Freeze! Before you make your last run to the grocery store for Thanksgiving, give this Paleo Green Bean Casserole a look.
Healthy Green Bean Casserole (Paleo, Gluten Free, Dairy Free)
Are Green Beans Paleo?
Okay, the paleo purists will argue that green beans aren’t paleo … I put them into the “okay” column of borderline vegetables. I’m especially okay with them because Green Bean Casserole is my all time favorite holiday dish. I was the weird little kid going back for 3rds … of veggies.
Green Bean Casserole Ingredients
What’s involved in this paleo casserole? Glad you asked! We’ve got some homemade paleo French’s fried onions (baked & probably the best part), fresh green beans (goodbye canned), bacon (duh), and an awesome paleo gravy.
The paleo gravy combined with the delicious sauté of shallots, bacon, garlic, and mushrooms subs for the typical can of mushroom soup used in the American classic green bean casserole.
Can you make Green Bean Casserole ahead of time?
You can make this dish a day … or two … ahead or make and serve right away.
I get to spend this year’s Thanksgiving with my boyfriend’s family! I sure hope they think this looks tasty 😉
Gus and I are headed North/West equipped with this casserole and my Grandmother’s Apple Pie (not paleo). After all, what’s Thanksgiving without a little apple pie?
I wish you all a safe, blessed, and filling Thanksgiving Holiday!
Much love & many thanks,
Cassandra & Gus
Just for You
Veggie Recipes
Want more recipes like this?
Paleo Green Bean Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
Version 1:
- 1 lb Fresh Green Beans – I prefer Haricot Vert
- 8 oz Roughly Chopped Mushrooms
- 4 oz Bacon about 5 large strips
- 1 cup Thinly Sliced Yellow Onions
- 1/2 cup Finely Chopped Shallots
- 3 Cloves Garlic Minced
- ½ cup Almond Meal
- 1.5 cups Unsweetened Almond Milk
- 3 teaspoons Sea Salt
- 2 teaspoons Cracked Black Pepper
- 2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil EVOO
Version 2:
- 1 medium yellow onion cut into 1/4 inch discs
- 1 egg beaten
- 1 cup pork rinds powdered
- 1 1/2 pounds fresh green beans cleaned and ends trimmed off
- 2 tablespoons butter ghee, or bacon fat
- 8 ounces button mushrooms sliced 1/4 inch thick
- 1 can full-fat coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 pound bacon crispy & roughly chopped
Instructions
Version 1:
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Aluminum foil is an acceptable substitute.
- Drizzle 1 Tbl EVOO on the thinly sliced yellow onions and sprinkle with 1 tsp sea salt. Massage the EVOO and salt evenly into the onions with your hands. Spread the onions out on the baking sheet evenly.
- Bake for 30 minutes at 350F, removing from the oven and stirring/flipping every 10 minutes. You’re looking for a brown/crispy texture. [Note: cook for an additional 5+ minutes if they aren’t crispy enough].
- Put a large pot of water and salt on high heat and bring to a boil.
- Roughly chop the bacon and add to a sauté pan on high heat. Lightly crisp the bacon then add the chopped shallots. Once the shallots are slightly clear, add the minced garlic. After a few minutes, add the mushrooms and continue to stir on medium/high heat.
- Cut the green beans into half and add to the water when it starts boiling. Boil for 5 minutes then remove from the water and place in a bowl. When the mushrooms have cooked down and have a golden color, remove the entire bacon/scallion/garlic/mushroom mixture and place aside in a separate bowl.
- With the heat on medium/low, add 1 Tbl EVOO and 1 cup of the almond milk and stir with a metal whisk.
- Add half of the almond meal and whisk until it dissolves. Carefully add the rest of the almond milk and almond meal, whisking the mixture together over a medium simmer. Add 2 tsp sea salt and the 2 tsp pepper. Whisk until the gravy thickens slightly to the texture of heavy cream. Reduce the heat and add the bacon/mushroom mixture then stir.
- Add the green beans to the sauté pan and stir. Pour the entire mixture into a medium-sized casserole dish. Cover with aluminum foil & the lid (if you have one) and bake at 350F for 15 minutes.
- Remove the foil/lid and sprinkle the dried onions evenly on top.
