San Francisco Inspired Healthy Green Bean Casserole Recipe

I have been preparing holiday get-togethers in Bay Area more than 20yrs. And by the way, there is one meal that is a must-have that one can never negotiate out of: green bean casserole.

But let's be honest. The traditional one, despite being comforting, tends to be heavy. It is full of tinned food and salt. I was living in San Francisco, where we are fond of fresh, local, and healthy food, and I had to make a more efficient version. A recipe that will still provide you with that creamy crispy comfort without the guilt.

I am very enthusiastic to tell you about my notorious Healthy green bean casserole recipe San Francisco secret. It is the one that my friends and family insist I do every year. It is made with fresh ingredients, homemade creamy sauce and it is so good. Believe me, even the finik-fink eaters (yes, even yours, who is 10) will like this.

Why I Switched to a Lighter Green Bean Casserole

My initial experience of living in San Francisco Bay Area made it clear to me that the residents are a food consciousness community. We possess wonderful farmers markets and availability of the freshest farm produce.

The old customary formula involves a great deal of tinned cream of mushroom soup. I discovered that there is too much sodium and other ingredients that I can not even pronounce in this soup. I think nothing tastes better than home cooked meals, as an accomplished cook.

My task was straightforward, and it was to make a new green bean casserole and make it even more delicious than the old one.

Better Beans Fresh Beans are better: Canned beans are mushy. We are using the fresh green beans and these retain their pretty-sounding snap and their rich color.
The Creamy, Homemade Sauce: We will replace the can with our own homemade rich and delicious mushroom sauce with a can of real butter, flour and milk (or a non-dairy version!).
A Crispy Topping upgrade: we are substituting the normal fried onions with a blend of crispy fried shallots or a home made panko crumb and onion mix. It's so much crunchier!

This substitution will ensure that one has a green bean casserole that is gourmet and at home on any San Francisco table.

You may also to read :- Best Diet Food's San Francisco for Weight Loss

My Easy, Homemade Mushroom Sauce (No Cans Needed!)

The secret sauce, this is it! You will never pick up a can of creamy base again as soon as you realize that it is as easy as this to make your own.

The ingredients of the Best Creamy Sauce:

2 tablespoons of butter (or olive oil to make the dish dairy-free green bean casserole)
1 cup fresh, sliced mushrooms (cremini or any type, I am fond of it)
$1/4$ cup of all-purpose flour
2 cups of milk (avoid using substitutes such as oat milk and almond milk to make the dish plant-based)
1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
$1/4$ teaspoon of garlic powder

Step-by-Step: Making the Rich Base

Fry the Shrooms: Add butter in pan and fry. Add the mushrooms and cook it until it becomes soft and brown. This gives out their rich, savory taste.
Make the Roux (The Thickener!): The mushrooms should be sprinkled with flour. Blend it in the course of a minute. This cooked flour mix is referred to as a roux and that is what makes the sauce thick!
Pour and Whisk Add milk gradually, and stir continuously. Keep whisking! It will begin to thicken and get smooth in approximately five minutes.
Season: Add powdered salt and pepper, and garlic. Taste it! Should it be sprinkled a bit more salt? You are the cook, and put seasoning on it just the way you prefer it.

Our Bay Area healthy holiday casserole would not be what it is without this mushroom cream sauce, which is homemade!

Getting the Green Beans Right: Tips from My Kitchen

This recipe requires the use of fresh green beans. You would like them to be gentle and yet with a little bite. We call this "al dente."

Preparation of Fresh Green Beans:

Wash Them Well Rinse: the fresh green beans, approximately 2 pounds, under cool water.
Trim the Ends: You have to do the very point of each bean, cut it off. I call this "trimming the tail." It's a great job for a helper!
Blanching is the Key: Blanching the green beans implies boiling them in a couple of minutes, and then immersing them in the ice water.
Boil: Add the trimmed beans into the pot of boiling salt water of approximately 3-4 minutes.
Ice Bath: Scoop them as fast as you can and place them in a bowl of ice-water. This prevents the cooking and leaves them a green color that is beautiful and bright!

