This healthy Keto Green Bean Casserole With Bacon is fresh, creamy, and delicious with a crispy topping and full of flavor. It features tender green beans in a homemade cream of mushroom sauce topped with crispy french fried onions or a simple seasoned almond flour blend. Plus, it's gluten-free, dairy-free, and can be made paleo and whole30-compliant!
Move over canned soup, frozen green beans, and store-bought french fried onions.
This healthy, keto green bean casserole with bacon is made from scratch, tastes a thousand times better than the processed green bean casserole, and is hands down my favorite!
It's bursting with fresh flavor and is SO MUCH tastier than the original.
And the best part? There's BACON! Everything's better with bacon. Plus, it can be prepared in advance! It's right up there with my Low-Carb, Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole, and my Keto Cornbread Dressing recipes!
The cream of mushroom soup
You'll start by making the homemade soup. It can be made ahead of time and kept in the fridge for a day or two if needed.
For the Condensed Cream Of Mushroom Soup, simply cook onion, mushrooms, and garlic on the stove until everything is tender.
Then, add full-fat canned coconut milk, chicken broth, and some spices. To thicken, just place in a blender and blend until smooth - easy peasy!
The topping
For the topping, I love these Keto or Paleo French Fried Onions!
These can also be made ahead of time and frozen. I don't recommend storing at room temperature or in the fridge because they will get soggy.
Then, when ready to use, just add the frozen fried onions to the top of the casserole - no need to thaw!
However, if you don't want to go through the trouble of frying onion strings, the casserole is just as good topped with crushed parmesan crisps, shredded cheddar cheese, or a simple seasoned almond flour mixture (recipe below).
Instructions
For the green beans, you'll need to cut the ends off of about 8 cups of fresh green beans. If you're not into cutting all those green beans, most supermarkets sell refrigerated fresh cut green beans in the produce section.
I've used them before and they work fine, just pretty please don't use frozen! They tend to taste waxy - and no one wants a waxy green bean casserole!
Once the green beans are chopped, drop them into boiling water and cook for 4-8 minutes. Then drain, rinse with cold water, and set aside.
I prefer mine on the tender side so I cook mine closer to 8 minutes, but many people like them crisp-tender. So just cook them to your desired tenderness and set aside. They will slightly soften more in the oven, but not much.
In a large saucepan, cook up some chopped bacon over medium heat until crispy. Then, add some onion and garlic. Cook until the onion is transparent.
Add the mushroom soup and a 4-oz jar of pimentos to the bacon mixture. Pour over green beans and gently stir to combine. Then, transfer to a baking dish.
For the topping, mix together ½ cup of almond flour with garlic, onion, sea salt, mustard powder, and avocado oil and crumble over the top.
Or, if you prefer, you can sprinkle on shredded cheddar cheese.
Place the casserole in the oven at 375 degrees for 25 minutes. Add the french fried onions or crushed parmesan crisps (if using). Then, crank the oven up to a boil, and broil an additional 3 to 5 minutes, or until the topping is hot and golden.
There ya' have it - a perfect Whole30, Paleo, & Keto Green Bean Casserole With Bacon! Enjoy... and try not to cry because it's so delicious!
Looking for more Paleo & Keto Recipes?
Or these Gluten-Free Dinner Rolls from Meaningful Eats look absolutely amazing too!
Top tips
- This casserole dish can be made and assembled in advance. Just prepare the dish through step 9. Then, cover and leave in the refrigerator until ready to bake, up to 2 days.
- The cream of mushroom soup and french fried onions can be made ahead of time. The cream of mushroom soup can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 days before assembling. The fried onions can be frozen for up to 3 months.
- I only recommend freezing the fried onions. They will get soggy when stored at room temperature or in the fridge. Then, when ready to use, just add the frozen fried onions to the top of the casserole - no need to thaw!
- The casserole can be topped with the almond flour mixture alone, the almond flour mixture with french fried onions, crushed parmesan crisps, or shredded cheddar cheese. All are delicious!
- Please don't use frozen green beans! Frozen green beans tend to taste waxy and get soggy. While nothing is a good as fresh green beans, most supermarkets sell refrigerated fresh cut green beans. They are found in the produce section and are a close second.
If you’ve tried this Paleo, Whole30, & Keto Green Bean Casserole With Bacon or any other recipe on the blog please let me know in the comments below!
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📖 Recipe
Keto Green Bean Casserole With Bacon {Paleo & Whole30}
Ingredients
- Seasoned Almond Flour Topping - optional topping, recipe below
- French Fried Onions - optional topping
- ½ - 1 Cup Parmesan Crisps - optional topping
- ½ - 1 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese - optional topping
- 1 recipe Cream Of Mushroom Soup - recipe below
- 2 Lbs. Fresh Green Beans - cut in half, making shorter pieces (around 8 Cups or 3 12oz bags of pre-cut green beans)
- ½ Onion - chopped
- 3 cloves Garlic - minced
- 4 pieces Bacon - chopped into bite-size pieces
- 4 oz. Pimentos - chopped and drained
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice - fresh is best
- Pepper - to taste (roughly ¼ - ½ teaspoon)
- Salt - to taste (roughly 1 - 1 ½ teaspoon)
Cream of Mushroom Soup:
- 2 tablespoon Allowed Butter or Ghee - or oil of choice
- 1 Medium Onion - diced (to reduce carbs only use ½ onion)
- 2 cloves Garlic - minced
- ¾ Cup Full Fat Canned Coconut Milk - well shaken
- ½ Cup Chicken Broth
- 8 Oz. Mushrooms - chopped
- ⅛ teaspoon Ground Thyme
- Salt - to taste (roughly ½ teaspoon)
- Pepper - to taste (roughly ¼ teaspoon)
- ¼ teaspoon Cayenne Pepper - optional
Almond Flour Topping:
- ½ Cup Blanched Almond Flour
- ½ - 1 teaspoon Onion Powder - to taste
- ½ teaspoon Sea Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Ground Pepper
- ¼ teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ¼ teaspoon Onion Powder
- 1 tablespoon Avocado Oil - or oil of choice
Instructions
- Prepare the french fried onions (if using, see link) and the cream of mushroom soup (see the instructions below) and set aside. I prefer to make them both in advance. The cream of mushroom soup can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 days before assembling and the onions can be frozen up to 3 months.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and lightly season with salt.
