This low carb Supreme Green Bean Casserole is everything the other one wishes it was: rich, creamy, flavorful and made from wholesome ingredients – oh! and it’s keto & gluten-free!
Green bean casserole. Is there any side more iconic around the Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter holidays? I don’t think there is. Developed in the Campbell’s test kitchen in the 1960’s as an easy side for the home cook, green bean casserole is a side that many people wouldn’t do with out during the holidays.
For those who are not familiar with this popular American side, the original recipe called for canned green beans, canned condensed soup, canned french fried onions, milk and soy sauce – all thought to be staples found in most American pantries at the time.
Over the years, many variations of green bean casserole have been developed by creative cooks and this version, Green Bean Supreme, is one of my favorites. If you are interested in reading about the history of the green bean casserole read this great NPR article.
I’ve been making this version of green bean casserole for several years now. My mother-in-law introduced me to the original recipe which calls for flour – not gluten-free or low carb.
My recipe is gluten-free and low carb, and it’s amazing. The green beans are perfectly cooked and the casserole is made from wholesome ingredients. I like to use fresh green beans, but I suppose one could use frozen or canned. The longest part of preparing the dish is trimming the beans and cooking the bacon which I often do the day before.
By the way, I have to ask… you cook your bacon on a sheet pan in the oven, right? Restaurants have been cooking bacon this way for years and so have I. This method results in evenly cooked bacon and a nice bit of bacon fat for the dripping jar. And even better, it requires no babysitting and your stove stays nice and clean. (400 degrees for about 20 minutes)
The beauty of this Supreme Green Bean Casserole Recipe is that it can be prepped 1-2 days in advance and sit in the fridge until you’re ready. And since the base is mainly a thick, creamy, cheese sauce – it’s easy to prepare.
If you do prepare it a day or two ahead make sure to heat it up for about 8 minutes on low power in the microwave before putting in the oven. Why? This supreme green bean casserole doesn’t cook in the oven but rather heats through to bubbling. I absolutely love it and my family does, too!
Supreme Green Bean Casserole is 4 net carbs per serving
This low carb Supreme Green Bean Casserole is everything the other one wishes it was: rich, creamy, flavorful and made from wholesome ingredients - oh! and it's keto & gluten-free!
- 1 pound green beans, trimmed and cooked to your liking
- 1/3 pound bacon, cooked and chopped
- 3 ounces onion, minced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 4 tablespoons dry white wine or dry vermouth
- 1 tablespoon minced parsley
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons bacon drippings or fat of choice
- 6 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 3 ounces cheddar cheese, grated
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 3/4 cup unsalted chicken stock/broth
- 1/2 - 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/3 cup pork rinds, crushed (or low carb bread crumbs),
- 1/8 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1-2 teaspoons olive oil
- Prepare: Preheat oven to 350 and position the rack in the middle of the oven. Butter an oven proof casserole dish.
- Cook green beans to your liking. (I like to put them in a microwaveable bowl with 2 tablespoons of water, cover them, and steam them on high power for 4-5 minutes. Then I test for done-ness, uncover and drain.) Place the green beans into a large bowl with the chopped bacon and mix.
- Mince the onion, garlic, and parsley, keeping them separate and zest the lemon.
- Supreme or Creamy Cheese Sauce: Heat a large skillet (I use a non-stick) over medium high heat and add the bacon drippings when the pan is hot. Add the minced onion and saute until translucent - about 2-3 minutes. Then add the garlic and saute for 1-2 minutes until soft. Turn the heat down to medium and add the parsley, lemon zest and wine. Saute for about a minute or until the smell of the alcohol has burned off. Add the softened cream cheese and break it up in the pan so that it melts more easily. Add the chicken broth little by little and whisk to combine until the cream cheese has melted. Turn the heat to medium-low and let the sauce bubble a little to combine flavors and thicken slightly. Add the cheddar cheese, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper. Whisk and taste to adjust seasoning.
- Pour the sauce into the bowl with the green beans and bacon and stir together. Pour the green bean mixture into the buttered baking dish.
- Topping: Crush 1/2 ounce of pork rinds by putting them in a plastic zip-loc bag and hitting them with the flat end of a meat mallet or rolling pin. Pour the crumbs into a small bowl and add 1/8 teaspoon granulated garlic and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Then, add 1-2 teaspoons of olive oil and mix together with your fingers. Sprinkle over the casserole.
