This crowd pleasing green bean casserole skips the canned soup and delivers pure, from-scratch comfort. A silky cheese sauce made with Good Culture Simply 2% cottage cheese, whole milk, cheddar, and Parmesan brings extra protein and luscious creaminess without feeling heavy. Baked until bubbly and finished with a crunchy fried-onion topping, it’s the perfect holiday side dish for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any potluck! It it reheats like a dream.
Ingredients:
• 3 cups fresh or frozen string beans (450 grams)
• 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil (30 grams)
• ¼ cup finely chopped onion (30 grams)
• 4 garlic cloves, finely grated
• 8 oz. cremini mushrooms, sliced (220 grams)
• 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter (28 grams)
• 1 cup Good Culture Simply 2% cottage cheese (220 grams)
• ½ cup whole milk (120 grams)
• 1 tablespoon of all- purpose flour (7 grams)
• ½ cup sharp cheddar cheese (115 grams)
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan (25 grams)
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• Freshly ground black pepper
• ¾ cup fried onions
Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the green beans until they are bright green and halfway to tenderness, about 3 minutes. As soon as they are green strain the beans into an ice bath to stop the cooking process.
3. Drain the beans and trim the ends if needed.
4. In a large pan, add the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and grated garlic. Let them cook just until they start to release aroma and start taking on a hint of
brownness, about 2-3 minutes.
5. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook them for about 5 minutes, then add season with salt and continue to cook until golden brown.
6. Once the mushrooms are golden add the unsalted butter to the pan. Let the butter melt and turn slightly golden, then remove the mushrooms off the heat. Taste the mushrooms and adjust salt to taste.
7. In a food processor, add cottage cheese milk and all-purpose flour and blend until smooth.
8. Pour the cottage cheese mixture into a large saucepan with really low heat. Gently warm the mixture and continue to stir until barely steaming. Add the grated cheddar cheese and parmesan and stir until the cheese is fully dissolved. Season with garlic powder, paprika and black pepper. Taste and adjust salt as needed. If your mixture gets a little lumpy, pour it back into the food processor and blend until smooth.
9. Arrange the green beans into a large oven safe dish. Spoon the mushroom mixture on top. Pour the cheese sauce over the mixture evenly. Cover the whole thing in foil and bake for about 20 minutes or until the sauce is bubbly. Remove the foil and bake for another 20 minutes until the beans and cheese begin to take on some color. Once the beans and sauce start to take color, pull the pan out and top with a generous amount of fried onions. Bake for another 5 minutes just until the onions are a shade darker.
10. Let the casserole rest for 10 minutes before diving in! Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and reheat when ready to eat.