Photo: Green Bean Casserole - Slimmed Recipe
Our slimmed down version of this classic offers the creamy mushroom flavor, the sweet tang of onions, and the crunch you expect from Green Bean Casserole, with 60 percent less calories and 80 percent less fat.
Ingredients
- 3 to 4 medium shallots, in their skins
- Kosher salt, plus 1 1/2 teaspoons
- 1 pound fresh green beans, stemmed, and halved crosswise
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced (about 4 cups)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups mushroom, vegetable, or chicken broth (see Cook's Note)
- 3 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Vegetable cooking spray
- 1 cup fresh bread crumbs
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Put the shallots (in their skins) on a small baking dish, roast until soft, about 30 minutes. When cool enough to handle, skin and coarsely chop the shallots. Set aside.
Bring a medium-large saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Add kosher salt, to taste. Add the green beans, and cook, uncovered, until crisp-tender and bright green, about 3 minutes. Drain the beans in a colander and rinse with cold water. Transfer the beans to a large bowl.
In the same saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, season with 1 teaspoon salt, cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 7 minutes. Add the mushrooms to the beans.
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until golden, about 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in the broth, increase the heat to high, and bring to a boil. Add the shallots, 1 teaspoon of the thyme, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and cook until thickened, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Pour the sauce over the vegetables and stir to combine evenly.
Spray a 2-quart baking dish with vegetable cooking spray. Transfer the vegetable mixture to the pan. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons of thyme to bread crumbs and scatter over the vegetables. Bake uncovered until the sauce bubbles and the crumbs brown, about 20 minutes.
Cook's Note: There has been an explosion of prepared broths on the market. We particularly like the mushroom broth in the aseptic packaging. However, for this recipe, make sure you don't use an Asian-style mushroom broth. If you can't find mushroom, a vegetable or chicken broth is a suitable substitute.
Tips: - When sauteing mushrooms, salt them right away--they will release moisture and you can use less oil - 1 cup fresh bread crumbs has less calories than 1 cup dried - Roasting whole shallots is an excellent way to cook them using absolutely no fat
Copyright 2002 Television Food Network, G.P. All rights reserved
Serves: 6; Calories: 187; Total Fat: 7.5 grams; Saturated Fat: 3 grams; Protein: 6 grams; Total carbohydrates: 26 grams; Sugar: 4 grams; Fiber: 4 grams; Cholesterol: 10 milligrams; Sodium: 669 milligrams
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By sarasan
on November 22, 2011
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I've made this recipe for years and it's always been a HUGE hit! I can't tell you how many times I've been asked for the recipe.
The one substitution we've made started the first year and we have made the same "mistake" every year since. I suffered a cooking-related injury the night before Thanksgiving which resulted in my mom being pressed into service helping me finish dinner (she's not quite the foodie I am..._.
We roasted the shallots as instructed but also roasted an entire head of garlic at the same time which was intended for the mashed potatoes. My mom ended up putting the entire roasted head of garlic in the green beans instead and they were AMAZING! I usually make a little extra sauce just because I tend to buy too many mushrooms. The breadcrumbs aren't really necessary, I've left them out many times and just browned the top of the yummy creamy sauce. Enjoy!
By rbelvin18_5989930
Conroe, TX
on April 03, 2009
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didnt care for this one
By diane_1214518
mountain view, CA
on December 01, 2006
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too much breadcrumbs.
not enough white sauce.
bland.
Read all 5 reviews