  • 1.5 lbs fresh green beans trimmed, cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • salt for blanching water

Equipment

  • High-powered blender
  • Large skillet or Dutch oven
  • 9x13-inch baking dish
  • Baking sheet
  • Large pot

Method
 

  1. Soak cashews in hot water for at least 1 hour. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Make topping: Toss shallots with 1 tbsp oil, spread on half a parchment-lined baking sheet. Mix almonds, almond flour, nutritional yeast, salt, pepper with remaining 1 tbsp oil; spread on other half. Bake 10-15 min until golden and crisp. Set aside to cool.
  2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Blanch green beans for 4-5 min until tender-crisp. Drain and immediately plunge into an ice bath. Drain again, pat very dry with a towel, and toss with 1 tbsp olive oil. Set aside.
  3. Make sauce: Drain soaked cashews. Blend with vegetable broth until completely smooth and creamy.
  4. In a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp oil over medium heat. Cook onion with a pinch of salt for 5-7 min until soft. Add mushrooms and cook 5-7 min until browned. Add garlic and thyme; cook 1 min until fragrant.
  5. Pour blended cashew cream into skillet. Add tamari, lemon juice, 1/2 tsp salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir and simmer for 3-5 min until sauce thickens slightly. Taste and adjust seasoning.
  6. Gently fold the blanched green beans into the creamy mushroom sauce until fully coated.
  7. Pour mixture into a 9x13 inch baking dish. Sprinkle the crispy shallot and almond topping evenly over the top.
  8. Bake for 20-25 minutes until sauce is bubbly and topping is deeply golden. Let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Notes

For a make-ahead meal, prepare the sauce, blanched beans, and topping separately up to 2 days in advance. Store sauce and beans in the fridge, topping at room temp. Assemble and bake just before serving, adding a few extra minutes if cold.