Countdown to Thanksgiving: Green Bean Casserole Turns 55 -- Time for a Makeover?

Green Bean Casserole was never part of my traditional Thanksgiving lineup. Which is odd since it’s been a Thanksgiving icon for 55 years. Yes, this year marks the 55th anniversary of the green bean casserole, invented by Campbell Soup Company in 1955 to prompt happy housewives to buy more cream of mushroom soup.

Related Recipes:
Sweet Potato Casserole & More Thanksgiving Casserole Recipes
Easy Thanksgiving Side Dishes
Easy Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipes

I always thought that my Thanksgiving dinner covered all the bases—ample side dishes, casseroles, two kinds of stuffing, dessert and of course the turkey. But apparently, I’d been cheated out of this Thanksgiving icon my whole life. So I decided on a whim to see what I was missing. I bought the whole shebang—the condensed cream of mushroom soup, the French-cut green beans and the French’s original French Fried Onions in a can. I whipped it up and it was delicious. I’m not going to lie. But it was also high in calories, sodium and saturated fat. Since Thanksgiving is already somewhat of an overindulgence, I wanted to scale back on the processed ingredients and make a healthier, fresher version to enjoy at my Thanksgiving table.

Related Makeovers:
Save 1,273 Calories with This Thanksgiving Menu
Find Out How We Cut 63 Grams of Fat From This Classic Thanksgiving Dinner

We developed a healthier version of green bean casserole in the EatingWell Test Kitchen a few years back, so I made that recipe the following week to see how it compared flavorwise. I liked it better. Sure, it’s easier to open up a few cans of soup and throw on prepackaged fried onions, but I found that our version had more depth of flavor and, nutritionally, it was better for me.

Here’s what we did and how our version compares to a traditional version. See our recipe below:

• We cut the sodium by taking out the canned soup. Instead, we made our own white sauce and used fresh mushrooms.


• Butter adds richness, but also adds saturated fat. So do full-fat milk and sour cream—all ingredients you can find in traditional versions of green bean casserole. We call for low-fat milk and reduced-fat sour cream. We also use buttermilk powder, which adds tang. You get tons of flavor and 8 grams less saturated fat than traditional versions.


• We cut calories by skipping the canned fried onions and sautéing our own. Tossing fresh onion slices with flour and seasoning and pan-frying them in just a small amount of oil gives you the texture and flavor of the canned version without all the calories.

Green Bean Casserole

Active time: 30 minutes | Total: 45 minutes

This healthy revision of green bean casserole skips the canned soup and all the fat and sodium that come with it. Our white sauce with sliced fresh mushrooms, sweet onions and low-fat milk makes a creamy, rich casserole.

3 tablespoons canola oil, divided
1 medium sweet onion (half diced, half thinly sliced), divided
8 ounces mushrooms, chopped
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 1/4 teaspoons salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2/3 cup all-purpose flour, divided
1 cup low-fat milk
3 tablespoons dry sherry (see Ingredient Note)
1 pound frozen French-cut green beans (about 4 cups)
1/3 cup reduced-fat sour cream
3 tablespoons buttermilk powder (see Ingredient Note)
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat a 2 1/2-quart baking dish with
cooking spray.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook, stirring often, until softened and slightly translucent, about 4 minutes. Stir in mushrooms, onion powder, 1 teaspoon salt, thyme and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the mushroom juices are almost evaporated, 3 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle 1/3 cup flour over the vegetables; stir to coat. Add milk and sherry and bring to a simmer, stirring often. Stir in green beans and return to a simmer. Cook, stirring, until heated through, about 1 minute. Stir in sour cream and buttermilk powder. Transfer to the prepared baking dish.

3. Whisk the remaining 1/3 cup flour, paprika, garlic powder and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in a shallow dish. Add sliced onion; toss to coat. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion along with any remaining flour mixture and cook, turning once or twice, until golden and crispy, 4 to 5 minutes. Spread the onion topping over the casserole.

4. Bake the casserole until bubbling, about 15 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Makes 6 servings, about 3/4 cup each.

