Evelyn Rayner: Gluten-Free Green Bean Casserole

I was shocked at how much better the made from scratch, gluten-free green bean casserole tasted! WOW! It is infinitely tastier and full of real, pronounceable ingredients. Just once, give this homemade version a shot and let your taste buds thank you!

Green bean casserole was one my very favorites growing up. When our focus on eating turned allergy friendly and real food based, I knew this was a casserole I had to reinvent for our holiday celebrations.

Be warned, you will want to gobble all the crispy onions up, so try and save some for the casserole!

Gluten-Free Green Bean Casserole - Also dairy free with paleo options. | The Happy Housewife

Gluten-Free Green Bean Casserole

1 pound green beans (trimmed and cut (~ 2 inches))

For the Mushroom Sauce

3 tablespoons ghee (allowed butter, or avocado oil)
8 ounces mushrooms (finely diced)
1/2 cup finely diced onion
2 cloves garlic (minced)
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 1/2 tablespoons rice or coconut flour (use slightly less coconut flour)
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup full fat coconut or nut milk (unsweetened (or regular cream))
1/4 cup white wine
Up to 1 tablespoon lemon juice or 3 tablespoons allowed sour cream (optional)

For the Crispy Onions

1 medium size sweet or yellow onion quartered and thinly sliced. (I use my food processor)
1/2 cup rice flour (or 1/4 cup coconut flour + 1/4 cup arrowroot starch)
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 – 4 tablespoons any milk to get dry mixture just wet (like a batter)

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Blanch the beans in the boiling water for about 2-3 minutes. They will continue to cook in the oven, so you want them barely cooked and bright green.
Drain the beans and immediately rinse under cold water to stop the cooking. Set aside.

For the Mushroom Sauce

In a large skillet, melt the ghee over medium heat and add the mushrooms and onions. Saute until the onions are soft and the mushrooms are wilted, 5-7 minutes.
Stir in the garlic, thyme, and salt and saute for about a minute.
Stir in the flour, dispersing evenly. Stir in chicken broth, milk, and white wine, whisking into the vegetables.
Bring the mixture to a gentle boil to thicken, and turn off the heat. I like to add a touch of lemon or allowed sour cream for a little tang. Taste and decide for yourself.
Stir in the blanched beans and pour into a pan of your choosing. Size is not overly important as you are just heating the mixture through.
Place the pan in a 400 degree oven while you make the crispy onions. Set the timer for 30 minutes.

For the Crispy Onions

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add your fat for frying.
Place the sliced onions and all the dry ingredients into a bowl and stir.
Add the milk, a little at a time just until there is no dry flour left, like a batter.
When your oil is hot (test a onion and see if it immediately sizzles), add the onions in batches to the skillet. Do not crowd the onions. Flip when golden. Brown up the other side and remove to a paper towel lined plate while you continue with the rest on the onions. Continue to add oil if the pan becomes dry.
Top the green beans and continue to bake for the remainder of the 30 minutes. Casserole should be hot and bubbly.

This casserole can easily be made a couple of days in advance and then reheated in the oven. Just assemble the whole casserole (including the onions on top), cover and leave in the refrigerator until you are ready to bake.

If you are like me, recipes with more than 5 ingredients tend to be overwhelming. However, on holidays (like Thanksgiving or Christmas) I’m willing to tackle recipes that don’t seem as simple.

Once you’ve tasted this gluten-free green bean casserole, you’ll never go back to that cream of mushroom soup version.

Personally, I like creating gluten-free dishes because even though my family doesn’t have allergies, many of our extended family and friends do.

Creating foods that everyone can eat is something that makes me very happy.

The best part about this green bean casserole is that you can make it two to three days ahead of time and keep it in the fridge.

Cast iron skillets are my favorite for stove-top to oven recipes however any oven safe skillet will work. Remember teflon pans are usually not oven safe so check yours before making this casserole.

Gluten-Free Green Bean Casserole - Also dairy free with paleo options.