vegan and free of gluten and top 8 allergens
What is Thanksgiving without sides? The Green Bean Casserole is one of the top sides not only at Thanksgiving, but all thru the holidays.
Here’s an easy way to upgrade the out-of-the-can version. Tender green beans, mushrooms, and corn are tossed in a delicious cheese sauce and baked until hot and bubbly, then topped with crispy onions.
It’s so good we know you’ll go back for seconds.
mise en place
We first developed this casserole for FARE (Food Allergy Research & Education). We’re sharing it here with a couple of modifications.
Green Beans
Using fresh green beans is hands down the simplest way to upgrade your casserole. Frozen green beans have been frozen at their peak, so would be our second option.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Drop in the beans. When water returns to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 4 minutes or until crisp tender. Drain beans and transfer to a large bowl of ice water for 5 minutes to shock the beans and stop the cooking process. The result will be crisp, tender, gorgeous green beans.
Cut beans in half…or thirds if they are super long. Ideally the pieces should be about 2 to 3-inches. Transfer to a covered container and place in the fridge until ready to assemble. This step can be done a day or two in advance.
Saucy
Make a roux by melting margarine in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add sweet white rice flour and a little salt. Cook the roux for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Gradually add dry sherry and vegetable broth, whisking until smooth. Choose an inexpensive drinking sherry. Be sure you don’t use sherry vinegar or cooking sherry, which usually has added salt. Whisk in rice milk and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add cheddar style shreds and cook for an additional 5 minutes. The sauce will be thick. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.
In a large bowl, place green beans, sautéed mushrooms, and corn. Pour the cheese sauce over the vegetables.
Gently toss to combine well. Transfer green bean mixture to an 8×8-inch baking pan. Gently press mixture evenly into the pan.
Place in an oven preheated to 350°F. After 15 minutes of baking, sprinkle 1/2 cup cheddar shreds over the casserole and continue baking for 10-15 minutes or until casserole starts to bubble around the edges.
Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Garnish with fried onions.
You can make your own fried onions or shallots, but store bought are super delicious and practically define this green bean casserole. Besides, you’ll have more time for all the other things on your plate.
Enjoy our version of the classic that was created by Campbell’s in 1955!
Chefs Corner
- Many recipes instruct you to blanch the green beans. Blanching is a moist-heat cooking method which means to cook an item partially and briefly, usually in water. The purpose of blanching some vegetables is to set the color and destroy harmful enzymes, or to loosen the skins of tomatoes, peaches, and similar items for easier peeling.
- Since we are completely cooking the beans, we use the term “to simmer”. To simmer means to cook in a liquid that is bubbling gently at a temperature of about 185°F to 205°F.
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Cheesy Green Bean Casserole
Yield 8 Servings
Free of: gluten and top 8 allergens.
Green Bean Casserole upgraded!
Ingredients
16 ounces white or cremini mushrooms, sliced, or a combination
3 tbsp dairy-free, soy-free margarine, such as Earth Balance sticks
3 tbsp sweet white rice flour (see recipe notes)
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1/4 cup dry sherry (not sherry vinegar or cooking sherry)
1 cup unsweetened alternative milk
2 cups cheddar-style cheese shreds, such as Daiya, divided (1-1/2 cups + 1/2 cup)
24 ounces fresh green beans, trimmed, cooked and shocked in ice water (see recipe notes)
1 cup frozen sweet corn kernels, thawed (optional)
1-1/2 cups allergy-friendly fried onions
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Heat 10-inch skillet or saucepan. Add mushrooms. To prevent sticking, it may be necessary to add a tablespoon of water until the mushrooms release their juices. Cook for 8 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Melt margarine in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add flour and salt. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Gradually add broth and sherry, whisking until smooth. Whisk in milk and increase heat to high. Bring the sauce to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add 1-1/2 cups of cheddar shreds. Cook an additional 5 minutes until cheddar shreds are melted, whisking frequently. Remove from heat.
- In a large bowl, place green beans, mushrooms, and corn. Pour the sauce over the vegetables and gently combine with a rubber spatula.
- Transfer green bean mixture to baking dish. Gently press mixture evenly in pan.
- Place in oven. After 15 minutes of baking, sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup cheddar shreds over casserole and continue baking for 10-15 minutes or until casserole starts to bubble around the edges.
- Keep in mind if your green bean casserole was assembled ahead of time and has been in the fridge, you will need to add some additional cooking time.
- Remove from oven. Let rest for 10 minutes and enjoy garnished with fried onions.
Notes
- Sweet white rice flour is ground from short-grain glutinous rice and is different from white rice flour, which is made from ground white rice. Neither white nor brown rice flours are a substitute for sweet white rice flour, and will not yield the same results.
- You can replace the sweet white rice flour with equal amount of garbanzo bean flour (also known as chickpea flour). If using garbanzo bean flour, the cooking time after adding the sherry, broth and milk will be reduced from 10 to 5 minutes.
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To cook the beans, bring a large pot of water to a boil. When the water is boiling, drop in the beans. When water returns to a boil, lower heat to medium and simmer for 4 minutes or until crisp tender. Drain beans and transfer beans into a large bowl of ice water for 5 minutes to shock the beans and stop the cooking process. The result will be crisp, tender, gorgeous green beans.
- We came across several brands of gluten-free French fried onions. 365 brand from Whole Foods Market carries Crispy Onions, which contain onions, buckwheat flour, canola oil, palm oil and salt. Sprouts also carries Gluten-Free French Fried Onions.
Courses Veggies & Sides