- Place back in oven for 5 minutes at 350F uncovered. Enjoy!
Version 2:
- Break apart the onion discs so that you have rings. Toss them in the beaten egg and then coat each onion in the powdered pork rinds. Lay them out on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake at 300 for 30 – 45 minutes (or until they start to brown and look crispy). Remove from the oven and set aside and roughly chop up when cooled.
- Put the trimmed green beans in a large soup pot and cover with water. Set over medium heat and once it comes to a simmer, set the timer for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, drain and dunk in some cold or ice water to stop the cooking process.
- In a large sauté pan, melt the butter. Add the mushrooms and sauté until they’re reduced in size and browning.
- Add the coconut milk then whisk in the 2 tablespoons of arrowroot.
- Stir in the salt and pepper and let simmer, stirring continuously, for about 5 minutes.
- In a large bowl, toss the green beans with the mushroom gravy and chopped bacon.
- Pour into a 9×13” casserole dish, cover with aluminum foil, and bake at 350 for 40 minutes.
- Remove from oven, toss the chopped onions on top and return to the oven again (uncovered) at 350 for an additional 5 minutes.
- Serve warm.
Nutrition
Can this be made ahead and frozen?
After spending over an hour doing all of the prep, I’m so heartbroken that the instruction to add 2 tsp of sea salt to the gravy base totally ruined the whole dish — it was so insanely salty as to be inedible. Please consider changing the directions to add maybe 3/4 tsp sea salt and add more from there based on taste. I see I’m not the only commenter who had this experience! Thanks!!
I first made this recipe a few years ago, and it was a hit with everyone! I’m making it again this year, and am wondering if I can make the “base” of the recipe — the green beans with the gravy — the day before, then bake it and make the crisp onions the day of?
You absolutely can Becca!
Hello! I was wondering if you think this would still taste OK without the mushrooms? I am allergic 🙁
Yes, it’ll be fine without the mushrooms!
I made this last year for Thanksgiving and it was A HIT!! I’m so excited to bring it back again. Thank you for this great recipe!
I made Version 1 of this and it was amazing! A big hit, even with my not-so-paleo extended family. Even my, “Does it at least have swiss cheese in it?” sister liked it ha!
One thing, though- is 2 tsp of pepper a typo maybe??? It seemed like a ton to me, so I only used about a teaspoon and a half, and it was still very peppery. I’ll probably just use 1 teaspoon or 3/4 next time. Perhaps because I used ground pepper instead of cracked..?? I guess cracked would take up more space and thus end up being less. Hmm. Might’ve just solved my own conundrum there 😀
I made this recipe a few weeks ago to try it out for Christmas… it was delicious! I came back to make a list of what I need and the recipe has changed. Is there any way I can get the original recipe? I loved it with the shallots and garlic and almond meal… I really don’t want to change it. Thanks!
I have made your recipe numerous times and always come back to it for reference. However, the current recipe that’s posted (using pork rinds and coconut milk and arrowroot powder) is NOT the one that I have gotten from here in the past. I just hope I have a copy of the original one so I can continue to make it.
I made this but subbed 1 Tablespoon of arrowroot powder for the almond meal. I ended up adding a little add a little more almond milk and it turned out great!! Would definitely make again and didn’t even miss the dairy!
I’m so glad you liked it, Andrea!
Instead of using almond milk and almond meal to make a non-dairy cream sauce, would using Coffee Rich or another non-dairy heavy cream work?
It could!
I just made this tonight and it tastes amazing! My husband just found out he is diabetic, and we are going to a low carb diet, and this was just perfect, and does not sacrifice an ounce of taste or deliciousness, and is so satisfying and gives you all the flavor you want in a green bean casserole, but even better. You really outdid yourself with this recipe thank you!
I made this tonight with pork loin and red potatoes. I’m doing a whole 30, but I’m afraid tonight I definitely over-ate this side!! It was so good! I used coconut milk instead of almond milk. delicious!!!
I made this yesterday for a Boxing Day feast and it was fantastic! I love green bean casserole, but I haven’t been able to find a good paleo recipe for it… until now! This was the best green bean casserole I’ve ever had! Thanks for a great recipe.