Low Carb Instant Pot Green Bean Casserole Recipe is a great side dish for a holiday meal (it’s a Thanksgiving classic!), roast chicken dinner, or even grilled steak.
We had fun remaking this classic holiday side dish into a low carb version of itself. Because our version features sauteed mushrooms, onion, and garlic in a rich and creamy sauce (instead of canned soup, like the original recipe), it’s even tastier than the original.
You won’t even miss the carbs in our Low Carb Instant Pot Green Bean Casserole Recipe!
And another bonus, this recipe can be partially made up to three days ahead (because we know how hectic cooking can be on a holiday). Not to worry if you don’t have an Instant Pot because we also give instructions on how to make this green bean casserole without an Instant Pot.
Holiday Green Bean Casserole
For most of us, it’s not a holiday meal without the green bean casserole on the table! We all know what it is…in its most basic form, this casserole consists of green beans in a creamy mushroom sauce topped with crunchy fried onion bits.
It’s delicious, at least it is the first day while it’s piping hot and served alongside roast turkey. But have you noticed that it after the first meal, no one seems to really enjoy this casserole as leftovers?
I’ll come out and say it, it just doesn’t (usually) reheat well. Our version uses just one pound of green beans, so hopefully you’ll have fewer leftovers!
And also, the other issue with classic holiday green bean casserole is the high carb count. You know we had to fix that! With a couple of low carb substitutions, this side dish is still rich and satisfying, but much lower in carbs.
Carbs in Holiday Green Bean Casserole
According to McCormick, one serving of French’s Green Bean Casserole has the following nutrition information:
- 161kcals
- 9g total fat
- 4g protein
- 16g total carbohydrates
- 4g fiber
- 12g net carbs
According to Campbell’s, one serving of Classic Green Bean Casserole has the following nutrition information:
- 227kcals
- 15.4g total fat
- 2.3g protein
- 19.5g total carbohydrates
- 2.6g fiber
- 16.9g net carbs
How to Make Fresh Green Bean Casserole
The classic recipes for Green Bean Casserole first combines milk, condensed mushroom soup, and black pepper as a base sauce. After that, canned or pre-cooked green beans are mixed into the sauce and the mixture is baked until hot. Lastly, crispy fried onions are sprinkled on top and the casserole is baked a few minutes until golden.
The Secret to Making the Best Green Bean Casserole
I’ve had a lot of Green Bean Casserole recipes in my day, and I’ve found that there are two big factors that take this casserole from ok to great. The first is the green beans! I will never use canned (ugh, mush) and I don’t even like using frozen green beans.
My preference is to use fresh green beans, cooked until just fork-tender. It’s important not to overcook the green beans before you assemble the casserole, because the beans will cook more as the casserole cooks. And no one likes mushy, overcooked vegetables!
The second aspect that takes a green bean casserole to the next level is the creamy mushroom sauce. The classic recipe calls for condensed mushroom soup, but I much prefer sauteeing mushrooms with onion and garlic and making my own quick and easy version of mushroom soup instead. You won’t believe how much more flavorful it is!
How to Make Cheesy Green Bean Casserole
To turn any green bean casserole into a cheesy green bean casserole recipe, just stir in one to two cups of shredded cheddar cheese before baking. Add more or less depending on how cheesy you want it. (Note that this will change the nutrition information for the recipe.)
How to Make Instant Pot Green Bean Casserole
I love using my Instant Pot to make a really quick version of this recipe as easily as possible! First, use the Instant Pot’s sauté function to sauté onion, mushrooms, and garlic, and then add cream cheese, chicken stock, heavy cream, and a few seasonings to make the creamy sauce.
Then, add the green beans and set the pot to cook for 1 minute on Manual, High Pressure. After that, pour the mixture into a casserole dish, top it with a low carb keto breadcrumb substitute, and then bake it until it’s hot throughout and browned on top.
How to Make Green Bean Casserole in the Oven
If you don’t have an Instant Pot, this recipe is also easy to make on the stovetop and in the oven. First, sauté the vegetables (onion, mushroom, and garlic) on the stovetop, and then mix in the other sauce ingredients.
