This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Knorr®. The opinions and text are all mine.
This year I am all about taking classic holiday dishes and giving them a lighter, modern twist.
Today’s task - the ultimate canned soup classic - Green Bean Casserole. However, we are ditching the canned mushroom soup, canned green beans, and canned crispy onions to make an incredibly tasty, fresh version of this beloved dish.
Trust me, it is so much better than the canned version and just as easy to make.
There are two secrets to making a lightened up Green Bean Casserole. The first is nailing that crispy onion topping without reaching for a can or deep fryer. The second, and most important, is creating a super flavorful mushroom gravy without depending on tons of heavy cream, butter, or canned soup. This is where my secret ingredient comes in.
One of my all-time favorite ways to build rich, deep flavor without a million ingredients or tons of fat is to use Knorr® Selects Vegetable Bouillon cubes. I like to think of these as little flavor bombs that add rich, deep, umami flavor without needing to spend hours making homemade stock or adding tons of spices and herbs. All the flavor you need is packed into these convenient little cubes.
The other reason I like using Knorr Select Bouillon cubes is that they are free from artificial flavors, colors, preservatives, and MSG – all of which can be common in bouillon cubes. This is a cleaner option, which I feel better about using.
Now that you know the secret, let’s talk about what makes this recipe so good. First – it starts with fresh green beans that are cooked until tender crisp. No mushy green beans in this casserole.
Next comes the mushroom gravy. It starts with cremini mushrooms sautéed in a touch of butter and lots of garlic. Once they get nice and tender, it’s time to make the gravy using low fat milk, whole wheat flour, and the Knorr Vegetable Bouillon.
The bouillon adds that rich, savory flavor that makes the gravy taste indulgent without using all the butter and heavy cream traditionally used in green bean casserole. This is tossed with the green beans.
To finish things off, you can’t have green bean casserole without the crispy onion topping. For mine, I always start with shallots, since they have plenty of onion flavor without the bite. Those are cooked down and then tossed with toasted Panko breadcrumbs and sliced almonds. The almonds add nuttiness and are always a good idea with green beans.
Everything takes a trip to the oven and within about 15 minutes, you have the most amazing, lightened up, flavor packed Green Bean Casserole. It should be on every holiday table in my opinion.
Can I make this in advance?
Since you want the green beans to be fresh with some crunch, I don’t recommend making this ahead of time. However, you can blanch the green beans and make the mushroom gravy 1-2 days in advance. Then just assemble and bake.
Recipe Ideas and Tips
- Kick up the holiday flavor with some fresh nutmeg in the mushroom gravy.
- For more onion flavor, use a red onion or sweet Vidalia onion in place of the shallots.
- Add fresh herbs like thyme or rosemary.
- For a gluten-free option, use gluten-free breadcrumbs.
- For a vegan option, use plant-based milk.
- If you love cheese, consider adding some Parmesan cheese to the breadcrumb topping and mushroom gravy.
Ready to make this recipe? I bought my Knorr Vegetable Bouillon at El Super or you can find it wherever Knorr products are sold.