Keto Green Bean Casserole Recipe

No holiday is complete without my Keto Green Bean Casserole Recipe! This simple homemade version with a crispy low carb topping turned out fantastic. Fresh, wholesome ingredients come together for this delicious Thanksgiving favorite. It is the perfect keto side dish for the holidays and family gatherings.

HOW TO MAKE THE BEST KETO GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE 

My mother-in-law (Grammy) makes the most amazing Green Bean Casserole. Before I shared my first Thanksgiving meal with my husband’s family, Green Bean Casserole was just “meh” to me. It wasn’t great, and it wasn’t terrible. However, that first Thanksgiving I spent in Ohio years ago changed my mind forever, and I’ve made it the way she does ever since.

Now, I make Grammy’s Green Bean Casserole for our special holiday meals such as Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Easter. A couple of weeks ago, my daughter asked if I could make a keto version of Green Bean Casserole. Besides the French Onions and Cream of Mushroom Soup, I didn’t think it would be too hard. After playing around with the recipe a little, I can’t believe how much this tastes like Grammy’s Green Bean Casserole!

Keto Green Bean Casserole Crispy Topping

The trickiest part was finding a substitute for the french fried onions topping. That crunch and the oniony flavor are essential for a true green bean casserole. The secret to copycat keto French Onions is baking shredded cheddar and parmesan cheese, minced onion, and Italian seasoning until crispy. You break into pieces, and you’ve got the perfect keto-friendly alternative. When I told my husband what I was using, he gave me this look that said, “That will never work.” I gave him a bite, and he looked at me, shocked with his mouth gaping open. He changed his tune quickly and said, “Holy Smokes, that tastes just like it! I am shocked!!” Seriously, y’all, it is that good.

Ingredients:

• French-style green beans – You’ve got to have green beans in a green bean casserole! I used canned French-style green beans, but canned cut green beans work just as well.
• Butter – adds fat and is used as a base to saute the mushrooms, onions, and garlic
• Mushrooms – Mushrooms give this dish that earthy, savory flavor that we all know and love!
• fresh garlic cloves & diced onions  – added to mushrooms when frying in butter
• Chicken broth – This forms the base of your creamy sauce and gives the whole dish a boost of savory flavor.
• cream cheese – helps to thicken the sauce, adds creaminess, and adds fat
• Nutmeg – Ever tried nutmeg in your green bean casserole? I find that it’s the secret ingredient that makes this low-carb green bean casserole really pop!
• Cheddar, mozzarella, and parmesan cheese – The crispy, cheesy topping of this dish is unbeatable. There’s cheese in the sauce as well, and I found that this combination had just the right flavors for me.
• Dried minced onion – The minced onion in the cheesy topping helps give a hint of that french onion flavor without the carbs.

Below are steps to make Keto Green Bean Casserole, make sure to scroll to the bottom of the post for the full ingredient list and printable recipe card. 

Step 1: Start by chopping the mushrooms finely to saute. Since we aren’t using canned soup in this recipe, we will make a base for the keto green bean casserole that starts with fresh mushrooms, onions, and garlic. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease a 9 X 13 casserole dish.

Step 2: In a large skillet, melt butter and add mushrooms, onion, minced garlic, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Saute on medium heat for 8-10 minutes until the onions are translucent and the mushrooms are soft.

Step 3: Add your chicken broth, cream cheese, and heavy whipping cream to the skillet and simmer on medium-high until the mixture reduces and thickens. Make sure to simmer with the lid off so that the moisture can evaporate and reduce and stir occasionally. It took about 25 minutes or so for it to thicken. If you find it is not thick enough after 25 minutes, continue to simmer until it thickens. While it took 25 minutes on my stove, every stove cooks differently. I

Tip: If you have an immersion blender, you can use it to blend up the diced mushrooms in the reduced cream of mushroom soup.

Step 4: While the mushroom soup mixture is cooking, cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Sprinkle 2 cups shredded cheese, minced onion, parmesan cheese, and Italian seasoning on the parchment paper. Bake until the cheese melts and starts to brown so that it is crispy (approx 8-12 min).

