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This Whole30 green bean casserole is just like the classic Thanksgiving dish: tender green beans in a rich cream of mushroom sauce, topped with fried onion straws. This Whole30 green bean casserole (also a paleo green bean casserole, of course!) is an absolute must for the Whole30 Thanksgiving table. And to be honest, this paleo green bean casserole tastes even better than the classic version!
What Your Thanksgiving Plate Says About You
What does your Thanksgiving plate look like? I feel like Thanksgiving plates are some sort of gluttonous, culinary DNA, different for everyone and perfectly representative of one’s personality. I’m still working on my theories distinguishing introversion and extroversion as evidenced by the application or avoidance of burnt marshmallows on one’s sweet potato casserole, but when I nail it, y’all will be the first to know.
But really, my plate is easy: dark meat or very tender breast and tons of gravy, stuffing and tons of gravy, cranberry sauce, and far more than my fair and proportionate share of the green bean casserole. Hey, I made this, and I’m gonna eat as much green bean casserole as I damn well please.
It’s strange to me that, given how much work I put into Thanksgiving every year, making every single thing from scratch, the one dish that comes from cans is one of my favorites. I don’t think I’m solo here, though: the canned green bean casserole is a national phenomenon, gracing every Thanksgiving table worth grazing (in my opinion, that is). The perfect blend of tender green beans and creamy, rich cream of mushroom soup, topped with sweet, crunchy onions.
I even remember coming home after a party one night in college and making a batch to eat with my friends. Green bean casserole after being way overserved around 2 a.m.? Yeah, that was me in college. The me-est thing I’ve ever done.
So this year, as part of my Whole30 Thanksgiving recipes series, complete with a brined herb butter turkey breast and gravy, Whole30 green bean casserole, Whole30 sweet potato casserole with pecan-date topping, and Whole30 cranberry sauce (with my Whole30-compliant paleo stuffing already up on the blog!), I had to make my own take on the Thanksgiving classic with no grains, no gluten, no dairy, and no sugar. And it. is. perfection.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
I didn’t skimp on any of the elements, making a cream of mushroom soup and onion-petal style crunchy fried onions to top the whole thing. I used fresh green beans, but you can use frozen, too. Basically, it’s a Whole30 Thanksgiving recipes must.
The cream of mushroom soup is heady and rich, but the fried onions are problematic. The problem being you have to actually not eat them by the fistful before presenting the dish to the Whole30 Thanksgiving table. It’s a big problem, and one we’ll have to band together to truly conquer. Email me if you need a fried onion accountability buddy?
Whole30 Green Bean Casserole (Paleo, Grain-Free, Dairy-Free)
Equipment
- Large saucepan
- immersion blender standard blender, see Notes
- 3 shallow dishes
- Large skillet
- Large plate or wire cooling rack
- Paper towels
- 3-quart baking dish
Ingredients
For the Whole30 Cream of Mushroom Soup
- 2 tablespoons ghee or butter if not on a Whole30
- 8 ounces mushrooms diced
- ½ of one onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ¾ cup chicken broth divided, see Notes
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder
- 1 cup coconut cream see Notes
For the Fried Onions
- 1 large egg whisked
- ¼ cup tapioca flour
- ½ cup almond flour
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- 1 dash black pepper
- 1 medium yellow onion halved, then sliced into ½" slices
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil or avocado oil for frying
- 1 teaspoon salt to taste
For the Whole30 Green Bean Casserole
- 20 ounces green beans about 6-7 cups, fresh or frozen, trimmed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit.
For the Whole30 Cream of Mushroom Soup
- In large saucepan, melt ghee over medium heat. Add mushrooms and onion, and sauté for 5-10 minutes or until softened. Add garlic and stir constantly for 30 seconds or until fragrant.
- Deglaze saucepan with ¼ cup chicken broth (or ¼ cup white wine – only if not on a Whole30) and bring to boil. Add in remaining ½ cup broth and salt. Let liquid return to boiling. Boil for 3-5 minutes then sprinkle in arrowroot, whisking vigorously to combine. Continue cooking until liquid has reduced by about 33%-50%.
- Remove saucepan from heat. Use an immersion blender (or transfer about ⅔ of mixture to standard blender – see Notes) to blend until mostly smooth. Return saucepan to heat and add in coconut cream. Whisk until smooth.
For the Fried Onions
- Break egg into one shallow dish. Place tapioca flour in second shallow dish. Combine almond flour, garlic powder, salt, paprika, and black pepper in third shallow dish and whisk well to distribute thoroughly.