Per serving: 212 calories; 10 g fat (2 g sat, 5 g mono); 10 mg cholesterol; 23 g carbohydrate; 7 g protein; 3 g fiber; 533 mg sodium; 259 mg potassium.

Nutrition bonus: Calcium (16% daily value).

1 1/2 Carbohydrate Servings

Exchanges: 1/2 starch, 1 vegetable, 2 fat

Ingredient Notes:

Don't use the high-sodium "cooking sherry" sold in many supermarkets. Instead, purchase dry sherry sold with other fortified wines.

Look for buttermilk powder, such as Saco Buttermilk Blend, in the baking section or with the powdered milk in most supermarkets.

What Thanksgiving side dish would you like to see made healthier?

By Hilary Meyer

Hilary Meyer is assistant editor for EatingWell Media Group. Hilary spends much of her time in the EatingWell Test Kitchen, testing and developing healthy recipes. She is a graduate of New England Culinary Institute. More from EatingWell:

• Our Complete Thanksgiving Guide: Recipes, Menus, Planners and Cooking Tips
• Entertaining Made Simple: 15-Minute Appetizers and Drinks
• Impressively Easy Thanksgiving Dessert Recipes
• Get a Free Trial Issue When You Subscribe to EatingWell Magazine and Sign Up for Our Free E-Newsletters!

 

Follow EatingWell on Twitter: www.twitter.com/eatingwell

Comments

[dmsdzinr]

01:58 PM on 11/22/2010

NEVER liked it, NEVER will.

[traceymarie]

10:22 PM on 11/22/2010

I am with you, my husban grew up on that junk and it took me 15 years to break that nasty habit.

[clljsg]

02:38 PM on 11/20/2010

This recipe looks very tasty. I never liked green bean casserole just because of the lack of flavor. It always just tasted like more gravy and butter which is already provided in other dishes. The sound of paprika, thyme, sherry, sauteed onions and fresh mushrooms is already making my mouth water! Definitely will be giving this a try. Thanks for sharing!

[mtomto]

10:47 AM on 11/19/2010

Good Lord its one day a year---give the healthy police a day off already.

[fourthestatepost]

08:52 PM on 11/19/2010

I second that.

[msperry1123]

12:53 PM on 11/18/2010

All year long, I eat my vegetables fresh, either in a salad or steamed. However, on Thanksgiving, I make the traditional green bean casserole, cans and all, but I add toasted sliced almonds and lots of grated cheddar and monterrey jack cheese. Not healthy at all, but tastes amazing.

[mtomto]

10:47 AM on 11/19/2010

Right on. Go for it. Its one day for goodness sake.

[catsanon]

07:42 AM on 11/17/2010

I learned I had celiacs many years ago. My wfe's family wanted to keep the Thanksgiving meal as gluten free as possible, so my wife started making a variation of this casserole by making a white sauce with rice flour and fresh chopped mushrooms, and omitting the onion topping. Not nearly as complex as the preceeding recipe, but several family members have said they prefer the new version.

[cpad]

01:21 AM on 11/17/2010

Pfft! How dare you mess with perfection?

[Barn Owl]

12:14 AM on 11/17/2010

I really don't get the obsession with this mushy, processed dish. I am very confused. Fresh green beans with a little cream and sauteed mushrooms, topped with crispy shallots could be good though. And not difficult at all.

[traceymarie]

10:23 PM on 11/22/2010

bravo, that sounds like good food, not that canned mush of yuck people covet on thanksgiving.

[newtom]

03:41 PM on 11/16/2010

Now let's talk about jello molds. I can't tell you how grateful I was every time my ex-MIL FORGOT to put it on the table until after I had already eaten most of my meal. Too full for another bite. So sad (not). I think the worst one was lime jello, shredded cabbage and chopped green olives. It might also have had cottage cheese in it. And there was a different shaped mold for each holiday!

I'd eat the concentrated mushroom soup straight out of the can before I'd take a bite of those concoctions.

