Low Carb Green Bean Casserole Recipe - Lowcarb-ology (2024)

A low carb green bean casserole that is so cheesy, creamy, and rich you won’t miss that holiday classic. It’s the perfect side to your Thanksgiving turkey, Christmas dinner, or New Years celebration. It’s Atkin’s friendly, gluten free, and easy to make. Cream cheese and heavy cream are reduced to form the base for the scrumptious sauce that clings to each green bean . This family favorite is so simple you’ll be making it often. How about for all three holidays meals?

For this recipe you’ll need: 1 cup cooked fresh green bean or one 14-ounces of canned green beans, dried onions, cream cheese, heavy cream, soy sauce, pepper, and shredded mild cheddar cheese.

If you are in a hurry click here to go straight to the low carb green bean casserole.

Table of Contents

Are green beans low carb friendly?

Mmmm…. this keto green bean casserole is so full of rich cheese flavor. It tastes much like the one your mom always made but without the mushroom soup. And that is where all the carbs come from. A cup of cream of mushroom soup has 16 net carbs. The first time you stick your fork through the thick, gooey cheese topping and pull up a big old forkful of saucy fresh green beans you’ll be hooked. And so will everyone at your dinner table. A fresh green bean has no carbs of course.

The perfect side to every holiday table

There are certain dishes that are always on our table during the holidays. This healthy green bean casserole is one of them. I grew up with the same green bean casserole everyone’s mom made in the 1960s. Cream of mushroom soup, green beans, and French’s fried onions. Oh that crispy onion topping, yum.

Am I right?

My mom always brought the green bean casserole to our Thanksgiving dinner and I can’t imagine a holiday meal without it. After she passed away I started making it with a few changes. I started using using fresh green beans instead of canned green beans like my mom did. Also, since I didn’t want all the carbs from the cream of mushroom soup, I made this homemade sauce for this low carb recipe. This turns this green bean casserole recipe into a keto green bean casserole recipe. The first year I ate a low carb diet during Thanksgiving I realized that I wasn’t going to be happy going without that green bean casserole on my plate. That year I totally blew it on Thanksgiving and it took me a couple of weeks to get the carb cravings back under control.

Keto green bean casserole

So I decided to develop my own. This keto green bean casserole with cream cheese is the perfect substitute. The sauce is a combination of heavy cream, cream cheese, and soy sauce that has been simmered with a little dried onion and reduced until it coats a spoon. The fresh green beans are stirred in and simmered some more. Finally, the whole thing is put into a oven proof casserole dish, covered with cheddar cheese and broiled until the cheddar cheese is golden brown and bubbling.

I tried using frozen green beans and for whatever reason, it came out too mushy. I tried chopped up fresh mushroom and that added too much fluid. Sliced mushrooms made it worse. A little minced garlic adds a bit of flavor as does a sprinkle of garlic powder. Try and add a drop or two of worcestershire sauce. Or even a bit of butter to really add some flavor. Oh, and be sure to check the soy sauce to make sure it’s a gluten free kind if it matters to you. Some are and some aren’t. Also if you are watching your sodium intake, try a low sodium soy sauce.

What are the carbs in a green bean casserole?

The traditional green bean casserole usually has a ton of french fried onions which are coated in a breading. That breading is where the carbs come from. For this keto green bean casserole recipe, you can add different toppings if you’d like. Crushed pork rinds, fried onion (no breading), parmesan cheese, crushed parmesan crisps, or crumbled bacon for a crunchy topping.

This keto casserole has tons of cheese richness already with the cream cheese and heavy cream. Sprinkle the top with parmesan cheese or some paprika for color.

Navigation Tip

This keto green bean recipe serves two people but you could certainly make more than enough for the whole family. If you tap the blue number “2” after the “Servings” in the recipe, a slider will appear that you can use to increase the number of servings. The ingredients will automatically change so you don’t have to do any math. I usually make a mistake when I try to do math in recipes lol.

Low Carb Green Bean Casserole Recipe

Here’s that low carb cheesy green bean casserole!

Low Carb Green Bean Casserole Recipe - Lowcarb-ology (4)

Print Pin Recipe

Low Carb Green Bean Casserole Recipe

Creamy and delicious, this low carb green bean casserole is the perfect keto friendly side dish for all of your holiday dinners. So easy you’ll make it often.

Course Dinner, Light Dinner/Lunch

Cuisine American, American – low -carb

Keyword Casserole, green beans

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 2 servings

Calories 253kcal

Author Marye

Ingredients

  • 1 cup green beans cut and cooked
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 2 ounces cream cheese
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons dried onions
  • 1 tablespoon gluten free soy sauce
  • 2 twists freshly ground pepper
  • 1-1/2 ounces shredded mild cheddar

Instructions

  • Drain the green beans well and pat dry with paper towels. Too much liquid on the beans will thin the sauce.

  • Place the heavy cream and cream cheese in a pan over medium heat.

  • Whisk until the cream cheese softens and the sauce is smooth.

  • Add the dried onions and soy sauce.

  • Continue to stir until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon.

  • Add the green beans and simmer, stirring often, about 5 minutes.

  • Sauce will be very thick and cling to the green beans. If not continue to simmer and stir.

  • Taste and add pepper as needed.

  • Place the green beans in 2 individual cast iron casseroles OR a small, heat proof dish.

  • Sprinkle with cheese.

  • Broil, watching carefully, until the cheese bubbles and turns golden.

Notes

If you don’t drain the green beans and pat them dry they will add liquid to the sauce and it will be runny.