- Working in batches, dip onion strips into egg, letting excess yolk drip back into dish. Place egg-coated onions to tapioca flour and toss to lightly coat, shaking off excess flour. Dredge tapioca-floured onions in almond flour mixture and shake off any excess.
- Heat skillet over medium heat and cover the bottom of the skillet with coconut oil or avocado oil. When oil is hot and shimmering, add onions to pan in batches. Fry 2 to 3 minutes, then carefully flip onions over and fry another 2 to 3 minutes. Be careful when turning onions so as not to disrupt any coating.
- Transfer fried onions to plate or wire rack lined with paper towels and sprinkle lightly with salt. Repeat until all onions have been fried.
For the Whole30 Green Bean Casserole
- Steam green beans until bright green and tender-crisp, then transfer green beans to baking dish.
- Gently stir in cream of mushroom soup and 1 cup of fried onions. Place baking dish in preheated oven and bake 25 minutes.
- After 25 minutes, remove dish from oven and top green beans with remaining fried onions. Return dish to oven and bake another 10 minutes, until onions are heated through and crisp. Remove baking dish from oven and let casserole rest 5 minutes before serving. Serve warm.
- Chicken Broth: If not on a Whole30 round, you can use ¼ cup white wine + ½ cup chicken broth (for ¾ cup liquid total).
- Coconut Cream: You can use a can of coconut cream, or you can “make” your own with a can of coconut milk. Just place the unopened coconut milk in the refrigerator overnight. The solid layer that forms on top of the liquid is the coconut cream! Just scoop that off, and save or use the liquid below for something else.
- Fill the blender no more than halfway. You may have to blend your ingredients in a few batches.
- After pouring the liquid into the blender, let it sit a few minutes to cool slightly before blending.
- Before blending, remove the center cap from the blender lid and cover the hole with a dish towel instead. This will keep pressure from building up inside the blender. Keep your hand on the lid to hold it down while blending.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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Amazing recipe!
This is my 4th or 5th time making this and I forgot how good it is! My dad has always made the casserole since I was a kid but my husband has an autoimmune disease so we stay away from gluten. It’s been a hit every year so I’m always in charge of the casserole for the holidays!
We’re so glad it’s a hit every time! Thanks so much for sharing, Sarah! 😊
I made this casserole for Thanksgiving yesterday and it was arguably the most mouthwatering green bean casserole ever. This recipe is magnificent and a must keep. Thank you!
So glad you loved it, Jules! Thank you for sharing! 😊
Wow wow wow! Made this for my family on Thanksgiving and everyone loved it much more than the traditional GB casserole we’ve made for years. This is a keeper!!! And much better for us 🙂
So glad everyone loved it!! 😊
I’ll probably buy gluten free cream of mushrooms soup from the store. How many ounces does your homemade sauce make so I can get an equivalent amount from the store?
I’m so sorry, Heather, but we didn’t measure our homemade soup out like that to compare, so I can’t say for sure. One 10.5-ounce can should be ok, considering we reduce the broth down to about 3 ounces and then add the coconut cream after blending. If it were me, I’d probably pick up 2 cans just to be safe, in case you decide you want yours to be creamier.
That being said, if you need your green bean casserole to also be Whole30, paleo, grain free, and/or dairy free, most canned cream of mushroom soups won’t fit those parameters. Be sure to check the ingredients lists closely!
Green bean casserole was my favorite Thanksgiving and Christmas side dish until finding out I had an autoimmune disease and needed to switch to a paleo diet. The first year after my diagnosis I tried a vegan version that used cashews and it was… well, not good. I pretty much gave up until I found this recipe. It tasted exactly like the “real thing”! Even my dad, who usually turns his nose up at paleo remakes, could not tell the difference. Thank you for giving me back my favorite holiday side dish!
Oh, I love this Mary Beth! I’m so glad we could help and so glad you all enjoyed! Thanks so much for the review! Happy holidays!
Hi! The recipe says “see notes” for the coconut cream but I don’t see them? Is coconut cream the solid part of canned coconut milk? Thank you! (I’m cooking for my sister who’s on an AIM diet, I’m kind of new to this!)
Oops! So sorry about that – that note was accidentally removed in an update! But yes, you’re 100% correct! The coconut cream is the solid part from the refrigerated can of coconut milk. I hope you and your sister love the casserole!
Do we need to spray the baking dish with oil before placing the ingredients?
Yep!
Can you prepare this a day ahead.
Hey, Jessica! You can, but the fried onions won’t be as crispy when the dish is reheated. This one’s really best when it’s served right after cooking!
OH MY FREAK. This was AMAZING!!! I’ve also made just the onion topping as onion rings. So flippin’ good!