Keto Green Bean Casserole

by KetoFocus.com

Put your can opener away

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CasseroleEgg FreeNut Free

Put your can opener away! Get your savory, comfort fix at the holiday table with a keto green bean casserole recipe featuring a homemade cream of mushroom made from scratch without flour or canned ingredients, and topped with a delightful layer of homemade crispy fried onions.

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Nutrition Facts

8

Servings

153

Calories

12.4g

Fat

3.3g

Protein

5g

Net Carb

7g

Total Carbs

Green bean casserole is arguably Thanksgiving’s favorite side dish. You may think it’s mashed potatoes, rolls or stuffing, but this casserole is usually only made during the holidays.

A serving spoon holding a serving of green bean casserole.

This keto green bean casserole puts a fresh spin on the classic Thanksgiving side with crispy pork rind onions and creamy mushroom sauce tossed with bright, tender blanched green beans. Get classic flavors without using canned ingredients.

What makes this recipe different?

  • Uses fresh ingredients – For the best keto green bean casserole recipe, you must use fresh ingredients. Canned ingredients can muffle some of the flavors and cause the casserole to be mushy and an unappealing gray-green color. 
  • No cheese – Cheese doesn’t belong in green bean casserole!! A classic green bean casserole doesn’t cut corners for flavor. It uses cream or half and half to make a velvety cream of mushroom for the crispy green beans to swim in. Other keto recipes use mozzarella cheese or cream cheese to act as a thickener to hold the casserole together, which compromises the classic flavor of the dish. 
  • Keto thickener – Traditional green bean casserole uses flour or cornstarch to thicken the mushroom broth. To keep this recipe low carb, arrowroot powder is used. It has 7x the thickening powder compared to flour requiring us to use very little in this recipe to get the same result. Some recipes use xanthan gum to thicken the creamed mushroom; however, xanthan gum can make the dish slimy. 
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How to make keto green bean casserole

  1. Crispy onion topping – Thinly sliced onions are coated with a mixture of baking powder (or you could use cornstarch or protein powder), pork panko (ground pork rinds), seasoning and baked in the oven until golden and crispy.
  2. Blanched green beans – Instead of using canned green beans, fresh green beans are blanched in boiling water. Then immediately transferred to an ice bath in order to retain their vibrant color and crisp tender texture.
  3. Make cream of mushroom from scratch – White mushrooms are sautéed with butter and seasoning until golden and tender. To add a warm, nutty undertone, a pinch of nutmeg is added. To thicken the sauce made with chicken broth and heavy cream, a few teaspoons of arrowroot powder is used.
  4. Assemble & bake – The green beans are mixed in with the mushroom sauce and topped with fried onions. Then bake until bubbly and golden.

Keto Green Bean Casserole Recipe Video

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Keto Fried Onions Ingredients

  • 1/2 medium onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder or 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1/4 cup pork panko
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • nonstick cooking spray

Keto Green Bean Casserole Ingredients

  • 1 lb fresh green beans, ends trimmed & halved
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 10 oz white button mushrooms, quartered
  • 1 teaspoon salt, divided
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon arrowroot powder
  • 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
  • 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

Keto Green Bean Casserole Directions

  • STEP
    1

    Coat onions

    Preheat oven to 425°F. Toss onions, baking powder (or cornstarch), pork panko and salt together in a large mixing bowl. Spread on a parchment lined baking sheet. Spray with cooking spray.

    Ingredients

    • 1/2 medium onion, thinly sliced
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder or 1 tablespoon cornstarch
    • 1/4 cup pork panko
    • 1/2 teaspoon salt

    Hands holding a baking sheet with onion rings coated with panko.
  • STEP
    2

    Fry 'em til their crispy

    Bake the onion rings at 425°F for about 18-25 minutes, tossing occasionally, until crispy and golden brown.

    Fried onions on a baking sheet.
    Quick Tip
    Use a mandoline to get uniform slices. Thinner slices of onion won't take as long to get golden brown.
  • STEP
    3

    Blanch green beans

    Add enough water to a large saucepan that will cover the green beans, but don't add them yet. Add a few sprinkles of salt. Bring to a boil. Once boiling add green beans and let them boil for 1-3 minutes. Taste test one green bean to see if cooked through. Drain and immediately transfer green beans to an ice bath. Once cooled, drain again and set aside.

    Ingredients

    • 1 lb green beans, trimmed and halved

    A pot of green beans simmering on a burner.
    Quick Tip
    The ice bath will stop the cooking process keeping the green beans a vibrant green color.
  • STEP
    4

    Sauté mushrooms

    In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add mushrooms, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes or until the mushrooms start to release their juices. Stir in minced garlic and nutmeg. Let cook for 1-2 more minutes or until fragrant.

    Ingredients

    • 2 tablespoons butter (unsalted)
    • 10 oz mushrooms, quartered
    • 1/2 teaspoon salt
    • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
    • 2 cloves garlic, minced
    • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

    A skillet with quartered mushrooms sautéing.
    Quick Tip
    To lower the carbs in this casserole, only use 6-8 oz mushrooms.
  • STEP
    5

    Make cream of mushroom soup

    Sprinkle arrowroot powder over mushrooms and stir to coat. While stirring, pour in broth and simmer for 1 minute. Add heavy cream and cook for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened.