Then, cook the green beans until fork-tender (I like to steam them, or boil them for about 5 minutes). Next, mix the cooked green beans into the creamy sauce and pour it into a casserole dish. (See the Notes below the recipe for full instructions on how to make green bean casserole in the oven.)
Ingredients in this Low Carb Instant Pot Green Bean Casserole Recipe
- Butter
- Yellow onion
- Button mushrooms
- Garlic
- Cream cheese
- Chicken stock or bone broth
- Heavy cream
- Worcestershire sauce
- Tamari sauce or coconut aminos
- Fresh lemon juice
- Black pepper
- Green beans
- Almond flour
- Freshly-grated Parmesan cheese
- Dried Italian herb seasoning
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Extra-virgin olive oil
Yes, this does seem like a lot more ingredients than a typical green bean casserole that normally just has 5, BUT it’s totally worth it! Not only is our green bean casserole low carb, but it tastes amazing too!
Is Green Bean Casserole Keto?
Our Low Carb Instant Pot Green Bean Casserole Recipe is easy to fit into a keto-friendly lifestyle! One serving of our recipe has the following nutrition information:
- 246kcals
- 21g total fat
- 7g protein
- 9g total carbohydrates
- 2g fiber
- 7g net carbs
A typical green bean casserole isn’t the best for a keto diet because it has condensed cream of mushroom soup, fried onions, and milk.
What to Serve with This Instant Pot Green Bean Casserole Recipe to Keep the Meal Low Carb:
- Caramelized Brussels Sprouts with Dark Cherry Sauce and Hazelnut from An Edible Mosaic
- One-Skillet Balsamic Glazed Sauteed Asparagus with Bacon from The Keto Queens
- Paleo Low Carb Sandwich Bread Rolls (Keto Buns) from An Edible Mosaic
If you’re absolutely against any kinda of green bean casserole, but still want green beans on Thanksgiving, check out our garlicky cast iron green beans.
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Low Carb Instant Pot Green Bean Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 medium yellow onion diced
- 8 oz button mushrooms, quartered
- 4 large cloves garlic minced
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 3/4 cup chicken stock or bone broth
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce or tamari sauce or coconut aminos
- 1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 lb green beans, stems trimmed
Topping:
- 1/4 cup almond flour
- 2 oz freshly-grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian herb seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Turn pressure cooker on, press “Sauté”, and wait 2 minutes for the pot to heat up. Add the butter, onion, and mushrooms, and cook until softened, about 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the garlic and cook 1 minute more, stirring constantly.
- Add the cream cheese, chicken stock, heavy cream, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, lemon juice, and black pepper. Stir the sauce until the cream cheese is melted in, about 2 minutes. Press “Cancel” to stop sautéing.
- Add the green beans to the pot and stir to coat. Turn the pot on Manual, High Pressure for 1 minute and then do a quick release.
- Stir together all ingredients for the topping in a small bowl.
- Pour the green bean mixture into a 2-quart casserole dish, sprinkle the topping evenly on top, and cover with foil. (This recipe can be made ahead up until this point, and kept in the fridge for up to 3 days before baking.)
- Preheat the oven to 425F and bake until warm and bubbling throughout, about 20 to 25 minutes.
- Remove the foil and broil a couple minutes to brown the top. Serve.
Notes
- Step 1: Heat the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once hot, add the onion and mushrooms and cook until softened, about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the garlic and cook 1 minute more, stirring constantly.
- Step 2: While the onions and mushrooms sauté, steam the green beans until fork-tender (you can boil them for about 5 minutes, and then drain well).
- Step 3: Add the cream cheese, chicken stock, heavy cream, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, lemon juice, and black pepper to the saucepan with the onion and mushroom. Stir the sauce until the cream cheese is melted in, about 2 to 5 minutes.
- Step 4: Stir the steamed green beans into the creamy sauce.
- Step 5: Stir together all ingredients for the topping in a small bowl.
- Step 6: Preheat the oven to 425F. Pour the green bean mixture into a 2-quart casserole dish and sprinkle the topping evenly on top. Cover with foil and bake until warm and bubbling throughout, about 20 to 25 minutes.
- Step 7: Remove the foil and broil a couple minutes to brown the top. Serve.
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