Is green bean casserole a vegetable...?

Alright, I think you know what time it is!

This dish is an American classic, and a staple when it comes to traditional Thanksgiving Day feasts.

The problem with the "real" classic recipe? Everything in it besides the veggies is loaded with crap.

And this tends to be considered a "vegetable," oftentimes the only one served with the rest of the meal. Ew.

So, I sought to replace the cream of mushroom soup and French Fried Onions with alternatives that are way better for you but still taste delicious.

I got some of the substitution ideas from my aunt, who cut gluten and dairy just before the holidays last year. She was in charge of this dish for the family get-together, and I LOVED her version!

And I've never even liked green bean casserole that much. However, it still used corn flour and some other ingredients that I just thought could be made even better. Thus, this version was born!

Green Bean Casserole

Prep time: 30 minutes Cook time: ~35 minutes Total time: 1 hour, 5 minutes

Yield: 8-10 servings

Directions

Ingredients

Preheat oven to 350ºF.
Cover green beans in water & bring to a boil. Boil for 10 minutes, until beans are soft but not mushy. Drain once done.
Meanwhile, melt 2 Tbsp ghee in a skillet and sauté over medium heat 2 garlic cloves, 2/3 of the onion slices, and the sliced baby bella or white mushrooms. Cook until soft, but not soggy. Turn the heat off once they have reached doneness to your liking, even if beans are not done yet.
Melt the remaining 1/4 cup ghee using method of your choice. In a blender or food processor, combine coconut milk, portobellos, sea salt, black pepper, 4 cloves garlic, 1/4 cup ghee, and remaining 1/3 of the onion slices until a thick "cream of mushroom soup" has been formed. I know, it's not too pretty. But dang, it's tasty!
Grease a 9x13 baking dish with extra ghee and mix together the beans, mushroom + onion sauté, and "cream of mushroom." Once well-combined, bake for 20 minutes.
After the 20 minutes, remove the pan and spread French Fried Onions evenly along the top of the casserole. Bake for another 10 minutes.
At the very end, broil the casserole for 3-5 minutes to crisp up the top just a bit more. Serve hot (preferably with loved ones and some turkey!)

16 oz fresh green beans

1 sweet onion, sliced

8 oz white or baby bella mushrooms, sliced

1 can full-fat coconut milk

2 portobello mushrooms

1 Tbsp sea salt

1 Tsbp black pepper

6 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp ghee (AKA clarified butter), separated

1 batch French Fried Onions