Paleo Green Bean Casserole {GF, DF, Whole30}

This paleo green bean casserole is savory, creamy, and topped with both bacon and crispy fried onions!  It’s a healthier version of the classic casserole that’s gluten-free, dairy-free, Whole30 compliant and family approved!  It’s perfect for your holiday table or a cozy cold weather dinner.

I know that many of you have been waiting for this recipe and I couldn’t be happier to share it!  We made it through Halloween (yay!) and I have my eye on the prize – Thanksgiving!

Although Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday and I’ve posted stuffing recipes, sweet potato casserole, pies, cranberry sauce and more, I somehow forgot a really important one.

So, this is it – Paleo and Whole30 compliant green bean casserole.  You asked for it, I was craving it, and this year we don’t have to live without it.

What’s in green bean casserole?

The typical green bean casserole typically has the following three components:

• Green beans
• Cream soup
• French fried onions on top

The base for this Paleo Green Bean Casserole recipe is my Paleo & Whole30 cream of mushroom soup.  That soup is perfect for so many recipes this time of year and it was MADE for this casserole!

My homemade cream of mushroom soup provides that creamy savory quality that we love about a good green bean casserole.  And nope, it doesn’t end there – there’s so much more deliciousness to come with this casserole.

After the soup, we have the green beans (yes, duh) that I cooked just enough to soften, but not so much that they turned mushy.  Mushy green beans is a real nightmare for me – just a huge pet peeve.

Additionally we have more mushrooms, onions and garlic.  Because it just tastes so much better that way! Sauteeing onions and garlic is one of the biggest joys of cooking, in my opinion! You’ll mix all of these together to create the casserole, then you’ll top it off with some serious deliciousness!

For topping, we have bacon (I bet you guessed that was coming).  Also, don’t think I forgot the crispy fried onions to top the whole thing off.

How to Make Paleo French Fried Onions

There’s no way in heck I was going to leave off those special crispy fried onions and call this a green bean casserole! Here’s how to make the healthy version of fried onions:

1. First, melt some ghee in a skillet.
2. Next, dip sliced onion rings in dairy free milk.
3. Combine blanched almond flour and tapioca flour, salt, and onion powder in a large zip lock baggie, then add the milk-coated onions and shake the bag to “bread” them.
4. Fry the onion pieces in a single layer in the ghee. When one side is crispy and browned, flip the onions.
5. Finally, transfer the fried onions to a paper towel-lined plate to drain off the excess fat until you’re ready to use them to top your Whole30 green bean casserole.

Try not to devour the crispy fried onions alone before topping the casserole – the struggle is real, trust me!

Tips for Making Green Bean Casserole

• Use fresh green beans. I know green bean casserole is usually made with the canned stuff, but trust me on this. Fresh green beans take this Paleo side dish to a whole new level. Plus, you’ll avoid all of that extra sodium!
• Use nitrate-free bacon in both the casserole and on top. It’s a win-win!
• Saute the mushrooms, onions, and garlic in the bacon fat to really give this casserole an out-of-this-world flavor. You can never have enough bacon! (Okay, maybe you can, but you get my point.)
• Fry the crispy onions last. You don’t want to make the crispy onions too early in the process because they will totally lose the crisp factor if left out too long. I like to bake the casserole for about 15 minutes, then add the onions on top, and put it all back into the oven for another 10 minutes.

How long can you eat green bean casserole?

I ate this green bean casserole for every meal for two days and loved it. But you can actually keep leftover green bean casserole in the fridge for 3-5 days, reheating it in portions as needed.

Yes, it’s true that the onions are better “freshly fried” for that crispy texture.  But, the flavors were all there for the leftovers even if the topping missed some crunch.  And that means we have a leftover win right here!

Whether you’re making this as a holiday side dish or “just because” you feel like it, I know you’re going to love it!  So, let’s get that soup made, grab some bacon and start cooking!

