All of the flavor of the original but not one bit of canned goods involved!
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 lb green beans, ends removed
- ½ Tb. olive oil
- ½ cup diced button mushrooms
- ¾ cup plain Greek yogurt
- ¾ tsp. soy sauce
- ½ tsp. garlic powder
- 1 Tb. 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.
