Green Bean Casserole (Soy, Fish, Nut and Egg-Free, Can Be Milk and Wheat-Free)

This is the second recipe that I shared when I was a guest blogger on Glued To My Crafts (to read the post, click here) on Monday, November 5th.  It's for Green Bean Casserole.

This is a modified version of a recipe I found on allrecipes.com.  My version is soy (if you use all soy-free ingredients), fish, nut and egg-free and can be milk and wheat-free.

Green Bean Casserole

2 Tablespoons salted, full-fat butter

1/4 to 1 Cup onion, diced (red, yellow or white - whatever you prefer)

1 to 2 Tablespoons soy-free flour

1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt

1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon sugar

1 Cup soy-free sour cream (I recommend Daisy brand)

2 to 3 cans (14.5 oz.) green beans, drained (any cut)

or the equivalent amount in frozen or fresh green beans

1/2 to 1 Cup crushed, soy-free, original potato chips (I recommend Lay's)

1 Tablespoon melted salted, full-fat butter

1. Preheat oven to 350^oF.
2. Melt the 2 Tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
3. Stir in the onions and saute them until they are translucent.  (Note: The amount of onion you use is up to how much onion flavor you want in the dish.  If you don't want a lot, use the 1/4 Cup.  If you like it, use 1/2 Cup.  If you LOVE it, use the full Cup.)
4. Stir in the flour until well-blended and cook for 1 minute.  (Note: The amount of flour you use is personal choice.  If you like a thinner casserole filling, go with the lesser amount.  If you like it thicker, go with the greater amount.)
5. Stir in the salt, pepper and sugar until well blended.  (Note: If you are using a "no salt added", fresh or frozen type of green beans, you may need to increase the amount of salt to 1 to 2 teaspoons.  The amount of pepper is strictly personal preference.)
6. Remove the mixture from the heat and add the sour cream; mix well.
7. Add green beans to the mixture and stir to coat.  (Note: The amount you use is personal preference.  If you want more sauce, use less green beans.)
8. Transfer the mixture to a 2 1/2 quart casserole dish (greased or not is your choice).
9. In a small bowl, toss together the crushed potato chips with the 1 Tablespoon melted butter and sprinkle the mixture over the top of the green bean mixture.  (Note: If you just want a little topping, use the lesser amount of crushed potato chips.)
10. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes or until the top is golden and the mixture is bubbly.

Variations:

• Milk-Free: To make this recipe milk-free, use a dairy-free butter like Earth Balance and replace the sour cream with a plain dairy-free yogurt like SoDelicious's Plain Coconut Yogurt.  Just make sure your replacements fit your particular allergy needs.
• Wheat-Free: To make the recipe wheat-free, use cornstarch instead of flour.
• Add-In Ideas: If you wish, you can add some mushrooms (when you add the onions or when you add the spices depending on how cooked you want them) and/or some cheese (stir some into the green bean mixture and/or sprinkle some on before the topping).  I'd say no more than a Cup or so of mushrooms, and anywhere from 1 to 2 Cups of cheese (I would recommend cheddar, but use your favorite.).
• Alternative Topping Ideas: You can top the casserole with just crushed potato chips and skip adding the melted butter.  You can also use crushed saltines, corn flakes, Ritz crackers, etc. in place of the chips, but unless you get an allergy-friendly version of those, you will remove a lot of the allergen-free status of this recipe.
• Broccoli Casserole: If your family doesn't like green beans, you could easily substitute broccoli (fresh or frozen).  This substitution would also be great with cheese added.

(This recipe was originally posted on my original site, Natural and Free.)