Keto Green Bean Casserole is the ultimate holiday side dish. This healthier low carb recipe features a rich mushroom cream sauce and a crunchy, cheesy topping.
When it comes to holiday feasts, the side dishes often play the starring role. The turkey is great, and the standing rib roast is divine, but everyone has their favorite sides that they look forward to all year long.
But side dishes can also be the hardest part to figure out when you embark on a keto diet. Many of them are incredibly starchy and full of excess carbohydrates.
Rest assured that you don’t need to forego all of your old favorites. Potatoes might off limits, but this Keto Green Bean Casserole is going to blow your old version out of the water!
It’s so good, you may decide to enjoy it all year long.
Why you need this recipe
I’ve never been a huge fan of the traditional, as it usually relies on canned green beans and gelatinous pre-made cream of mushroom soup. I much prefer my beans to be fresh and slightly crisp, and my mushrooms to be sautéed to perfection.
But this keto green bean casserole strikes all the right notes, with that amazing umami you can only get from homemade keto cream sauce. Plus a cheesy, crunchy topping made with crushed Parmesan crisps. So yummy and so much healthier.
Trust me, making your own mushroom sauce isn’t much more work than opening a can of soup. And it’s so worth i! Not only do you avoid all the junky ingredients but you also get incredible depth of flavor.
And this healthier green bean casserole has only 5g net carbs per serving!
Reader testimonials
Thanksgiving is next week, so I made this green bean casserole tonight for practice. WE LOVE IT! So much better than traditional canned soup version! Fresh bean, fresh mushrooms, and so much healthier! — Gail
This was absolutely amazing! I followed the directions exactly and the whole family raved about it. Will be making this for company. — Corrie
I made this for Easter supper today and all my family liked it better than the “regular” GBC. I used the quisinart to cut the mushrooms up smaller and didn’t have quite enough Mozzeralla so I added a small bit cheddar. It was SO good!! — Shelley
Ingredients you need
- Avocado oil: You can also use olive oil or coconut oil.
- Green beans: Use fresh green beans. They should be plump and crisp and easily trimmed by snapping the ends off.
- Mushrooms: I like to use small cremini or button mushrooms.
- Garlic: You can swap in 1 small shallot for the garlic, if you like. Both provide wonderful flavor.
- Dry white wine: This provides a unique acidity and depth of flavor that you don’t get in traditional green bean casserole. But you can easily substitute with chicken broth.
- Heavy whipping cream: Heavy cream helps thicken the sauce without the use of any flours or thickeners. Some of my readers have substituted this with coconut cream.
- Shredded cheese: This keto green bean casserole is delicious with mozzarella, cheddar, gruyere, or any cheese you prefer.
- Parmesan crisps: Using crushed Parmesan crisps gives a wonderful crunch to the topping, in place of the high carb fried onions. You can also use crushed pork rinds.
- Kitchen staples: Butter, salt, pepper.
Step-by-step directions
1. In a large skillet, heat the avocado oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the green beans and sauté until bright green, about 4 minutes. Spread the beans evenly in a medium-sized glass or ceramic baking dish.
2. Add the butter and melt. Add the mushrooms and cook in butter until they are nicely browned, to bring out the umami flavor. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more.
3. Add the wine to the skillet and let cook until reduced by about two thirds. Stir in the heavy whipping cream and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer until thickened, 4 or 5 minutes.
4. Pour the sauce over the beans and sprinkle with the shredded cheese. Bake at 350ºF for 20 minutes. Remove and sprinkle with the crumbled parmesan crisps and bake another 5 minutes.
Expert tips
When making a keto sauce with heavy cream, you shouldn’t need any thickeners. Simply cook the cream down until it reduces and thickens on its own. Coconut cream may not thicken as well, so you can whisk in 1/4 tsp xanthan gum if you find the cream sauce very thin.
