Like so many other posts that I’ve shown you recently, this recipe was definitely deserving of a facelift.  It is a lightened up version of the traditional green bean casserole that gets served at Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Despite it being “skinny”, this recipe tastes so much better than the original.  It’s so worth it to spend a little extra time and make everything from scratch rather than use canned condensed soup.  Additionally, this dish can be made vegetarian if you opt for vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.

I blogged about this for the first time in 2012 (my original post can be found here), and the recipe originally comes from the blog Skinnytaste.

You’ll need:

Bread Crumb Topping

• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1 cup shallots, finely diced
• 1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
• 1 tbs parmesan cheese, grated
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme

Green Beans & Sauce

• 2 lbs fresh green beans, washed, trimmed, and halved
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1/3 cup shallots, finely diced
• 16 oz. cremini mushrooms, washed and sliced
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 cup broth (chicken or vegetable)
• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

To make the topping, heat a medium-sized skillet over medium heat.  Add the shallots and sauté for 3-5 minutes, or until they are softened.  Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the bread crumbs, cheese, and thyme.  Sauté for 5-6 additional minutes, stirring frequently to avoid burning.  Remove from the heat and set aside.

Boil a large pot of water.  Add the green beans and blanche for 2-4 minutes.  Drain them into a colander and set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat.  Add the remaining 1/3 cup of shallots and sauté for a couple of minutes.  Add the mushrooms, stirring to coat them with the oil.  Season with salt and pepper.  Sauté for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Sprinkle the flour over the mushrooms, stirring to coat.  Continue stirring for about a minute.  Slowly add the broth and milk.  Bring it to a low boil, and cook for about 3 more minutes, or until it starts to thicken up, stirring occasionally.  Stir in the rest of the grated cheese.

Add the blanched green beans and mix well.  Taste, and season with salt and pepper, if needed.  Pour everything into the prepared baking dish.

Top the beans and sauce with the toasted bread crumbs and bake for 30 minutes.

Dig in!  Trust me, this recipe blows the traditional green bean casserole out of the water.