Cheesy Green Bean Casserole with Added Protein
Thanksgiving · Side dish
With added protein
Made with Cheesy Cheese Meal Boosters
Tender green beans, browned mushrooms, a creamy cheddar sauce, and the crispy onions everyone looks for. This Thanksgiving classic starts with a simple stovetop sauce and finishes in one baking dish.
- Prep
- 15 minutes
- Cook
- 35 minutes
- Total
- 50 minutes
- Makes
- 6 side-dish servings
Times are approximate; use the texture and temperature cues in the recipe.
Keep the crispy onions
A good green bean casserole needs a creamy middle and a crunchy top. Here, fresh mushrooms and a quick milk sauce do the work, with Cheesy Cheese Meal Boosters folded in before the casserole goes into the oven.
Blanch the green beans just until crisp-tender and let the mushrooms give up their moisture in the skillet. Those two small steps help the sauce stay creamy. Save the fried onions for the last few minutes of baking so they brown without burning.
The recipe
Cheesy Green Bean Casserole with Added Protein
6 side-dish servings · 50 minutes total
Cheesy Cheese Meal Boosters: 42 g · 2 full product servings in this recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds (680 g) fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
- 8 ounces (225 g) cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 42 g Cheesy Cheese Meal Boosters (2 full 21 g product servings; 4 label scoops)
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 3/4 cup crispy fried onions
- Salt to taste; oil for the baking dish
Measure the powder by weight when possible. A scoop is not always a full serving; use the serving size on your product label.
Instructions
- Heat the oven and blanch the beans. Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly oil a 2-quart baking dish. Bring a pot of water to a boil, add the beans, and cook for 4–5 minutes until bright green and crisp-tender. Drain thoroughly.
- Brown the mushrooms. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook for 7–9 minutes, stirring occasionally, until their released liquid has evaporated and the edges begin to brown.
- Make the sauce. Reduce the heat to medium. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the milk. Add the garlic powder and pepper and simmer gently for 3–4 minutes, until lightly thickened. Remove from the heat. Gradually whisk in the Cheesy Cheese Meal Boosters until smooth, then taste for salt.
- Bake, then add the crunch. Fold the drained green beans into the sauce and transfer to the baking dish. Bake uncovered for 15 minutes. Scatter the crispy onions over the top and bake 5–10 minutes more, until the sauce bubbles at the edges, the beans are tender, and the center reaches 165°F (74°C).
A few useful details
Use frozen beans if that is easier. Thaw 1 1/2 pounds of frozen cut green beans and pat them dry. Skip blanching; frozen beans are usually already blanched.
Give the mushrooms time. If liquid is still pooling in the skillet, keep cooking before adding the flour.
Assemble a day ahead. Refrigerate the beans and sauce in the baking dish without the onions. Bake covered from cold until hot, then uncover and add the onions for the final 5–10 minutes. Allow extra time and check for 165°F.
Season after the powder. The cheese blend and onion topping already contribute salt, so taste the sauce before adding more.
What the Booster adds
This recipe uses 2 full servings of Cheesy Cheese Meal Boosters. Divided into 6 equal portions, that contributes approximately 5.3 g protein per portion from the product alone, based on the current label. This is not the total protein in the finished dish.
Storing and serving
Refrigerate within 2 hours in a shallow covered container; use within 3–4 days. Reheat to 165°F (74°C). For the best crunch, add a few fresh crispy onions after reheating.
Make it with Meal Boosters
Bring the cheddar to the table.
Cheesy Cheese Meal Boosters blends into the warm mushroom sauce for this holiday side.
Shop Cheesy Cheese Meal BoostersAllergen note: Contains milk and wheat as written. Check the fried-onion label for additional allergens. The collagen blend is not vegetarian.