- Bake: Put the supreme green bean casserole in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until bubbly around the sides. Serve.
Note: make sure the beans are cooked to your liking before adding them to the cheese sauce - OR - you could let the casserole cook longer in the oven.
If the sauce is too thick for you, add 1/4 cup more chicken broth next time. It will be solid when refrigerated. Reheating will make it loose again.
Natalie says
This sounds amazing! It’s bean harvest season right now so I’m looking forward to making this! One question.. I don’t drink wine or vermouth, and don’t really want to buy any just for the recipe.. is there anything else (preferably non-alcoholic) I can sub instead?
Thanks!
Kim says
Thanks, Natalie. The wine or vermouth is just for extra flavor. You can omit. Enjoy the recipe, it is very rich. -Kim
Shannon says
I plan to make this for Easter dinner at my MIL’s house (after a test run, of course!). I think it’ll be a great fit because I eat low-carb and she needs something gluten-free. One question – how big a casserole dish should I use? Would 13×9 do it, or should I use something smaller? Thanks!
Kim says
Great question, Shannon. Use a 9×9 inch pyrex or something similar. I hope you enjoy the casserole. Have a great weekend. -Kim
jen says
What is the serving size?
Kim says
Hi Jen. The recipe serves 8. I visually divide it when I am serving. Next time I make it I will measure the serving. Have a nice evening. -Kim
Megan Mosley says
I can’t wait to try this! Looks delicious!
Sandi says
I tried this for today’s Thanksgiving feast, and they were amazing. They were the favorite low carb side dish at our table. I used carmelized onions mixed with crisp bacon and Parmesan cheese for the topping. So delicious!
Kim says
Sandi, I’m so glad your side was a hit. I love how you made it your own with the delicious sounding topping! Thanks so much for taking the time to comment. Have a wonderful week. -Kim
Katie says
Is there any way one could make this in a slow cooker? If so, how?
Kim says
Hi Katie, great question. I haven’t tried simply because I don’t use my crock pot very often. It was super easy for me to cook the beans in the microwave while making the sauce in a pan, then combining them. I use my saute pans for everything. Good luck on the crock pot method and have a wonderful Thanksgiving. -Kim
Sandy says
THIS is definitely getting made for Thanksgiving! Thank you for the recipe!!
Kim says
Great, Sandy. Have a wonderful week with family and friends. -Kim
Julie says
Hi Kim, I am looking forward to making this recipe and bringing to my mother-in-laws house. Pressure!! LOL. My brother in law has recently been diagnosed with diabetes and I have no clue about the right foods. She warned me to keep the casserole “Low Carbs”. Actually she said, “No Carbs”, but I find that unrealistic. She is also asking for heart smart too. My question is along the heart smart idea, is it okay to use a freeze dried (microwave bacon) and use a different kind of fat for the mixture? Or is the bacon drippings/lard the heart of the flavor? And when choosing a dry wine, what do you use? I know you don’t want to advertise or say a brand, but is a white Chardonnay okay, or what type of wine? I don’t drink alcohol and usually use white wine vinegar for my chicken picante. One last thing, many green bean casseroles have a mushroom ingredient. What are your thoughts on adding mushrooms? Thanks so much and I wish you and your family and beautiful and safe holiday! Thanks, Julie
Kim says
Hi Julie. If your brother-in-law is just starting a low carb diet, then I can see how he would be afraid of fat. We have been taught that fat is the culprit behind heart disease (it’s not) and that diabetics should also be watching fat. Furthermore, we have been taught that saturated fat is the worst kind of fat and that is not true, so whether bacon grease or olive oil is used makes no difference. We both know that I am not a doctor and of course people should listen to their doctors advice, but diabetics need to be watching carbohydrates and not really fats. Having said that, let me see if I can make you feel better about the recipe. When divided between 8 people each person is eating about 1 ounce of cheese, 1 teaspoon of oil and 1 piece of bacon. This is a perfectly beautiful ketogenic side dish. One may be tempted to use light cream cheese but the trade off is a product higher in carbs. The only time fat is dangerous is when it is eaten with a bunch of carbohydrates. Diet Doctor has a lot of great, informative articles which speak about the relationship of carbohydrates and how they affect diabetics, specifically. Adding mushrooms would be perfect. They would be the first vegetable in the pan with the bacon fat (or olive oil if you prefer). Saute the sliced mushrooms for two minutes on one side, then stir and add the onions, sauteing until translucent and continuing with the recipe. If you are worried about bacon, find the brand that has the least amount of added sugars – that would be a better choice than using a freeze-dried variety. I buy the $3 chardonnay from Trader Joe’s. They have award winning wines for $3. I don’t drink either, but I use it in cooking because the alcohol burns-off completely, leaving a nice flavor. My wine lasts for 4-5 months! But, you could get away with omitting it. Make sure that the beans are completely cooked because they don’t cook in the oven. The dish goes into the oven to do some last minute warming and to toast the topping. For your BIL, the pork rind topping would be a better option than bread crumbs. You really can’t tell the difference between good panko bread crumbs and the pork rinds. Many people think that just a little carbs won’t hurt a diabetic, that they can just take more insulin, but in all actuality they do. If you need to contact me or give me a call to ask any questions… email me at kim [at] lowcarbmaven [dot] com and ask if you can call. I will give you my phone number. I applaud you for wanting to make something that your BIL can have. You are my hero tonight, Juile. Very, very sincerely, -Kim. (ps. I feel like I wanted to say so much to you that everything is a big run on sentence. I’m sorry.)
