Green Bean Casserole
A yummy green bean casserole loaded with vegetables and flavour.
Simple and delicious green bean casserole with tender vegetables, mushrooms, and savoury Italian sausage. This will quickly become a family favourite.
The traditional green bean casserole is topped with crispy fried onions (French's work well), but I prefer a light layer of cheddar to add a bit of gooeyness.
This casserole does contain meat, in the form of ground Italian sausage, but this can be swapped with ground beef, or better yet, fried pancetta.
Ingredients
(Makes 6 servings)
1lb fresh green beans, tips trimmed
1 bunch asparagus, woody ends trimmed
1/2lb ground Italian sausage, crumbled
1/2 small white onion, sliced, divided
1 cup white mushrooms, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon butter (if needed)
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
1 cup half and half cream
12 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup low-fat cheddar cheese, grated
Directions
Bring a large saucepan filled a little more than 1/2 full with water to a boil. While the water heats, prepare a large bowl of ice water and set near the stove.
Add the green beans and asparagus to the boiling water and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, or until they become bright green. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the green beans and asparagus to the bowl of ice water. Let stand for a few moments before draining and setting aside.
Preheat oven to 350°F / 180°C, and prepare a casserole dish.
In a sauté pan over medium-high heat, add the crumbled ground sausage. As the sausage browns, add half of the sliced onion and all the sliced mushrooms. Continue sautéing until the mushrooms are browned and beginning to become caramelized, stirring often. Add the garlic and sauté for an additional minute then, using a slotted spoon, transfer the sausage mixture into the bowl holding the green beans and asparagus.
In the same sauté pan with the leftover fat from the sausage, add the additional tablespoon of butter and melt (If there was a lot of fat remaining, you may not need the additional butter.). Whisk in the sea salt, ground black pepper, and flour. Cook the flour mixture while continually whisking for a few minutes. Slowly begin whisking in the milk and then the cream. Bring the sauce to a simmer and allow it to thicken.
Remove the sauté pan from the heat and pour the roux over the green beans and sausage mixture. Add the remaining sliced onion and the cherry tomatoes in with the green bean mixture and toss to coat. Transfer the green bean mixture into a casserole dish, sprinkle with cheddar cheese, and bake for 30 minutes.
Serve immediately once the casserole is bubbling.
Nutritional Information Per Serving:
total calories = 317 | total fat = 18.3g | saturated fat = 8.53g | cholesterol = 50.83mg | sodium = 538.67mg | net carbohydrates = 17.87g | dietary fibre = 5.1g | sugars = 11.6g | protein = 17.39g
