This keto green bean casserole is made with fresh green beans and cheddar cheese.
Onions and mushrooms add texture and flavor, and the delicious sauce is made with sour cream and Dijon mustard.

This tasty casserole is nothing like the recipe you might be familiar with, typically made with canned green beans, cream of mushroom soup, and packaged fried onions.
If you’re not a fan of canned/processed stuff but are a big fan of fresh green beans and topping your vegetables with cheese, then you will enjoy this version!
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A Different Casserole
This cheesy casserole is made with fresh green beans steamed until tender-crisp. None of those limp, brownish canned beans! I also add onions and mushrooms, cooked in plenty of butter.
The easy sauce is made with sour cream, garlic, shredded cheese, and my secret ingredient – cayenne pepper – which adds just the right amount of heat.
The mixture is topped with shredded cheddar and – for crispness – with “panko” made from crushed pork rinds. Then, I bake it until the cheese is melted and the casserole is heated through.
The result is a wonderfully flavorful casserole made with real food ingredients.
Ingredients
Here's an overview of the ingredients you'll need to make this casserole. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below:
- Sour cream: I tried using Greek yogurt and felt it wasn't as good.
- Dijon mustard: It's creamier and less vinegary than yellow mustard.
- Minced garlic: Mince it yourself, or use the stuff that comes in a jar.
- Kosher salt and black pepper: I use Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt.
- Cayenne pepper: Just a little. It doesn't make the casserole spicy; it merely adds an interesting layer of flavor.
- Fresh green beans: I encourage you to use fresh green beans, not frozen and definitely not canned.
- Butter: I use unsalted butter. You can use olive oil if you prefer.
- Vegetables: I use onions and mushrooms. It's especially easy to use pre-sliced mushrooms.
- Shredded cheddar: I use sharp cheddar.
- Crunchy topping: Pork rind panko crumbs add color and crunch to the casserole. Almond meal is another good topping, as shown in the photo above.
Variations
- As mentioned above, you can use almond meal instead of crushed pork rinds as a topping.
- Instead of the full amount of sour cream, you can use half mayonnaise and half sour cream.
- You can substitute olive oil for butter.
- Try using smoked cheddar - I tried and loved it - it's fabulous!
Keto Green Bean Casserole Instructions
Here's an overview of the steps needed for making this casserole. The detailed instructions are listed in the recipe card below.
Mix the sour cream with the Dijon, garlic, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper.
Steam the green beans in the microwave. Cook them until they are tender-crisp. Don't overcook them.
Cook the onions and mushrooms in butter until soft.
Mix all the ingredients together (except for half the cheese and the pork rinds).
Transfer the mixture to a baking dish and top it with shredded cheese and crushed pork rinds.
Bake until the casserole is heated through and the cheese is melted, about 20 minutes at 400°F.
Expert Tip
The pork panko is optional, and you can use almond meal instead, but I do like its flavor and crunch.
You can use store-bought pork panko or make your own by placing pork rinds in a resealable bag and using a rolling pin to crush them, as shown in the photo below. The food processor also works well to crush plain pork rinds into pork "breadcrumbs."
Recipe FAQs
That's the beauty of this recipe! Since it doesn't contain liquids such as mushroom soup or milk, there's no risk of it being watery and no need for a thickener such as flour or cornstarch.
The sauce we use is based on sour cream, and as one would expect, it's exceptionally creamy.
I would say, however, that it's important to cook the mushrooms until they've released their liquids and the liquids have evaporated. Otherwise, the mushrooms will release liquid into the casserole.
It depends on the recipe. In this recipe, I bake it for 20 minutes in a 400°F oven.
Remember that the green beans and mushrooms are already cooked when placed in the oven, and we don't want to overcook them. So, you should bake the casserole briefly.
I love using pork-rind "breadcrumbs." They are exceptionally flavorful, and since you can buy them pre-made, they are also easy to use. While almond flour is an option, it's not as tasty or crunchy.
It's best not to, but sometimes, on Thanksgiving, that's unavoidable. So if you must, you can make it ahead of time (1-2 days before the holiday), cover and refrigerate it, and then reheat it uncovered in a 350°F oven until heated through, for about 15 minutes (its internal temperature should reach 165°F).
To avoid placing a cold ceramic or glass baking dish in a hot oven, remove the casserole to the counter 30 minutes before reheating it. Place it in a cold oven and let it heat with the oven.
Serving Suggestions
This tasty casserole is obviously a part of the traditional Thanksgiving meal. But I like it enough to make it year-round. And since I bake it in a 400°F oven, I like to serve it with main dishes that I can bake in the same oven, such as:
Storing Leftovers
You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. The pork rind panko will lose its crispiness, but the casserole tastes great when gently reheated in the microwave, covered, at 50% power.
You can also reheat it in a 350°F oven. I don't recommend freezing this casserole.
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Recipe Card
Keto Green Bean Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon fresh garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt (or ½ teaspoon of any other salt)
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 3 cups fresh green beans cut into 2-inch pieces (12 ounces)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup onions diced (4 ounces)
- 2 cups fresh mushrooms sliced (6 ounces)
- 1 cup cheddar shredded, divided (4 ounces)
- ¼ cup pork rind “panko” (or almond meal)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease a 1.5-quart baking dish.
- Mix the sour cream with the Dijon, garlic, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper. Set aside.
- Place the green beans in a microwave-safe bowl. Add ¼ cup of water. Cover and microwave until tender-crisp, about 4 minutes. Drain well. Set aside.
- Melt the butter in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and mushrooms. Cook, stirring often, until golden and tender, 5-7 minutes.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and let it slightly cool. Mix in the steamed green beans, sour cream sauce, and half the cheese.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish. Top with the remaining cheese and pork rind panko.
- Bake until the casserole is heated through and the cheese is melted, for about 20 minutes.
Video
Notes
- Cook the mushrooms until they have released their liquids into the pan, and the liquids have evaporated. You don't want them releasing their liquids into the casserole.
- You can double this recipe and bake it in a 9 X 13-inch baking dish.
- The pork panko is optional, and you can use almond meal instead, but I do like its flavor and crunch. You can use store-bought pork panko or make your own by placing pork rinds in a resealable bag and using a rolling pin to crush them. The food processor also works well to crush plain pork rinds into pork "breadcrumbs."
- You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. The pork rind panko will lose its crispiness, but the casserole still tastes great when gently reheated in the microwave, covered, at 50% power. You can also reheat it in a 350°F oven. I don't recommend freezing this casserole.
Add Your Own Notes
Nutrition per Serving
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Becky Miller
What is the serving size please?
Vered DeLeeuw
Hi Becky,
This recipe makes six serving. A serving is about a sixth of the entire casserole. I eyeball it, so I don't have an exact measurement.