Better Green Bean Casserole

1 lb. fresh green beans, cut in 2-inch pieces or slivered

8 ounces white button or cremini mushrooms {your choice}, washed* and chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 tablespoons non-dairy margarine

3 tablespoons white rice flour {or substitute cornstarch}

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup gluten-free mushroom or vegetable stock

1 cup plain soymilk

1 recipe Crunchy French-fried Onion Rings

It's holiday time and what's more traditional than everyone's favorite dish: green bean casserole--made better!


To cook the green beans, you may either steam them in a steamer or drop them in boiling water. Cook them until crisp-tender and drain in a colander. {Or, if you prefer, you may substitute cooked frozen green beans or--if pressed for time--canned green beans.}

Pre-heat oven to 350°F.  Spray a 13 x 9 inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.

Heat oil in a heavy skillet or Dutch oven until the point of fragrance.  Add mushrooms and shake the pan, cooking them for about 8 minutes.  Do not cover the skillet or Dutch oven or it will draw out the moisture in the mushrooms.

Add margarine, cooking and stirring until melted.  Add salt and sprinkle with flour or cornstarch.  Slowly stir in stock and milk and cook until thickened. Remove from heat.  {If your sauce is too thin, you may need to add a little more flour or cornstarch; if it's too thick, thin with a little plain soymilk.}

Add green beans to sauce mixture.  Add about half the recipe of Crunchy French-fried Onion Rings and reserve the rest for topping.

Bake 25 minutes.  Add the reserved Crunchy French-fried Onion Rings to the top of the casserole and bake 5 more minutes.

YIELD: 4 to 6 servings

*Mushrooms--cremini mushrooms, in particular--are grown in manure or manure-enriched soil, so please wash your mushrooms!  {Please note I said "wash," NOT "soak" the mushrooms.  A quick rinse under the faucet works fine.}  The difference between these popular varieties of mushrooms {white button or cremini} is just age. The white button mushrooms, those very familiar kitchen staples, are simply the youngest variety. They have been cultivated, too, for that white color and soft texture. In the wild, these mushrooms are usually browner.