Forget the traditional green bean casserole with generic canned soup. This Keto Friendly Green Bean Casserole will have your taste buds happy this holiday season. Whether you like the classic green bean casserole or you are on the side of the fence that says, “no thanks”, this recipe is going to become a family favorite regardless if you follow a keto diet.
This article delves into a delightful keto-friendly twist on a classic holiday dish: the green bean casserole. We'll explore how to create a creamy, cheesy, and satisfying casserole that aligns with a low-carb lifestyle, perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any time you crave a comforting side dish.
Why Choose a Keto Green Bean Casserole?
The traditional green bean casserole, a staple at many holiday tables, often relies on ingredients high in carbohydrates, such as cream of mushroom soup and fried onions. For those following a ketogenic diet, these ingredients can be problematic. This keto green bean casserole offers a delicious alternative that doesn't compromise on flavor or texture while keeping the carb count low.
Key Ingredients and Their Keto-Friendly Benefits
This recipe swaps out high-carb ingredients for keto-approved alternatives, ensuring a guilt-free indulgence. Let's take a closer look at the key components:
Green Beans: The star of the show, green beans are naturally low in carbs and high in fiber, making them an excellent choice for a keto diet. They provide essential nutrients and a satisfying crunch. Green beans are a very low carb, low GI and Fodmap food. They come in around 2net carbs per serving in green beans. Unlike peas, which have a higher sugar count, green beans are high in fiber.
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Cream Cheese: Cream cheese is another low-carb option, and since it’s dairy, it is also super keto-friendly and a great way to get some fats in.
Heavy Cream: This ingredient adds richness and creaminess to the sauce while keeping the carb count low.
Cheddar Cheese: Melts over the top for a golden, gooey finish.
Optional Toppings: To replace the traditional fried onion topping, consider keto-friendly alternatives like crushed pork rinds, parmesan cheese, or crumbled bacon.
Recipe: Keto Green Bean Casserole with Cream Cheese
This recipe provides a step-by-step guide to creating a delicious and satisfying keto green bean casserole.
Read also: Keto Calorie Counting: A Detailed Guide
Ingredients:
- 1 cup cooked fresh green bean or one 14-ounces of canned green beans
- 2 tablespoons of butter
- 1/2 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon cream cheese
- 1-1/2 teaspoons dried onions
- 1 tablespoon gluten free soy sauce
- 2 twists freshly ground pepper
- 1-1/2 ounces shredded mild cheddar cheese
- salt & pepper
- 30 oz. fresh green beans. Trimmed and chopped into bite-sized pieces.
- button mushrooms.
- onion.
- chicken broth. Adds savory flavor and helps loosen the sauce.
- nutmeg.
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 400F / 200C / 180 fan or 350 degrees.
- If using fresh green beans, boil them in well salted water until fork tender. Approximately 10 minutes. Drain the water and set aside. If using canned green beans, drain the green beans well and pat dry with paper towels. Too much liquid on the beans will thin the sauce.
- While the green beans boil, sauté the onions, mushrooms and garlic until caramelized. Season with salt, pepper and the nutmeg.
- Add the chicken stock and be sure to scrape all the bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Add the cream cheese and allow to melt and warm up.
- Mix in the green beans until everything is evenly combined and transfer everything into a casserole dish.
- Place the heavy cream and cream cheese in a pan over medium heat.
- Add the dried onions and soy sauce.Continue to stir until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
- Taste test and add salt if needed.Place the green beans in 2 individual cast iron casseroles OR a small, heat proof dish.
- Top with cheddar and pop into the oven until the cheese is melted and bubble.
- Sprinkle with cheese.
- Broil, watching carefully, until the cheese bubbles and turns golden. If you don’t drain the green beans and pat them dry they will add liquid to the sauce and it will be runny.
Optional Additions:
- Add the bacon to nonstick large skillet. Sauté for 2.5 minutes on a medium heat then add the mushrooms, 1 tbsp butter and thyme leaves. Sauté for 2.5 minutes. Season with pepper and optional salt to taste.
