Calories in Lightened Green Bean Casserole Recipe

Examining the Calorie Count in Green Bean Casserole

Green bean casserole is a beloved holiday staple gracing many Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner tables. But this creamy, crispy veggie dish often gets a bad rap for being high in calories, fat, and sodium. In this article, we take a close nutritional look at traditional and lighter versions of green bean casserole to help you enjoy it guilt-free!

Breaking Down a Classic Green Bean Casserole Recipe

Lets start by evaluating the basic components of traditional green bean casserole made with canned soup:

• Green beans fresh, frozen or canned
• Condensed cream of mushroom soup
• Milk to thin soup mixture
• Black pepper and other seasonings
• Topping of fried onion straws

When examining common brands of cream of mushroom soup and fried onions, a 1 cup serving size of classic green bean casserole adds up to:

• Calories: 233
• Total fat: 16g
• Carbs: 16g
• Protein: 4g
• Sodium: 828mg

That supplies nearly a third of recommended daily sodium intake per just one cup! Now lets explore some healthy tweaks to lighten up this holiday favorite.

Trying Low-Fat Cream Soup Alternatives

Swapping out that high-fat, high-sodium condensed soup is the easiest first step to slim your bean casserole down. Many brands now offer lower sodium cream soups with at least 30% less fat. Or turn to healthier scratch-made sauce options:

• Mushroom gravy Simmer fresh sliced mushrooms to extract flavorful liquid.
• Greek yogurt Blend plain nonfat yogurt with broth, milk and seasonings.
• White bean sauce Puree canned cannellini beans into a lush cream.

These substitutions cut around 80-100 calories and 5-8g fat per cup of green bean casserole. And they let you control sodium content added.

Picking Low-Fat Crispy Toppings

What takes green bean casserole over the top is that crispy fried topping contrast. But traditional fried onions can supply up to 8g fat per serving. Healthy alternatives include:

• Panko breadcrumbs toasted in a skillet with cooking spray
• Sliced almonds, lightly toasted
• Crushed corn flakes or potato chips
• Spray-fried shiitake mushroom slices

Aim for around 1-3g fat per cup of topping. Sprinkle these crunchy alternatives over casserole right before serving so they stay crispy.

Trying Lower-Calorie Bean Options

Going with fresh or frozen green beans rather than canned or pre-fried varieties saves calories, sodium and retains vitamin C. For even more nutrition and fiber, mix in extra veggies like:

• Diced carrots
• Sliced mushrooms
• Chopped spinach or kale
• Frozen peas or edamame

Loading up on non-starchy vegetables lets you fill your plate while keeping calories controlled. Plus it stretches the bean casserole to feed more people.

What Youll Save from a Lightened Green Bean Casserole

Tweaking just a few key elements of traditional green bean casserole can make a big nutrition impact. Heres an example what you might save per 1 cup serving by lightening things up:

• Calories: 130 fewer
• Total fat: 10g less
• Sodium: 450mg less
• Added sugar: 2-4g less
• Vitamin C: More retained if using fresh beans
• Fiber: 2-4g more if adding extra veggies

With savvy substitutions you wind up with a healthier bean casserole hovering around 100 calories, 5g fat, 350mg sodium per serving. Now thats something to celebrate!

Sample Recipe: Lightened Green Bean Casserole

Here weve outlined a lighter bean casserole recipe as an example:

Ingredients:

• 1lb fresh green beans, trimmed and halved (or one 16oz frozen)
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms
• 12 cup Greek yogurt
• 14 cup vegetable or mushroom broth
• 14 cup skim milk
• 14 tsp each garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper.
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp olive oil or cooking spray

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 2qt baking dish.
2. In pot of boiling water, blanch green beans until tender, 5 minutes. Drain well.
3. Mix Greek yogurt, broth, milk and seasonings until blended.
4. Gently combine green bean mixture with mushrooms and sauce.
5. Pour into prepared baking dish and top with panko crumbs.
6. Drizzle oil over top then bake 30 minutes until hot and bubbly.
7. Sprinkle extra panko and black pepper on individual portions.

This fresh, lighter recipe cuts nearly 200 calories and 10g fat from traditional while pumping up nutrition. Now we hope you can savor guiltless helpings of green bean casserole all holiday season!

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.