Paleo Green Bean Casserole {GF, DF, Whole30}

Paleo Green bean casserole (Whole30)

This paleo green bean casserole is savory, creamy, topped with bacon and crispy fried onions! This healthier version of the classic casserole is gluten-free, dairy-free, refined-oil free and family approved! Perfect for your holiday table or a cozy cold weather dinner.

Author: Michele Rosen

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Course: Holiday Side Dish

Cuisine: Paleo, Whole30

Keyword: green bean casserole, green beans, paleo side dishes, whole30 green beans

Servings: 8 servings

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Ingredients

• 12 oz green beans fresh, trimmed
• 8-10 slices nitrate free bacon cut into pieces
• 4 oz white mushrooms sliced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1/4 cup onions minced
• 1 2/3 cups cream of mushroom soup click for my homemade recipe
• Salt and pepper to taste

Crispy Fried Onions:

• 1 large onion sliced thin
• 1/2 cup dairy free milk I used coconut
• 1/4 cup blanched almond flour
• 1/4 cup tapioca flour or arrowroot
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 cup ghee coconut oil or bacon fat for frying

Instructions

1. Have your cream of mushroom soup prepared and ready to go. Heat a large pot of salted water to boiling, then add green beans and boil 8-10 mins or until just fork tender (they’ll soften more in the oven). Drain and return to the pot.  

2. Meanwhile, heat a skillet over medium high heat and add the bacon pieces. Cook, stirring, until crispy, then drain on paper towel and set aside.  At this point, preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

3. Discard all but 1 Tbsp of the rendered bacon fat and return your skillet to med heat. Add the onions, mushrooms, and garlic and sauté until softened, about 3-5 minutes, stirring to prevent burning.
4. Add the mushroom onion mixture to the green beans, then pour in the mushroom soup and half the bacon, stir.
5. Transfer to a 1 1/2 qt. Casserole dish and bake in the preheated oven 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, add the crispy fried onions over the top (see below) and the remaining bacon, and continue to bake another 10 minutes. Serve right away and enjoy! Store leftovers tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

For the Fried Onions:

1. Heat a large skillet over medium/med-high heat and add the ghee. Place onions in a bowl and toss/coat with the dairy free milk. Add the almond flour, tapioca, salt and onion powder to a gallon size ziplock OR a large bowl. Toss onions in the dry mixture to fully coat.
2. Once skillet is smoking hot, add onions in a single layer. You’ll have to cook in 2 batches most likely. Adjust the heat if they started to brown too quickly.
3. Once the first side is golden brown, use tongs to flip. When both sides are golden, transfer to a paper towel lined plate to drain. During cooking, you can add more fat and adjust the heat as needed. Repeat until all onions are fried, then follow instructions above.

Recipe Notes

NOTE: You won’t want to make the onions too far ahead of time since they’ll lose their crispiness. I made them right after I put the casserole in the oven for the first time.

*Cook Time does not include the time needed to make the cream of mushroom soup.

Nutrition

Calories: 244kcal

Fat: 19g

Saturated fat: 9g

Cholesterol: 28mg

Sodium: 424mg

Potassium: 259mg

Carbohydrates: 12g

Fiber: 2g

Sugar: 2g

Protein: 6g

Vitamin A: 365%

Vitamin C: 8.6%

Calcium: 53%

Iron: 1.4%

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Want More Thanksgiving and Holiday Side Dish Recipes?  Try One of These!

Paleo Sweet Potato Casserole

Whole30 Butternut Sausage Apple Cranberry Stuffing (my fave!)

Ultimate Stuffed Acorn Squash 

Thanksgiving Stuffing with Pumpkin Bread

Paleo “Cornbread” Stuffing

Simple Homemade Cranberry Sauce

Whole30 Mashed Potatoes

“Candied” Sweet Potatoes 

“Candied” Maple Roasted Winter Squash

Maple Bacon Roasted Butternut Squash

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