All of the flavor of the original but not one bit of canned goods involved!
Thanksgiving is next week, and most likely menus are nearly complete. However, if you have green bean casserole on your menu and want to try something new, this recipe is it. Bring a crunchier, slightly lighter green bean bake to the table. It could be the new version you didn’t know you needed.
The original post from May 2017
My kids have always been fans of the classic green bean bake. I have to admit that I also like it, but it always feels a lot less like eating a veggie dish and a lot more like some indulgent side dish of an unknown genre. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing. I think of Thanksgiving as a day of indulgence. Don’t count calories, just eat what you like.
However, as I worked on this Thanksgiving tapas menu, I already had a fairly unhealthy dish in the Individual Sweet Potato Casseroles. What I needed was something savory and not quite so indulgent in a third dish. If I was making the casseroles with my hubby in mind, I figured I could redo the green bean recipe for me.
To replace the cream of mushroom soup, I needed something creamy and flavorful, yet healthy. If you’re a regular reader, you won’t be surprised to learn that I turned to one of my favorite ingredients, plain Greek yogurt. Now all I needed to do was add seasonings to give it that classic taste.
Another change I made was working with fresh produce. Canned green beans have no texture and very little flavor. Working with fresh green beans I could cook them to the texture I wanted and give extra flavor via the main ingredient.
Finally without utilizing canned products, I couldn’t top the dish with French fried onions. Rather than trying to evoke the same taste of onions, I opted to mimic the texture. The topping is made of panko, which has a delightful crunch, and parmesan, which adds another layer of flavor and a hint of saltiness.
For anyone who’s used to the classic green bean casserole, this dish won’t be a stunt double. Eaten with an open mind and an appreciation for fresh produce, this dish is bound to be adored.
- ¾ pounds green beans, ends removed
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup diced button mushrooms
- ¾ cup plain Greek yogurt
- ¾ teaspoons soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon panko
- Parmesan
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Cut green beans into 1 inch segments.
- Bring large pot of salted water to a boil; add green beans.
- Cook for 4 minutes.
- Transfer to strainer and run under cold water for 1 minute to stop cooking.
- Heat olive oil in a large nonstick frying pan over medium heat.
- Add mushrooms, saute until tender, about 2-3 minutes.
- Combine yogurt, soy sauce, and garlic powder in a medium bowl; stir well.
- Add green beans and mushrooms to yogurt sauce; toss well.
- Spray a 1 quart baking dish with nonstick cooking spray; transfer green bean mixture to dish.
- Sprinkle with panko.
- Top with grated parmesan.
- Bake for 20 minutes.