- If using fresh green beans, cut the ends off. Then, cut in half for shorter pieces. Drop them into the boiling water. Boil until they reach your desired tenderness, about 4 or 8 minutes. They will continue to cook in the oven but not much. Immediately drain the green beans and rinse in cold water to stop the cooking process. Return to pot and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Dice the onion and bacon.
- Heat a small skillet over medium heat and add the bacon. Cook until the bacon is crispy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the onion and garlic. Continue cooking until the onion is transparent, another 3 to 5 minutes.
- Add the pimentos and cream of mushroom soup to the bacon/onion mixture. Stir to combine. Pour over green beans and stir gently to combine.
- Pour into glass or ceramic 3-qt casserole dish.
- Crumble the almond flour topping over the casserole (instructions below), or sprinkle with shredded shredder cheese.
- Place in the oven for 25 minutes.
- Turn oven to broil, then top with the french fried onions or crushed parmesan crisps (if using). Cook until the top starts to brown, about 3 - 5 minutes. If onions have been frozen, it may take longer. Watch the topping carefully so it doesn't burn.
Cream of Mushroom Soup:
- Heat the butter or oil in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat.
- Once hot, add the onion, garlic, and mushrooms. Sautee until the mushrooms are soft and the onion is translucent.
- Slowly add in the chicken broth and coconut milk. Then stir in the thyme, cayenne (if using), salt, and pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Allow to bubble around a minute then remove from heat.
- Transfer to a blender and blend until smooth (or use an immersion blender). Be very careful because the soup is hot!!! If you prefer some texture, reserve some mushrooms and stir in after blending.
Almond Flour Topping:
- In a small bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Stir in the avocado oil until crumbly.
Notes
- Nutritional Information uses the almond flour topping without fried onions or parmesan crisps.
- This casserole dish can be made and assembled in advance. Just prepare the dish through step 9 then cover and leave in the refrigerator until ready to bake, up to 2 days.
- The cream of mushroom soup and french fried onions can be made ahead of time. The cream of mushroom soup can be stored in the fridge up to 2 days before assembling and the fried onions can be frozen up to 3 months.
- I only recommend freezing the fried onions because they will get soggy when stored at room temperature or in the fridge. Then, when ready to use, just add the frozen fried onions to the top of the casserole - no need to thaw!
- The casserole can be topped with the almond flour mixture alone, the almond flour mixture with french fried onions or crushed parmesan crisps, or shredded cheddar cheese. All are delicious!
- Please don't use frozen green beans! Frozen green beans tend to taste waxy and get soggy. While nothing is a good as fresh green beans, most supermarkets sell refrigerated fresh cut green beans. They are found in the produce section and are a close second.
- For the coconut milk in the cream of mushroom soup, I recommend Thai Kitchen, Sprouts, or Native Forest brands because other brands may have an aftertaste. However, these are 3 brands I know have a neutral flavor. Also, for this recipe, the coconut milk works best if it's not refrigerated.Otherwise, it will separate and be hard to stir.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is approximate and may vary.
Looking for more information on the keto diet? Check out these resources:
Megan says
Question! Can I use almond milk instead of coconut milk?
Cassidy Stauffer says
It can, it just might not be as thick and creamy 🙂 I hope this helps! If you try this, please come back and let me know what you thought!
thebestketorecipes says
Appreciate this post. Let me try it out.
Celeste says
I love green bean casserole but kinda hate the store-bought cream soups. Thanks for the healthier recipe!
Cassidy says
thanks Celeste! Yeah, we don't like the store-bought soups either. They just have way too many junk ingredients, especially when making homemade is so easy!
-Cassidy
Brianna Hobbs says
Green Bean Casserole is one of my holiday faves. I've never had it with pimentos. I'll have to try that this year!
Cassidy says
Yeah, I usually add either pimentos or red bell pepper but pimentos are easier cause I don't have to chop them! It just adds a little somethin' somethin' lol!!
-Cassidy
Erin Dee says
Love this clean eating version of green bean casserole! Looks so delicious
jenna | the urben life says
I love this healthier version of such a great Thanksgiving side dish! I'm gonna have to pick up some green beans and try this next week.
Cassidy says
Thank Jenna! I hope you love it as much as we do 🙂
-Cassidy
Raia says
I love that you made your own cream of mushroom soup for this recipe! It sounds delicious! Thank you so much for sharing it with us at Allergy Free Thursdays! Hope to see you back again this week. 🙂