Miso, Mushroom & Green Bean Bake

Miso, mushroom & green bean bake is a fresh, modern take on green bean casserole, which Americans will know as a traditional thanksgiving side dish. Green bean casserole is usually made with tinned mushroom soup, as it was invented during the 1950s by Campbells specifically to boost sales of their tinned soup.

Here, we freshen it up & improve flavour by using miso soup paste and fresh mushrooms. If you’re not familiar with miso, it’s a mild & savoury fermented soy bean paste that’s used a lot in Japanese cooking. You should be able to buy it in packs of small sachets, which is super-convenient for storage & occasional use.

Miso, mushroom & green bean bake is everything you need in a winter warmer. Filling without being heavy, tasty without spiciness and full of vegetable goodness. Keep it vegetarian and serve it as a main meal with a pulse or pasta (as shown here), or eat it as a side dish with a meat of your choice.

Here’s How to Make It

Top & tail the beans and cut them to a length you like. Put them in a microwave bowl with some water then cook on high for 7-8 minutes. Meanwhile, chop the shallots, onion and mushrooms. Once the beans have cooked, drain them & set aside.

Next, prepare the fried shallots. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat, then fry the chopped shallots until crispy. Remove to a colander, leaving the oil in the pan. Leave the shallots in the colander to drain slowly and set aside. Preheat the oven to 180C.

Add the onion, garlic, herbs, salt & pepper to the pan and fry, stirring as required, for ten minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook a further 5-7 minutes, until the juices start to appear.

Mix the cornflour into the milk and stir well. Once the mushrooms have cooked down a little, pour the milk mixture into the pan and stir to combine.

Bring the mixture to a simmer. Transfer the beans to an oven-proof casserole dish. Pour the gravy in & stir it through.

Top with grated parmesan cheese and fried shallots. I’ve also added some Chinese fried onions. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and take off the foil. Bake a further 10 minutes.