This will only go a long way in ensuring that your casserole does not turn out watery and that your green bean side dish has the best texture.

The San Francisco Topping: Crispy Fried Shallots

Let's upgrade the topping! I also prefer fried shallots, which are crispy and not merely cans of fried onions. Shallots are the close relatives of the onion and are sweeter and milder in taste. Pre fried crispy shallots are available in most specialty shops in the Bay Area or you can make them yourself!

Healthy Green Bean Casserole Recipe San Francisco: The Full Details

This is a recipe that incorporates all that we have learned. It is an amazing low sodium option of green bean casserole that you can add to your holiday table.

Ingredients List:

2 pounds of fresh, green beans that have been blanched.
1 dish of your creamy mushroom sauce you made.
1 cup crispy fried shallots (or crispy onion top of your preference)
1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese (optional, but good)
Nutmeg (pinch) (my personal added touch)

The Assembly and Bake Directions:

Preheat: Get your oven hot! Turn it to 375°F (about 190°C).
Mix It Up: Blanching the green beans, the homemade mushroom sauce, the Parmesan cheese (assuming that you use it) and the pinch of nutmeg and blend gently in a large bowl.
Casserole Dish: Add the mix to a baking dish (I have used a 9x13 inch baking dish).
Bake Time 1: Bake the casserole, uncovered, 1520 minutes. The sauce has to be sputum and the beans have to be hot through.
The Crunch: Put the dish on the board and evenly sprinkle the top with the crispy fried shallots.
Bake Time 2: Return to the oven again and cook it another 5 minutes, only until the topping is hot and extra crispy.

To serve and have a fresh side of vegetable dish!

Pro-Tips for Your Healthy Green Bean Casserole Recipe San Francisco

I wish to have your casserole in the limelight! The following are some of the tricks I have picked over the years:

Make-Ahead Magic

You can get nearly all the work to do the day before!

Prep Day: Blanching and creamy mushroom sauce Prep Day: Prep the green beans by blanching and also prepare the creamy mushroom sauce. Separately keep them in the refrigerator.
Game Day: On the day of your party all you need to do is to add in the beans and the sauce, pour it into the dish and pop it in the oven! The crispy topping should not be added until the end. It is an excellent holiday recipe to make.

Try New Flavors!

Want to spice things up?

Garlic and Herbs: Add a little minced fresh garlic and 1 tab of fresh thyme or rosemary to your mushroom sauce.
Spicy Kick: Add a pinch of cayenne pepper to the sauce and it adds a fun little kick to this San Francisco holiday recipe.

Conclusion

This Healthy green bean casserole recipe San Francisco is, really, one recipe that is going to become a part of your holiday repertoire. It is new, crisp and looks like the Bay Area love of wholesome and quality ingredients.

I also enjoy preparing this meal since I am confident that I am providing my guests with something warm, homemade, and rich in its flavor. It is the ideal, more light-hearted version of a classic.

FAQs

The most frequent questions I receive concerning this recipe are the following:

Is this recipe gluten-free?

It can be! All you need to do to it to make it a gluten-free green bean casserole is substitute all-purpose flour in the mushroom sauce with a gluten-free mix of flour (such as rice or cup-for-cup blend). Other ingredients are gluten-free by nature!

Can I use frozen green beans?

Yes, you can! But they can be watery. Do not blanch them. Rather they should be heated to full capacity and dried thoroughly by using a paper towel then blended into the sauce. Fresh is preferable whenever making a fresh side dish but purée frozen is a safe option.

What should be the favorite topping to this casserole?

A combination of panko crumbs toasted, Parmesan, and a small amount of butter is perfect as the healthiest choice! But when it comes to the traditional taste, there is no better alternative to store-bought or homemade crispy fried onions/shallots. It is what makes this creamy holiday casserole famous as it gives crunch to it!