Michelle says
I’ve never tried pork rinds. I’m afraid to lol. Are there “low carb” breadcrumbs?
Kim says
Michelle! Lol. You can’t tell the difference when they are used as breading and crumbs. If you want low carb bread crumbs, then you have to make low carb bread. That’s a lot of extra work. What I might do is cut some onions into very thin strips and fry them in a 1/2 inch of oil in a pot or pan. You will have to watch them because they will go from brown to burnt very quickly. Drain them on paper towels and top the green beans when it comes out of the oven. It would be very good. -OR- you could mix up some almond flour and oil and distribute it over the top of the green beans and brown them in the oven. Let me know what you end up doing. Have a great weekend. -Kim
Kathy says
Thanks for the tip about cooking bacon in the oven. Only discovered this recently and will never go back to stove top or microwave!
Kim says
It’s so easy, isn’t it Kathy. I won’t go back either. I love how all of the bacon cooks at once and so evenly. Have a wonderful day. -Kim
Allison says
I don’t think I can wait till Thanksgiving to make this! Yum!!
Kim says
Thanks, Allison! Have a great week. -Kim
Deena Kay says
I prepared this dish to accompany baked chicken and a green salad. It was awesome! So decadent and full of flavor. Thankyiu ffor sharing this great recipe!
Kim says
Deena, thank you for taking the time to comment on the recipe – I think you are the first. It is really yummy and my daughter’s favorite. I’m glad you enjoyed it. Have a nice week -Kim
Monica says
Well I’ve certainly found my Thanksgiving casserole recipe! I can’t do pork rinds (I don’t eat pork) But I’ll bet some crumbled turkey bacon and toasted almonds and powdered parmesan would add a nice crunch
Kim says
Thanks Monica. It’s pretty good! It’s super thick, so you may want to thin it out a little if you like it more saucy. I think your idea about subbing to turkey bacon, Parm. cheese and almonds is wonderful. Thanks for the comment. Enjoy! -Kim
Mary Lynne Bove says
Thank you for posting this recipe, I can’t wait to try it!! Have a wonderful time with your family, Merry Christmas!!
Kim says
You’re welcome, Mary! It is very rich. I hope you like it. You have a wonderful time with you family, too! Merry Christmas! -Kim
Melanie @ Melanie Cooks says
That’s a one gourmet casserole! Looks so tasty and rich, and it being low carb and gluten free is certainly a bonus!
Kim says
Thanks, Melanie! You made my day! -Kim
Fran @ G'day Souffle' says
Yum, those crushed pork rinds on top of the casserole look delish! I read the NPR article that you linked to. Those days of ‘open and dump’ are over, I hope. Reminds me when I was a teen-ager and used to open a can of Campbells soup and mix it in with something and call it a dish. It looks like you’ve been quite busy Kim- doing a new post every several days!
Kim says
Thanks,Fran. Yes, I hope those days are over. Now that you are a Le Cordon Bleu graduate, I bet you shudder to think of those types of dishes! Not that I’m calling you a food snob or anything! No, I’ve not been that busy posting, I just needed to get this recipe out for someone who wanted it. I predict a big slow-down this weekend as my kids will be home for 3 weeks for the Christmas Holidays! Have a nice week! -Kim