If you are prepping this recipe ahead, leave off the crumbled cheese crisps until you re-heat the casserole. They tend to soften as they sit. The same goes for crushed pork rinds, which can become very chewy as they soften.
Like any green bean recipe, this Keto Green Bean Casserole is best served soon after you bake it. However, you can prep it a day or two ahead and bake it when you need it. Any leftovers should be stored in the fridge and consumed within a few days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, green beans are a good choice for the keto diet. According to the USDA database, 1 cup (100g) of raw chopped beans has 7g of carbohydrate and 3.4g of dietary fiber.
Traditional versions of this side dish have quite a few carbs from the canned mushroom soup and the french fried onion topping. However, this keto green bean casserole recipe has 6.7g of carbs and 1.7g of fiber per serving. That amounts to only 5g net carbs.
Yes, you certainly can. Just follow the recipe and prepare the casserole up to the point of baking it, but leave off the cheese crisps. Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Then bake as directed in Step 5.
More delicious holiday side dishes:
- Creamy Keto Mashed Cauliflower
- The Best Keto Stuffing
- Keto Flatbread with Mushrooms and Sage
- Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts
- Twice Baked Spaghetti Squash
- Roasted Delicata Squash
Keto Green Bean Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 lb (453.59 g) green beans, washed, trimmed, and cut in half
- 2 tbsp butter
- 6 ounces (170.1 g) crimini or button mushrooms, sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup (120 g) dry white wine, (or chicken broth)
- 1 cup (238 g) heavy whipping cream
- Salt and pepper
- ¾ cup (84 g) shredded cheese, cheddar, mozzarella, etc.
- ½ cup (50 g) Parmesan crisps, crumbled
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
- In a large skillet, heat the avocado oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the green beans and sauté until bright green, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
- Add the butter to the skillet and let melt, then add the mushrooms and cook until browned and they have begun to release their juices, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more. Transfer to a medium glass or ceramic baking dish.
- Add the wine to the skillet and let cook until reduced by about two thirds. Stir in the heavy whipping cream and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer until thickened, 4 or 5 minutes.
- Pour the sauce over the green beans and sprinkle with the shredded cheese. Bake 20 minutes. Remove and sprinkle with the crumbled parmesan crisps and bake another 5 minutes.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.
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These are THE BOMB! Such amazing flavors & textures.
Carolyn, you are awesome! I love your inventiveness! I’d love your suggestions to have the umami-ness without mushrooms. I love ???? mushrooms but medically need to avoid them????. so I’m hoping to figure out a substitute for this favorite holiday dish.
thank you for ALL you share (generosity), your knowledge and your beautiful smile.
Lisa
Carolyn, sorry, I didn’t think anyone else would ask. I should have read through the comments first. sorry.
Carolyn and all who need a mushroom substitute,
I found it! first, I mostly caramelize a thin sliced onion in the butter after the green beans. I removed the onions to the bowl and then caramelized (one small) zucchini and (one small, peeled) eggplant, both minced. I added the garlic as if it were the mushrooms. and then added about 2 TBLS of Nutritional yeast flakes. I also added a pinch of nutmeg to the sauce just before combining with the veggies. Then I continued with the recipe as directed.
I feel like Rocky at the top of the stairs!
I hope other people find this helpful.
Lisa
Best green bean casserole ever! I’ve never made my own before (let alone without using canned soup!) but this was so good. I’m shocked at how flavorful the sauce is. A couple changes I made: vegetable broth instead of chicken broth (forgot to get wine and made it for a party where a vegetarian was present); although not low carb, I used store-bought fried onions and crushed up some parmesan garlic kettle-cooked potato chips for the topping (again, for the party); and I chopped up the mushrooms (used a store-bought mix of cremini, baby bella, and oyster mushrooms) very small since not everyone loves the texture. When I make this again for myself—because it’s too good to save for just the holidays—I will definitely be trying the parmesan crisps on top so I can eat this basically guilt-free. Thank you for this amazing recipe!