[margoharris]

12:47 PM on 11/19/2010

I make a green jello mold, but mine is yummy, IMHO. Lime jello, cream cheese, cottage cheese chopped walnuts, crushed pineapple and celery diced very small mix it all together and chill.....I really like it but my husband wants no part of the "green mold" that's okay everybody else loves it.
Love green bean casserole, I add sliced water chestnuts into thin strips and lots of fried onions!! I am really getting hungry now.

[justthebreeze]

01:24 PM on 11/16/2010

Well, I always loved green bean casserole but haven't wanted to make it in recent years because I just don't want to use canned cream of mushroom soup or the processed fried onions. So I am a perfect recipient of this recipe. I find it hard to figure out how to replace these things myself. I'm very happy to have the new way to do it, and I think I'll be adding it to my Thanksgiving plans. Thank you!

[MajorKong]

12:44 PM on 11/16/2010

If you throw a pot-luck in the Midwest, roughly 10 people will bring this unless you specify otherwise.

[skjn62]

12:23 AM on 11/17/2010

So true! LOL!

[antaeus]

12:22 PM on 11/16/2010

My mother-in-law, whose cooking aspires to high school cafeteria but often falls short, introduced me to this dish. It is often joined by another casserole containing a mixture of frozen hash browns, pre-grated processed cheddar, and Philadelphia cream cheese. Fresh? Fresh from the oven. It's easy not to overeat at her place.

[Michael Valentine]

11:45 AM on 11/16/2010

Cream of Mushroom soup is the beginning and end-all for white trash cooking.

Where would we be without Tuna noodle casserole on Fridays? The flashy among us put green peas in it in an attempt to add some healthy stuff but is it needed? Nope it's all good with some Cream of Mushroom soup.

[TucsonEd]

03:44 PM on 11/16/2010

LOLOLOL "Cream of Mushroom soup is the beginning and end-all for white trash cooking"
I NEVER thought of it exactly like that but you're right.
I always said "any dish that involves using canned soup is NOT good eating" but I like your statement much better. thanks.

[HRH]

05:43 PM on 11/16/2010

There are terrific tuna casserole recipes online that don't involve canned soup. (Make yer own white sauce. Saute yer own mushrooms. Use Gruyere cheese, REAL Gruyere.) Uh, oh, sliding down the slippery slope toward French peasant cuisine. Could do worse!

[progressivegreg]

11:36 AM on 11/16/2010

That recipe (while looking very tasty) IS NOT green bean casserole. Call it something else, but not the dish of my youth.

[IsabelRingin]

10:04 AM on 11/16/2010

I have never had green bean casserole in my entire life. But I admit to being curious about it. It was never part of my family's holiday fare, plus my mother held cooks who used canned soup in the lowest regard (also, anyone who couldn't bake a cake from scratch and resorted to mixes). Your revised recipe looks tempting, but I don't know... I may skip green bean casserole for another year.

[progressivegreg]

11:38 AM on 11/16/2010

Please do not, it is a very tasty (yea not healthy) Thanksgiving tradition. My "feast" is not complete without the original.

[IsabelRingin]

02:28 PM on 11/16/2010

Thanks for the recommend. I may have to reconsider.

[TucsonEd]

03:47 PM on 11/16/2010

Don't do it Isabel. The horror remains long after the casserole is gone. Your mom is a woman after my own heart. I hold the same opinions.

[IsabelRingin]

04:13 PM on 11/16/2010

(LOL) My mom was a great cook, I bet you are too. I appreciate your concerns, but I'm going to have to try it sometime for myself and see what all the fuss is about.

[GraceNotes]

09:34 AM on 11/16/2010

I saw Sara Moulton do a "fresh" and from scratch version of the green bean casserole on TV a few years ago. Fresh beans, white sauce with fresh mushrooms, and real fried onions. Looked quite yummy to me. But for Thanksgiving, I would rather have my mom's asparagus casserole. Although she uses canned asparagus, she makes her own white sauce. It is wonderful!

[HRH]

05:47 PM on 11/16/2010

Alton Brown at Food Network has an great recipe for GBC.

NB: His onions are dicey. Do canned or cheese/breadcrumbs alternative topping.