Next weekend we'll host a belated Easter dinner at home. We'll still only have a couple of kids -- just my younger two. We'll host our cousins for a ham dinner with lots of sides. This green bean casserole will be one. My oldest is allergic to dairy, so this is an adaptation we've come up with for him. It's a family favorite and one I'm often asked to bring to family potlucks.
DAIRY-FREE GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE
- 1 lb fresh or frozen green beans, or 2 14 oz cans, drained
- 1 c mushroom sauce (see recipe below)
- 1 c french fried onions
- Salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 350 F. If using fresh or frozen green beans, trim to desired size. Then steam in 2-3 TBSP of water until tender. Drain well. Pour drained green beans into a greased casserole. Add mushroom sauce and 1/2 of the fried onions. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Top with the remaining fried onions. Bake at 350 F for 30 minutes until the onions on top are golden brown.
MUSHROOM SAUCE
- 1/2 c sliced mushrooms
- 3 TBSP butter
- 3 TBSP flour
- 1 tsp basil
- 1 c broth or milk
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add sliced mushrooms and saute until soft. Add basil, salt, and pepper. Stir in flour. Mix well to combine. Slowly stir broth into the flour mixture to remove any lumps. Bring to a boil. Boil for 1 minute to thicken. For a thinner sauce to use with pasta, potatoes, or meat, use 1 TBSP butter and 1 TBSP flour.
Notes: We use dairy free "butter", but the same amount of oil will work as well. I prefer to use broth in the sauce, but plant milk works just as well. You may have to increase the salt a bit to counteract the sweetness if you're using plant milk. Use vegetable broth for a vegetarian version. Have fun and make it your own.
xx Beulah