Carolyn, any recommendations for substitutes for the mushrooms? I have two family members who are allergic. On top of that, I am both Keto and Low FODMAP.
Thank you in advance!
HOw about skipping them and doing the green beans with an alfredo style sauce? Like this, although without the sausage (unless you want it): https://alldayidreamaboutfood.com/keto-sausage-alfredo-sauce/
Then pour the sauce over, top with cheese, and bake.
I found something! seem my comments above yours. I asked Carolyn also and I wanted to share with you and her. it is possible!
Are the parmesan crisps a commercial product, or do you have a recipe for them?
I just buy the commercial brand like Whisps.
I was just wondering, can it be cooking wine, or should I get a regular dry white wine? Thanks!
Either works. If you have a bottle on the go, it’s great.
Hi Carolyn! I’m wondering if I could make pork rind crumbs (add butter, mix) instead of the parm crisps and if it will work well and not ruin it. The recipe sounds great for my family.
Just add crushed pork rinds! It will be great that way.
I made this for Easter supper today and all my family liked it better than the “regular” GBC. I used the quisinart to cut the mushrooms up smaller and didn’t have quite enough Mozzeralla so I added a small bit cheddar. It was SO good!! Thank you for sharing this recipe, it’s become a new favorite.
Sounds great!
Carolyn, I love your recipes, but I would sure live one for Baked Beans. I crave them every year for Easter.
I have no idea how I would make beans low carb, though.
It may sound crazy but Organic Black Soybeans make the most DELICIOUS baked beans! Here is a link: https://kimspireddiy.com/keto-beans-best-low-carb-baked-beans-ketogenic-diet-recipe-appetizer-side-dish-lunch-dinner-completely-keto-friendly-beginner/
They do need to realize that is black soybeans and not just black beans.
This recipe sounds fantastic and I plan to try it. What a great idea to use those parmesan crisps for a topping! I was wondering if you’ve tried making it ahead of time and putting it into the fridge, completing all steps up until the baking time? I wonder if it would separate or get watery or gloppy-if you know what I mean? I’d like to pre-make it if it wouldn’t change the final outcome. Thoughts?
The topping won’t stay crisp if you do that. Keep that separate until ready to cook.
I used chicken broth instead of white wine, and I did all the prep up until before adding the mot-cheese and parm-crisps topping and refrigerated it early in the day. Right before dinner, I added the toppings and baked it. Winner! It turned out great and everyone really loved it. Thanks for the delicious recipe! I can’t wait to make it again as sadly, there were no leftovers…
What can I use to substitute white wine? I was thinking either 1/8 C balsamic or apple cidar vinegar & 3/8 C broth. I can’t use wine of any kind. Thank you!
More broth is fine.
Thanksgiving is next week, so I made this green bean casserole tonight for practice. WE LOVE IT! So much better than traditional canned soup version! Fresh bean, fresh mushrooms, and so much healthier! My extended family will be thrilled, and I have a good feeling that this recipe is going to become a new Thanksgiving tradition (and my family is ALL about tradition)!
Thank you for creating this wonderful holiday (really anytime) side.
Yay!
I wonder what you could use to substitute for the mushrooms. I know its classic, but hubby asked me not to put them in… should I just omit them?
Yes, just leave them out.
Last Thanksgiving I told everyone that I would bring this dish to pass. I was told fine, but we’re still making the traditional (high carb) as well. Except for one other member, none of the family does Keto. I got a call the next week asking me to bring this to the Christmas get-together. It was a HUGE hit, and a definite “go to” recipe for me!! Thanks Carolyn!
That makes me so happy to hear!
This sounds so good! Any ideas how to make it dairy free?
Sorry, I don’t really know. I don’t think cheese replacements melt very well.
Fantastic! We all really liked this. I used coconut milk in place of the heavy cream for less dairy and couldn’t taste the difference. I probably added about 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. I liked the crunchy topping.