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green bean casserole

Healthy Green Bean Casserole (No Cream, No Soup!)

Brittany Piscatella
This recipe is gluten-free, dairy-free, mushroom-free, and delicious. I created this because I myself was on the hunt for a healthy green bean recipe. All were a bit boring. Then I was looking for a healthy green bean casserole recipe, and it literally didn't exist until now. This green bean recipe has a complex of flavors and textures. It is an actual joy to eat it.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Course Dinner, green beans, Side Dish
Cuisine fall dish, Fall recipe, thanksgiving recipe
Servings 6 people

Ingredients
  

The Beans and Butternut Squash Bake

  • 2 lb Haricot Green Beans
  • 1 Medium Butternut Squash - Cubed [If you are in the US it is usually cheaper at Trader Joe's]
  • 4 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 6 Cloves of Garlic - Minced [3 cloves if you're not into garlic...]
  • 1 Tbsp Garlic Powder
  • 1 Tbsp Onion Powder
  • 1/2 Tbsp Dried Basil
  • 1/4 Cup Cilantro - Stemmed and chopped
  • S+P

Caramelized Onion

  • 2 Medium Yellow Onions - Sliced thin and long
  • 4 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Toppings:

  • 4 Slices of Bacon - Chopped into strips and cooked
  • Fresh Cilantro - Chopped (or parsley if you dont like cilantro)
  • Walnuts - A handful - Baked
  • Sunflower Seeds - A handful - Baked

Instructions
 

  • First, we are going to cut the stems off the end of our beans and boil them until they start to get a little soft, 3-5 minutes. *It's important that you don't over boil them, you don't want them to be mush.
  • Now, pre-heat the oven to 425F/218C.
  • Next, we are going to prepare the squash. Cut the squash in half long ways and scoop all the seeds out. Then you are going to take the skin off. Once the skin has been taken off it's time to cube your squash into small squares [see Article].
  • Now you will douse 2 Tbsp of your fav Evoo on top. Give it a good toss and then place in the oven for 20 minutes. Toss them halfway through. At the 20-minute mark they should be starting to get soft. Perfect, now take them out.
  • Take your green beans and give them a rough large chop on the cutting board. Then put them onto your baking tray of squash.
  • Now you will mince the 6 cloves of garlic right over the top of the beans and squash, along with the garlic powder, onion powder, basil, salt and pepper.
  • Toss it well so all the vegetables are covered evenly.
  • Now for the final touch before baking, you are going to chop your stemmed cilantro roughly. Add it to your sheet pan and mix well.
  • Place your tray into the oven for 20 minutes, toss and then bake for another 20 minutes.
  • When they are finished, they should be soft, and the butternut squash should be golden on the edges when they are done. Do the taste and mouth feel test if you're unsure.
  • While the rest is cooking you can get started on the bacon. Take your 4 strips and cut them into 1/2-inch pieces, then you are going to fry them. Once cooked (and not over cooked) it's time to let them cook on paper towels and allow the green to run off.
  • The onions. You are going to remove all the skin and cut the onions in half long ways and then slice them thin [see Article].
  • Now you will put your thinly sliced onions in a small saucepan (or whatever pan you have that can caramelize onions).
  • Add 2ish Tbsp of olive oil, you may need a little more. Place the sauce pan over medium/low heat and start caramelizing your onions. Stir often. When they are done the should look like the photo above.
  • When the vegetables are done it is time to add our cooked bacon to the tray.
  • Now you will add the cooked vegetables and bacon to your serving plate.
  • Top the mix with your caramelized onions.
  • Now you will add your baked walnut pieces and sunflower seeds (how to bake walnuts and sunflower seeds, see notes). Add your fresh chopped cilantro.
  • You are FINISHED. Literally love love love this dish. I sat there and ate a quarter of this huge plate after I finished filming this. It is so flavorful and just straight YUM.

Notes

How to Bake Nuts: A little how to bake your favorite nuts. Preheat the oven to 350°F/177°C. On a parchment-lined pan, spread your nuts of choice. For this recipe, I chose walnuts and sunflowers. Bake for 5-8 minutes, tossing them once halfway through. They should be fragrant and slightly brown. Remove from the oven and allow the nuts to cool on the pan. Once they are cool, add them to your favorite dishes!
Be advised, cooking times can vary depending on your oven! <3
Keyword green bean casserole, green bean recipe, thanksgiving, thanksgiving recipe