- Fry onions in 1 tbsp of butter until soft, about 2 minutes. (Option to sauté with the mushrooms if you prefer and add the extra butter.)
- White SauceAdd the cream cheese, butter and heavy whipping cream to a clean large saucepan over a low heat. Whisk with a balloon whisk until melted.Add the cheese and whisk until fully melted. Thin with about 1 tbsp of water. Season with salt and pepper and any additional flavorings you may wish to add. Remove the skins from the roasted garlic and mince using a garlic press or chop and stir through the sauce.
- Arrange the green beans and bacon / mushroom sauce/ onion mix in a baking casserole dish. Pour the white creamy sauce (don’t worry it gets more saucy as it cooks!) over the green bean mixture. Top with parmesan cheese.Cover baking dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
Tips and Variations for the Perfect Casserole
- Fresh vs. Frozen Green Beans: Fresh or frozen green beans are paired with sautéed onion and a delicious homemade creamy sauce with a much better flavor than the popular cream of mushroom soup. Since not everyone in my family love mushrooms like I do, I left them out of this dish. However, I do serve this cheesy mushroom casserole too. Note - 4 cups, approximately 1 pound of fresh green beans can be used in place of frozen. Yes, sure! You can use fresh in replace of thawed frozen. Just make sure that you clean and prep your green beans properly before you plan to use them. I find that frozen green beans are picked at their prime and then stored and frozen at their prime peak. So the frozen allow you to cut down on a little bit of prep work and speed up the process. Can I use frozen green beans instead of fresh?Yes, just thaw and drain them well first. They don’t need to be boiled, but make sure they’re not icy or watery before adding to the sauce.
- Cream Cheese Substitutions: What can I use instead of cream cheese?You can use sour cream or a mix of Greek yogurt and heavy cream, though the flavor and texture may be slightly tangier or less rich.
- Make-Ahead Convenience: Yes you can make this easy keto green bean casserole up to 4 days ahead of time. Yes! If you would like to prepare your menu a few days ahead of the holiday, this low-carb green bean casserole can be put together a few days in advance or assembled and put in the freezer. I recommend preparing as directed up until you add the pork rinds to the top. To bake, remove from the freezer, and defrost in the refrigerator overnight.
- Reheating Instructions: Leftovers can be placed in an airtight container and refrigerated for 3 days. Reheat in a microwave or oven for 15 minutes at 350°F degrees. My favored way to reheat the green bean casserole is by adding a little butter and cream or almond milk and then using the oven. You can of course pop it in the microwave for a quick reheat. If using the oven- 350 degrees for about 20 minutes. Mix. Then add more Parmesan cheese to the top, finish for 10 minutes. To make this a full meal way to use leftovers, add some chopped turkey or ham before reheating. Just check to see if the dish is warmed all the way through and serve it up.
Nutritional Information and Considerations
This section addresses the nutritional aspects of the keto green bean casserole, including carb counts and potential variations.
- Carb Count: A cup of traditional green bean casserole recipes on the app Cronometer, have 22 grams of carbs. Our delicious green bean casserole has just 5 g net carbs per serving. If you follow total carbs on your keto diet, there are 6 grams of carbs. The carb count of either net or total can easily be enjoyed on your meal plan macros for the day.
- Ingredient Variations: Some brands of sour cream, cream cheese, and cheddar cheese can have slightly different carb counts. If you are on a very tight macro program, this would be a bit higher than a basic steamed green bean, but still low enough to fit into your daily allowance.
- Nutritional Disclaimer: Please note that the nutritional information provided are guidelines and may vary based on the brand of products used. For your specific nutritional goals use My Fitness Pal or Verywell Fit recipe calculators.
Serving Suggestions and Occasions
This versatile casserole isn't just for holidays. Don’t wait for your Thanksgiving dinner menu to serve this casserole. This low carb recipe can be enjoyed all year long.
- Holiday Celebrations: It’s the perfect side to your Thanksgiving turkey, Christmas dinner, or New Years celebration.
- Everyday Meals: This simple dish can be served with bits of bacon, crispy onions, or if keeping keto free, try Keto Cheese Crisps for your crunch.
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