This keto green bean casserole skips the can: the cream of mushroom is made from scratch with cream, cream cheese, and parmesan, no flour and no condensed soup, at about 6 grams of net carb a serving. It is the holiday side I have brought to Thanksgiving for years.
You may love the mashed potatoes and the stuffing, but my favorite side dish for the holiday season is the classic green bean casserole. If you opt out of using canned cream of mushroom, the side dish can easily become the perfect Low Carb dish. Simply make your own cream of mushroom with heavy cream, cream cheese and parmesan as the thickener and add your favorite ingredients. This is what I brought to Thanksgiving this year. What Low Carb side dish did you make?
From-scratch cream of mushroom, no can
The green bean casserole was born in 1955 in the Campbell's test kitchen, built on a can of condensed cream of mushroom soup and a tub of fried onions. That is also where its carbs live. I make the sauce myself instead: shallots and baby bella mushrooms cooked down, then cream, cream cheese, and parmesan melted in to thicken it the way flour or condensed soup would, with more flavor and a fraction of the carbs. It was the swap I was already making back in 2012, and it turns the most carb-heavy holiday side into one that lands around 6 grams of net carb.
The crunchy top, with or without the onions
The one thing standing between this and fully Low Carb is the French's fried onions on top, which is why I list them as optional. Use them if a spoonful of the real thing is worth it to you at the holiday table, since the per-serving hit is small. For zero compromise, top it with crushed pork rinds and extra parmesan instead, which crisp up golden under the same bake and give you the crunch with none of the starch. It carves out a spot next to a low carb prime rib on the holiday table, and there are more options in my low carb side dishes guide.
Sources:
USDA FoodData Central, nutrient reference for green beans, mushrooms, cream, and parmesan
Campbell's Company, history of the 1955 green bean casserole
Sugarfreechic test kitchen, from-scratch cream of mushroom notes
