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Lightened-Up Homemade Green Bean Casserole

Lightened-Up Homemade Green Bean Casserole features tender green beans and cremini mushrooms in a silky almond milk and white wine sauce, accented with thyme and garlic. Candied almonds add a crisp, gently sweet contrast that keeps each bite lively. Serve it as a fresher holiday side or a comforting weeknight vegetable dish that still feels special.

  • Prep25 mins
  • Cook55 mins
  • Serves6
  • DifficultyMedium
Lightened-Up Homemade Green Bean Casserole

easyChef Pro health score

Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Lightened-Up Homemade Green Bean Casserole, not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.

41 Health Score
Glycemic ImpactFair
51 / 100
Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
Nutritional DensityPoor
15 / 100
Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
Energy DensityFair
58 / 100
Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
NOVA Processed Culinary Ingredients
2 / 4
Processing level, 1 (whole) to 4 (ultra-processed). Lower is better.

How it scores for each health goal

The same recipe scores differently against different goals, because the goal changes the calculation rather than filtering a list. Set your goal in easyChef Pro and every recipe is scored against it.

68
Heart Health
71
Metabolic
35
Digestive
32
Inflammatory
18
Performance
39
General Wellness
  1. 1

    Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a small baking sheet with foil and coat it with cooking spray.

  2. 2

    In a small bowl, toss the almonds with the brown sugar, 1 tablespoon water, and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Spread the mixture on the prepared baking sheet.

  3. 3

    Bake in the preheated oven, stirring once, until toasted, about 10 minutes. Let cool, then break apart any clusters.

  4. 4

    Cook the green beans in lightly salted boiling water in a large skillet, covered, for about 5 minutes. Drain. Transfer the beans to a large bowl of ice water; drain again. Place them in a large bowl.

  5. 5

    Heat the oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, shallots, garlic, thyme, and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until the mushrooms are browned and tender and any liquid has evaporated, about 8 minutes. Add to the beans and toss to coat. Transfer to a 1 1/2- to 2-quart baking dish.

  6. 6

    Whisk the almond milk, wine, cornstarch, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper in a small bowl. Add to the skillet; cook, stirring, over medium heat until thickened and bubbly, scraping up any browned bits, 4 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the chives. Pour over the bean mixture in the baking dish.

  7. 7

    Bake until bubbly, about 30 minutes. Sprinkle with the almonds. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

About This Recipe

Lightened Up Homemade Green Bean Casserole is made with 16 ingredients and serves 6. It takes about 1 hr 20 mins and is rated medium. Key ingredients include Black Pepper, Brown Sugar, Cooking Spray, and Cornstarch. Each serving provides about 423.66 kcal.

Recipe Questions

What is Lightened-Up Homemade Green Bean Casserole made of?
The main ingredients are Black Pepper, Brown Sugar, Cooking Spray, Cornstarch, Dried Thyme. The full list of 16 is above.
How long does it take to make Lightened-Up Homemade Green Bean Casserole?
About 1 hr 20 mins in total: 25 mins to prepare and 55 mins to cook.
How many calories are in one serving?
One serving provides about 423.66 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
Is Lightened-Up Homemade Green Bean Casserole easy to make?
This recipe is rated medium, with 16 ingredients and 7 steps.
Is Lightened-Up Homemade Green Bean Casserole healthy?
Lightened-Up Homemade Green Bean Casserole has an easyChef Pro health score of 41/100. Per serving, it provides 423.66 calories and 4.47 g of protein, or 9% of the Daily Value. It is a good source of vitamin C. Worth noting per serving: saturated fat at 2.05 g (10% of the Daily Value). It contains Tree Nuts, Garlic, Onions and Alcohol, so it may not be suitable for people with those allergies or dietary restrictions. Whether it fits your goals depends on your complete meal plan and nutritional needs. Remix it in easyChef Pro to adjust the ingredients and generate fresh nutrition and scores.

How easyChef Pro scores recipes and products

easyChef Pro analyzes up to 41 nutrients using data sourced from USDA and other verified food databases. Its scoring method uses the nutrients relevant to nutrition quality, calorie density, processing level, and your selected health goal. Recipes and food products get a health score from 0 to 100, calculated using consistent rules instead of being estimated by AI. The same nutrition data, serving size and health goal will produce the same result.

The calculation evaluates nutrients, calorie density, processing level, and how well the food supports your selected health goal. Protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals and other beneficial nutrients can strengthen the score. High amounts of sodium, saturated fat, added sugar and other nutrients may lower it.

Your health goal also matters. easyChef Pro evaluates recipes and products across six health areas and adjusts their importance for your selected goal. This means the same food may be a better fit for one health goal than another.

For recipes, changing an ingredient, quantity or serving size changes the nutrition and may change the score. Remix the recipe in easyChef Pro to calculate fresh nutrition and scores for the version you actually make. Product scores are based on the nutrition and serving information associated with that specific product.

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