    Ingredients

    • 1 1/2 teaspoons arrowroot powder
    • 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
    • 3/4 cup heavy cream

    A wood spoon stirring a thick and cream cream of mushroom soup mixture.
  • STEP
    6

    Add green beans

    Add blannced green beans to the cream of mushroom soup and stir to combine. Stir in remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt.

    A wooden spoon in a skillet with creamy mushroom and green beans.
    Quick Tip
    If mixture still appears too thin, continue cooking until thickened or add more arrowroot powder.
  • STEP
    7

    Make it a casserole

    Transfer green bean mushroom mixture to a baking dish or casserole dish. Top with fried onions. Bake at 400°F for 15 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

    A casserole dish filled with green beans, creamy sauce and topped with fried onions.
    Quick Tip
    If your fried onions are close to black already, don't add them to the top before baking. Just add them to the finished baked casserole.
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Are green beans keto?

Although, they can be higher in carbs compared to other vegetables, green beans are considered keto friendly. They are low in carbohydrates and high in fiber. A one-cup serving of raw green beans contains about 7 grams of total carbohydrates and 2.7 grams of fiber, resulting in a net carbohydrate content of around 4.3 grams.

Substitutions

For the green beans

Instead of fresh green beans, you can use frozen green beans or canned green beans. For frozen green beans, prepare the green beans according to the package before adding to the casserole. Canned green beans should be drained and dried before adding to the creamed mushroom.

Besides green beans, you can substitute with broccoli florets, chopped cauliflower, sliced brussels sprouts, chopped kale or spinach, diced zucchini or yellow squash.

For the cream of mushroom

Don’t want to make cream of mushroom from scratch? There is a keto version of cream of mushroom soup that you can purchase from Kettle and Fire.

Instead of white button mushrooms, cremini or Portobello mushrooms can be used. To the sauce, beef or vegetable broth can be substituted for chicken broth. And half & half or nut milk can be used instead of heavy cream.

For the crispy onions

If you really wanted, you could use French’s Fried Onions in this recipe. They are fairly low carb. French’s Fried Onions have 3 g carbs per 2 tablespoons.

In place of the crushed pork rinds, use grated parmesan cheese or more baking powder or cornstarch. To replace the onions completely, top the casserole with chopped walnuts, pecans or parmesan crisps.

Ingredients for green bean casserole on display including mushrooms, green beans, onions, garlic and broth.

Storage information & make ahead instructions

When it comes to Thanksgiving dinner, the more you can do ahead of time, the smoother your day will go come Turkey Day. Luckily, many parts of this recipe can be prepped ahead of time.

Planning ahead…

  • Clean and trim green beans 1 day ahead. Store rinsed and dried beans in a ziplock bag in the fridge.
  • Slice onions and prepare coating 1 day ahead. Store coated onions in an airtight container at room temperature. Fried onion rings will re-crisp during the final bake.
  • Make mushroom sauce 2 days ahead. Let cool completely before storing in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
  • Assemble casserole in a casserole dish up to 1 day in advance. Do not add the fried onions yet to avoid getting them soggy. Cover and store in the refrigerator.

Storage

  • Store leftover green bean casserole in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. 
  • Green bean casserole can be frozen for 1-3 months is wrapped tightly and stored in an airtight container. Don’t store with fried onions. They are best prepared the day of to avoid getting soggy. To cook from frozen, bake at 400°F for 30-45 minutes or until cooked through and bubbly.

Reheating instructions

  • Oven method – Preheat oven to 350°F. Transfer leftover casserole to an oven-safe dish and cover with foil. Bake for 20-25 minutes until heated through.
  • Microwave method – Portion leftovers into microwave-safe dishes. Microwave on High in 30 second intervals, about 1-2 minutes total, until hot. Let stand 2 minutes before serving.
  • Stovetop method – Transfer casserole to a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add a couple tablespoons of water or broth to prevent sticking. Gently heat through, stirring occasionally, for 5-10 minutes.
  • Air fryer method – Portion leftovers into air-fryer safe dishes. Air fry at 360°F for 4-6 minutes until hot.

Keto Green Bean Casserole: FAQS

What is pork panko and is there a substitute for it?

Pork panko is ground up pork rinds. You can purchase them already crushed or you can make your own by blending pork skins in a food processor until a fine crumb mixture forms. In place of pork rinds, try using grated parmesan cheese or just more baking powder or cornstarch.

Can this casserole be made dairy free?

Yes, to make dairy-free green bean casserole, use a neutral flavored nut milk like almond milk, hemp milk or macadamia nut milk. Since nut milks have a thin consistency, add more arrowroot powder to help thicken the mushroom cream. Instead of butter, use coconut oil, lard or avocado oil.

How to keep the fried onions crispy?

In order for the fried onions to stay crispy, make sure all the onions are cut thinly and to even sizes. If you make them ahead of time, you may need to put them in the air fryer or oven for a few minutes to get them crispy again.

How to fix watery green bean casserole?

If you didn't get your sauce thick enough because you were impatient and removed it from the stovetop because it was very thick, you can still remedy the sauce. Just add your baked casserole back into the skillet and let cook over medium heat until thickened. If needed, you can add more arrowroot powder.

Nutritional information & Macros

Nutrition Information

Keto Green Bean Casserole

Servings: 8

Amount Per Serving
Calories 153
Fat 12.4g
Protein 3.3g
Total Carbs 7g
Net Carbs 5g

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