Nutrition

Calories: 253kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 79mg | Sodium: 416mg | Potassium: 197mg | Fiber: 4.4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1270IU | Vitamin C: 7.7mg | Calcium: 119mg | Iron: 0.8mg

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Low Carb Green Bean Casserole Recipe - Lowcarb-ology (2024)

FAQs

Does green bean casserole have a lot of carbs? ›

Green bean casserole, with cream of mushroom soup (0.5 cup) contains 8.5g total carbs, 6.4g net carbs, 6.6g fat, 1.8g protein, and 96 calories.

Can you eat green beans on a low carb diet? ›

Regardless of which type of green bean you choose, they're all low in carbs and calories and high in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Green beans are technically members of the bean and legume food group, but their edible pods make them lighter in carbs and calories.

How many net carbs are in a cup of green beans? ›

According to the USDA, 1 cup of green beans offers 7 g of total carbs, 4 g of net carbs, 0.2 g of fat, and 2 g of protein. Plus, it's a good source of vitamin C and an excellent source of vitamin K. Try roasting them with a little Parmesan, to add a nutty, salty flavor hit without a ton of extra carbs.

How many carbs are in 2 cups of canned green beans? ›

Canned Green Beans (1 cup, solids) contains 6.8g total carbs, 3.2g net carbs, 0.2g fat, 1.8g protein, and 35 calories.

How do you calculate carbs in a casserole? ›

Looking up and calculating the carbohydrate value of each ingredient in the recipe, adding them together, dividing the total number of carbohydrates in the recipe by the number of servings.

Is peanut butter OK on keto? ›

Peanut butter can definitely be part of a keto diet, but it's best to stick to plain options that are free of extra flavors and sweeteners. Almond butter is a good choice, too, and it's slightly lower in carbs. Additionally, you should be mindful of your portion size if you're trying to lose weight.

How many carbs a day on keto? ›

The ketogenic diet typically reduces total carbohydrate intake to less than 50 grams a day—less than the amount found in a medium plain bagel—and can be as low as 20 grams a day. Generally, popular ketogenic resources suggest an average of 70-80% fat from total daily calories, 5-10% carbohydrate, and 10-20% protein.

What vegetables have no carbohydrates? ›

A. Green leafy vegetables such as spinach, celery, iceberg lettuce, cucumber, and tomatoes contain very few or almost no carbohydrates. The carbohydrate count ranges from 2.97 to 3.89 grams. One cup of raw kale contains 0.9 g of carbohydrates (0% DV), making it a low-carb option.

Why is my green bean casserole so soupy? ›

Green bean casserole should have a nice thick sauce that coats the green beans—it should not resemble soup. One common cause of a watery casserole is not adding enough thickener, such as flour or cornstarch, to your sauce.

How can I thicken my green bean casserole? ›

Mistake #5: A Runny Casserole

If you sense it's a little watery, "add a thickener like roux or starch to absorb the additional liquid or cook a little longer," she says. That'll give it that rich, dense consistency you're looking for.

Should green bean casserole be soupy before cooking? ›

Green Bean Casserole from Scratch FAQs

Cover and freeze until you are ready to bake. You can bake start from frozen without adding the onions until the casserole has already baked for about 20 minutes. Should green bean casserole be soupy? No, your green bean casserole should not be soupy.

What is the lowest carb vegetable? ›

List of the best low carb vegetables
  • Iceberg lettuce. Perhaps one of the most popular — though least nutritious — vegetables, iceberg lettuce has only 2.97 g of carbohydrate per 100 g. ...
  • White mushrooms. Mushrooms contain only 3.26 g of carbs per 100 g. ...
  • Spinach. ...
  • Broccoli. ...
  • Zucchini. ...
  • Cauliflower. ...
  • Asparagus. ...
  • Radishes.

How many carbs in a avocado? ›

A whole medium avocado contains about 240 calories, 13 grams carbohydrate, 3 grams protein, 22 grams fat (15 grams monounsaturated, 4 grams polyunsaturated, 3 grams saturated), 10 grams fiber, and 11 milligrams sodium. Along with their low sodium levels, avocados contain no cholesterol.

How many carbs per day? ›

How many carbohydrates do you need? The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that carbohydrates make up 45% to 65% of total daily calories. So if you get 2,000 calories a day, between 900 and 1,300 calories should be from carbohydrates. That translates to between 225 and 325 grams of carbs a day.

Are canned green beans high in carbs? ›

Green beans (string beans), canned, drained (0.5 cup) contains 2.8g total carbs, 1.5g net carbs, 0.3g fat, 0.7g protein, and 14 calories.

Do canned green beans have a lot of carbs? ›

Nutrition Information per Serving: Calories 80, Total Fat 2.5 g (4% DV), Saturated Fat 1 g (4% DV), Cholesterol 20 mg (6% DV), Sodium 180 mg (8% DV), Total Carbohydrate 7 g (2% DV), Dietary Fiber 1 g (6% DV), Sugars 2 g, Protein 9 g, Vitamin A 30%, Vitamin C 8%, Calcium 2%, Iron 4%.

How many carbs are in a green bean casserole with cheese? ›

Green bean casserole, with cheese, with cream of mushroom soup (0.5 cup) contains 10.8g total carbs, 8.5g net carbs, 13.1g fat, 7g protein, and 184 calories.

Is green bean keto friendly? ›

Green beans and black soybeans are keto-friendly bean options, each containing only 2 grams of net carbs per 1/2-cup (60–90-gram) serving. Some promising keto substitutes for beans include mushrooms, eggplant, avocado, ground meat, and boiled peanuts.

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