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For an easy and family-friendly vegetable side dish, toss together this Creamy Green Beans and Mushrooms recipe in almost no time. All the flavors you love of the classic green bean casserole but made with simple, fresh ingredients in one skillet. That’s right, no canned cream of mushroom soup, making it fast, healthy, and naturally gluten free!
There are several foods that were kind of ubiquitous throughout my childhood. And honestly, as someone growing up in the 80’s, these were probably commonplace on many kitchen tables during that time.
First was cream of mushroom soup everything. Baking chicken? Cover it with cream of mushroom soup. Making a casserole? Stir in cream of mushroom soup. Making a skillet meal? Make it creamy with, you guessed it, cream of mushroom soup.
And let’s not forget the omnipresent green bean casserole. In my family, that dish literally had three ingredients… canned green beans, those fried onion things, and… cream of mushroom soup.
By this point in my life, I’ve kinda had enough. Though I do love some of the dishes my mom made as a kid. I’ve just revamped them with fresher ingredients, like making a Ground Beef and Potatoes Skillet using Greek yogurt and cheddar cheese for all that gooey goodness.
The other one was Beef Stroganoff. My mom has never been a big beef person, but she loves Beef Stroganoff so she made it quite often.
I hated it. However, as an adult, I felt I should give it another shot and found I quite enjoyed it when I made it my way in this Skinny Beef Stroganoff stuffed into spaghetti squash.
Somehow all of this came together in my mind and led me to create this dish.
Creamy Skillet Green Beans Recipe
Simply steamed green beans are tossed in a creamy mushroom sauce. But no cream of mushroom soup here. And no roux either. It gets rich flavor from a simple cornstarch slurry with beef broth and Worcestershire sauce. And the creaminess is from stirring in Greek yogurt.
That keeps it light and healthy while still have a luxurious texture and savory flavor that will actually remind you of stroganoff, but with vegetables instead of beef. No need to weigh down those fresh veggies with a heavy cream sauce. But you can still enjoy creamed green beans with just a few simple ingredients.
Ingredients
- Fresh green beans – you can use frozen
- Unsalted butter
- Fresh mushrooms – sliced about 1/4 inch thick. White, cremini, or baby bella mushrooms can be used
- Onion – diced
- Garlic – minced or crushed
- Salt and pepper
- Beef broth or stock – you can use chicken or vegetable broth can be substituted if that is what you have, but the flavor won’t be quite as rich
- Worcestershire sauce
- Cornstarch
- Plain Greek yogurt
Directions
- Steam green beans to desired tenderness.
- Melt butter and saute mushrooms, onions, and garlic with salt and pepper until tender.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the stock or broth, Worcestershire sauce, and cornstarch.
- Add to the mushrooms in the skillet, bring to a boil and simmer until thickened.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the Greek yogurt.
- Add the green beans and toss to coat.
Brianne’s pro recipe tips
Preparing the green beans
While I like to use fresh green beans when possible, there are a few shortcuts you can take to simplify this dish.
- To minimize your dishes, use a deep skillet like the one I show in the photos from LeCreuset and use a steamer basket to steam the green beans in the same skillet where you will cook everything else. Then set them aside while you make the creamy mushroom mixture.
- You can also use the fresh green beans that come in the plastic bags that you can pop right in the microwave. This definitely saves time.
- Frozen green beans can also be used, steaming them as you would fresh green beans, or using the microwavable pouches.
To prepare the beans, wash them and snap off the ends unless this has already been done for you. You can cut them into 1 1/2-2 inch pieces, though I prefer to leave them whole.
More about the ingredients
I do not recommend using anything other than fresh mushrooms when making this skillet green beans recipe, though you can choose your favorite kind.
Do not wash mushrooms under running water. Use a dry or slightly damp paper towel or rag and brush off the dirt. Then slice them about one-quarter inch thick.
You’ll want to dice your onions and mince or crush the garlic.
I typically use nonfat Greek yogurt since that is what I usually have on hand, but any kind will do. As with Beef Stroganoff, you can use sour cream.
Make it ahead
These creamy green beans do reheat nicely, so you can prepare them in advance. Because of the cornstarch, they will thicken up when chilled, so you may need to add a splash of broth or water when reheating them.
Simply add them back to the skillet and gently warm over medium-low heat. You don’t want to bring it to a full boil as that may cause the yogurt to curdle.