Step 5: The cheese will bake together to form a large sheet.

Step 6: Remove from the oven and allow to cool, then break into small bites and lay the pieces on paper towels to absorb the grease. The topping will crisp as it cools. You could put it in a small bowl after it cools or leave it on the paper towels until you add them to the casserole.

Step 7: In a greased 13 X 9 baking dish, add 1 1/2 cans of the green beans (make sure to drain first), then add the mushroom soup mixture and sprinkle 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese on top. Add the rest of the green beans, then top with the shredded mozzarella cheese.

Step 8: Bake the casserole for 25 minutes, then remove the casserole dish from the oven. Sprinkle the baked cheese on top and return to the oven for 5 minutes. Allow it to sit for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Note: This recipe makes 12 servings, so it’s perfect for a crowd! If serving more people, feel free to double or triple the recipe.

Is this recipe gluten-free?

The ingredients in the recipe are gluten-free, but I always recommend checking each ingredient in your kitchen as sometimes gluten can be snuck into foods, or it might not be made in a gluten-free facility.

Variations to this Recipe:

• Add Crushed pork rinds instead of the crispy cheese topping if you are looking to lower the dairy amount
• Fried Bacon would make a yummy addition to the topping
• Use regular cut green beans instead of french style
• Use a different veggie if green beans aren’t your favorite such as asparagus or broccoli
• Sub olive or avocado oil for butter

WHAT SIZE BAKING DISH WORKS IN THIS RECIPE?

When making this Keto Green Bean Casserole with Cream Cheese as posted, I would suggest using a 9 X 13 casserole dish. If you cut the recipe in half, then a 9-inch square baking dish would work nicely.

CAN YOU USE FRESH GREEN BEANS IN THIS KETO GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE?

If you prefer using fresh green beans, they are totally fine to use in this recipe. Since canned green beans are already cooked and softened, you will want to steam, boil, or microwave the fresh green beans beyond crisp-tender before adding them to your casserole dish. Otherwise, they may not cook through while they’re in the oven, and it won’t taste authentic.

CAN YOU MAKE THIS EASY GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE IN ADVANCE?

If you need to prepare this dish in advance to stay on schedule, you could absolutely prepare it ahead of time and keep it in the fridge but make sure to wait and make the crispy topping right before baking. I set the casserole dish on the counter for about 20 minutes before popping it in the oven to not be so cold. It’s easy to remember to do this while baking the crispy topping. You will likely need to increase the baking time a bit.

You can save time by making it in advance, and it’ll warm through and get nice and melty before your guests enjoy it. If you don’t leave off the baked cheese until you are ready to finalize the casserole in the oven, the cheese will get soggy from the moisture in the fridge.

This keto-friendly green bean casserole is so versatile as a side dish. It goes with so many different meal options. You will be surprised how much the melted cheese crispy topping with dried minced onions tastes like regular crispy onions on a traditional green bean casserole.

This keto-friendly green bean casserole is so versatile as a side dish. It goes with so many different meal options. You will be surprised how much the melted cheese crispy topping with dried minced onions tastes like regular crispy onions on a traditional green bean casserole.

How Many Net Carbs Does this Low Carb Version Have?

There are 7 carbs and 2g of fiber, making it 5g net carbs per serving based on 12 servings.

What to Serve with Keto Green Bean Casserole:

Need more keto inspiration for your Thanksgiving or holiday spread? These keto-friendly main courses are fantastic choices for your festive get-togethers!

• Baked Keto Ham with Sugar-Free Glaze
• Keto Pot Roast
• Beef Short Ribs 

More Keto Side Dishes:

• Keto Southern Green Beans
• Fried Cabbage and Bacon
• Brussels Sprouts and Bacon
• Keto Cauliflower Mac N Cheese
• Creamy Keto Cauliflower Mash

More Keto-Friendly Recipes

I know you are going to love my Keto Green Bean Casserole. Along with this, make sure you check out all of our family’s favorite keto comfort foods found in my Keto Recipe Index.