Non-Boring Dairy-Free and Gluten-Free Green Bean Casserole

Soooo Flavorful! Before you roll your eyes at yet another traditional green bean casserole, take a minute to hear a little about this one. I promise you it's good, unlike it's soggy, canned counterpart. Not only do I use fresh green beans that won't be overcooked and mushy...but I also made a homemade cream of mushroom of sorts that's entirely gluten and dairy free. It does not sacrifice on flavor and is also not the plain green bean side you see topped with a little salt and almonds. Not that that kind of side is bad, it's just better to have a home-y, full bodied dish at Thanksgiving and holidays so you don't over eat with all the sadness of missing out on the traditional food items. You know how it goes, you eat so healthy while everyone around you eats their hearts out, until you either cry, or later binge on rolls. I mean you could have better self-control than I do or you could just not enjoy all that flavor (kidding). Either way, this recipe doesn't skimp. Instead, it gives you all the feels and leaves you loving this crisp and flavorful veggie dish. It's actually a Thanksgiving favorite of mine. Forget the apple pie and send me fresh green beans. All kidding aside, give it a try and please let me know if you have any questions.

Ingredients:

1 12 oz package of fresh green beans- cleaned with the ends snapped off if needed
1 carton of baby bella mushrooms sliced. You can also add in 1/2 cup of a different variety of mushrooms, in addition, if available. I used Bella and white. It can be varied.
1 shallot diced
1 red onion sliced
2-3 cloves of chopped garlic
2 T corn starch
1 tsp of fresh chopped tarragon, or 1/2 tsp dried.
2 tsp of salt
1 tsp of black pepper
1 tsp of onion powder
1 can or 12 oz of un-sweetened coconut milk
1/2-1 cup of organic veggie or beef broth
4 T of extra virgin olive oil
1 T Worcestershire sauce (just be sure to check the label for no dairy or gluten)
1 T Maple Syrup
1 package of gluten-free and dairy-free (might need to check label) crispy fried onions for topping. Personally I have seen this at both Publix and Aldi.
*Optional, depending on whether you include ghee as dairy-free or not 1 T of Ghee.

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.
In a mug or smaller bowl whisk together 1/2 cup of coconut milk with 2 T of corn starch. Mix till it's pretty much dissolved into the milk and has the consistency of a runny milkshake. Place in fridge to chill until ready to use.
Heat a non-stick pan on a medium heat.
Once the pan starts to heat up and emanate a little heat, add in 3 T of the oil. Here is where you would also add in the 1 T of ghee if you are ok with it.
Add in the red onion and the shallot to the oil. Cook until they are golden in color, not brown, and not overly crisp. I have pictures below.
After a few minutes of sauteing the onions, add in the mushrooms and the garlic.
Cook for a few more minutes until everything is golden and soft and cooked through. I like for my mushrooms to have a nice sear. They don't have to all be over caramelized because they'll be cooking in the oven after as well.
Dash the Worcestershire sauce and the maple syrup in over all the mushrooms for a little flavor.
Stir in 1/2 cup more of just coconut milk, the tarragon, onion powder, black pepper, and 1 tsp of the salt.
Bring to a low simmer.
Now to thicken and create a sauce. This part can be tricky so read all the way through. Thickening for me is not always a perfectly measured process. Sometimes the temperatures can make things not exactly even.
Take out the corn starch, coconut milk slurry that should be pretty chilled now. Add in 1/4 cup of the slurry to the hot pan of onions and mushrooms.
Using a spatula to scrape up anything off the bottom, also stir everything together. After about a minute the slurry should heat up and begin to create a thick paste in the pan. Once it begins to thicken and create a paste you'll want it to cook for only about a minute. Then add in the veggie broth, only 1/2 cup at first.
Stir the veggie broth into the paste and onions and mushrooms. Allow it all to come to a low boil. If it starts to form a paste again go ahead and add in the other 1/2 cup of veggie broth and stir together. Allow to fully heat back up before checking the consistency. You'll want the ideal consistency to be like a thicker soup (aka cream of mushroom soup homemade). If that extra 1/2 cup isn't needed you can just turn off the heat. *Also if the mixture is overly watery you can add in another T of the corn starch slurry and bring back up to a low boil to thicken a little more. It's a process of thickening then slightly thinning. Always start with less than you think is needed.
In a 9x9 dish or a 9 inch pie pan add the fresh, uncooked green beans.
Sprinkle green beans with the slightest amount of oil as well as the other 1 tsp of salt. Toss them together so that everything is spread out evenly in the bottom of the pan.
Top the green beans with the homemade cream of mushroom you just whipped up you kitchen master you. You don't have to get all of the cream of mushroom evenly into the green beans, just use a fork to nestle it in a little around the beans.
Bake the green beans for 20 minutes.
Remove the green beans from the oven and top with the beautiful crispy fried onions.
Place back into the oven on a low broil for only about 2 minutes. Pay very close attention because you won't want those beauts burned. I usually stand right next to the oven so I don't forget. It may have happened a time or two.
Once you remove it from the oven, allow to cool for a few minutes untouched before serving.