You can also double the recipe, but you’ll want to use a bigger skillet. I usually use a 10-inch skillet to prepare this dish, but for double, you will probably want to use a 12-inch or 5- or 6-quart skillet or a medium pot.
Make it gluten free
Gluten Free Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional. This information is solely based on my research and personal experience, and I provide it as a courtesy to my readers. Please consult your doctor or medical professional for any questions as it relates to your needs, particularly if you have celiac disease or a severe gluten allergy or intolerance. Products, manufacturing facilities, and ingredients change frequently, so you should always contact the manufacturer for the latest information.
As with the vast majority of my recipes, the ingredients to make these creamed green beans are naturally gluten free. Unlike cream sauces that are thickened with a roux, this recipe uses a cornstarch slurry with Greek yogurt to make it creamy and rich-tasting.
However, do read the labels and check the brands to be sure they do not have any gluten-containing ingredients:
- Beef broth or stock – while in most cases you’ll find that cartons and cans of broth are gluten free, some of the cheaper brands will have colors and flavors added to them that may contain gluten. You don’t have to buy a pricy bone broth, but do check the labels to ensure it is safe. Typically I prefer broth in a box versus the canned variety as it has better flavor. You can also make your own beef stock.
- Worcestershire sauce – at the time of this writing, Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce sold in the United States is glute free. For other brands and other countries, please do read the label or contact the manufacturer.
Make it a meal
These creamy green beans are perfect to complete an easy dinner on a busy weeknight or to complete your holiday menu.
Main dishes
- Easy Skillet Cube Steaks
- Cranberry Garlic Prime Rib
- Rosemary Roast Chicken
- Balsamic Meatloaf
- Baked Ham with Brown Sugar Glaze
Side dishes
- Corn Pudding
- Cheesy Mashed Potatoes with Bacon
- Horseradish Cheddar Mashed Cauliflower Casserole
- Balsamic Roasted Vegetables
- Baked Sweet Potato Fries
More green bean recipes
- Pineapple Glazed Green Beans with Pecans
- Cranberry Orange Glazed Green Beans
- Lemon Green Beans and Mushrooms
- Balsamic Green Beans with Goat Cheese
- Garlic Green Beans
Creamy Skillet Green Beans with Mushrooms
Steamed green beans are tossed in a quick and easy creamy mushroom sauce for a delicious veggie side dish you can make in one skillet. Simple enough for any night of the week, but special enough for a holiday meal. And since they are made with simple, fresh, and healthy ingredients, it tastes rich, but is really light and naturally gluten free.
Creamy Green Beans and Mushrooms
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh green beans (or frozen)
- 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
- 8 ounces fresh mushrooms sliced 1/4 inch thick (can use white, baby bella, or cremini)
- 1/4 cup diced onion
- 1 clove garlic minced or crushed
- 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup beef stock or broth
- 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
- minced fresh parsley or additional pepper for garnish if desired
Instructions
- Rinse green beans and snap off stems. Leave whole or cut to 1 1/2-2 inch pieces, if desired. Steam to desired doneness.
- In a large skillet, melt butter. Add the mushrooms, onion, garlic, salt, and pepper, and cook for about 4-5 minutes, until the mushrooms are tender.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, and cornstarch. Add to the skillet and bring to a simmer. Cook for about two minutes or until thickened.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the Greek yogurt.
- Add the green beans to the pan and toss to coat completely. Place over low heat to gently heat everything through, but do not bring to a full boil.
- Sprinkle with fresh parsley and additional pepper before serving, if desired.
Did you make this?
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This is exactly what I was looking for to use a bunch of frozen green beans. Love the Beef Stroganoff taste, it’s the Worcestershire Sauce!!! I used some reduced fat sour cream and it turned out fabulous!!!!
Can you use sour cream instead of greek yogurt? Would that give it slightly the same affect?
Yes, I believe that would work fine.
These were horrible!! I followed the recipe to the tea and the Greek yogurt was not happening at all that should’ve been left off. I do not eat yogurt. I don’t eat mushrooms they were terrible. I was trying to do a non-meat option for certain people in my family that are vegan and this was not it. I should’ve stuck with my regular recipe for making green beans.
I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy it, but perhaps choosing a recipe where you don’t like two of the main ingredients was not the correct choice for you.