The beloved thanksgiving side dish, green bean casserole, gets a healthy Asian makeover with this creamy vegan miso sauce made with white miso paste and cashews.
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by the Soyfoods Council. While I was compensated for my time, all opinions and thoughts are 100% my own.
Being Korean, soy runs in my DNA. From all things tofu, fermented soybean paste, to soy chips, our cuisine depends heavily on the nutrient-packed legume. On the other hand, it's not something that comes to mind when you think Thanksgiving food. Until now that is! The Soyfoods Council challenged some of us from the Healthy Aperture Blogger Network to help everyone get #SoyInspired this Thanksgiving, and boy, did everyone rise up to the occasion and debut their creative and delicious recipes (scroll to the bottom for the links). Looks like it's my turn to join the party ;).
The two soy products I incorporated into this Asian Miso Green Bean Casserole are white miso paste and edamame. They sure are an excellent way to add more lean and healthy protein into a dish that vegetarians and non-vegetarians can enjoy.
I love green bean casseroles, but not ones drenched in that infamous can of mushroom soup. So instead, I made a super easy vegan cream sauce with an Asian twist that you can make in a food processor. Along with miso paste, I threw in some cashews to make the sauce even creamier.
Once you've boiled the green beans and sautéed the garlic, shallots, and mushrooms, add the edamame and cranberries, pour the sauce over, and toss. That's it guys! How easy is that?
Although the cashews were included to help make a "creamy" sauce, their flavor profile worked in synergy with the miso paste to create something beyond even what I had imagined. The nuts mellowed out the brininess of the miso without overwhelming it. The tart, sweet dried cranberries also played off of the salty paste in a most pleasant way. And possibly the highlight for me was the textural addition of the edamame. Not only did they soak up flavor from the sauce, but they retained a bite even after baking.
Additionally, in celebrating the #SoyInspired Thanksgiving, The Soyfoods Council is giving away a $200 Williams-Sonoma Gift card to help make holiday entertaining easier ;). To enter, head on over to their Facebook page.
Ingredients
- Cream Sauce
- 2 tablespoons white miso paste
- ¼ cup cashews
- ¾ in. ginger cut into small pieces
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- ¼ cup water or more depending on desired consistency
- 1 Ib. fresh green beans trimmed
- 2 teaspoons canola oil
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 3-4 medium shallots diced
- 8 oz cremini mushrooms sliced
- 1 cup edamame
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- season with salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cook green beans in a large pot of boiling water for about 4-6 minutes, or until tender and crisp. Drain immediately and rinse in cold water.
- In the meanwhile, prepare the sauce. Add all the ingredients except water into a food processor and pulse until cashews are chopped. With the machine running, slowly add in water.
- Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook until they give up some of their liquid, about 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cooked green beans, edamame, and cranberries.
- Gently toss the green bean mixture with cream sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour into a 9x13 in. baking dish coated with cooking spray.
- Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
Be sure to follow our #SoyInspired Blogs for healthy holiday inspiration
The Lean Green Bean
Healthfully Ever After
Delicious Knowledge
Healthy Nibbles & Bits
Snixy Kitchen
Heartbeet Kitchen
The Skinny Fork
A Cedar Spoon
The Roasted Root
iFoodReal
A Dash of Soul
Nutritious Eats
Connoisseurus Veg
The Adventures of MJ & Hungryman
Amy's Healthy Baking
Uproot From Oregon
Yup, It's Vegan
Lemons & Basil
The Foodie Dietitian
Runnin Srilankan
Yeah... Imma Eat That
Maryanne @ the little epicurean says
I'm not the biggest fan of green bean casserole but I'm super intrigued by your vegan miso version! I'm always up to try anything with an Asian twist 🙂
Sarah @ SnixyKitchen says
Min! A) WOAH new blog layout! I absolutely love it!!! It's so fresh and clean B) Yum - I am really into all these Thanksgiving miso sides people are coming up with and these green beans sound like a creamy green bean "casserole" that's MUCH more my style. I love the use of cashews to make it even creamier - that's something I've never tried! And then the mushrooms! This dish sounds super delicious. Is your mom in town yet??? I hope you have the loveliest of Thanksgivings!
Min says
Thanks, my sweet Sarah! Hehe someone noticed ;). I didn't want to announce it, but yes, I did get a makeover. It's a work in progress, though. Not completely done.
I'm really liking this Asian fusion kick I'm into these days, and miso worked so beautifully here ;). And yes, cashews are my new best friend hehe. My mom is actually coming in the day before Thanksgiving so I don't think she'll be making her usual korean dishes.I guess it's all up to me then! My sister does not cook, and my brother...he needs to stay as far away from the kitchen as he possibly can haha. I seriously can't believe Thanksgiving is next week! You too!! I hope you have a blessed time 😉
Laura @Petite AllergyTreats says
Such a great way to use miso paste! I keep seeing such wonderful recipes made with miso paste. This one is perfect for a lighter Thanksgiving dish too!
Kari @ bite-sized thoughts says
I remember admiring your green bean dishes previously, and this looks like a great creamy version!
ellie | fit for the soul says
You know I love me some dwenjang!!! In any shape and form, really. 😉 It's probably one of the best and cheapest ways to make a meal healthy, hearty, and packed with flavor no matter the occasion. And the addition of cashews just tops this off! I love cashews so much that back in my somewhat disordered days that's all I ate. It was a safe food for me while tasting oh so good, but now I just love it because it's so rich and naturally sweet. Okay I'm off my cashew soap box now, teehee.
Min says
Haha cashews are pretty amazing stuff, indeed ;).
Selena @ The Nutritious Kitchen says
This is by far the most creative Thanksgiving side dish I have seen yet this season! Green beans have a special place in my heart and I LOVE cooking with miso paste! If this doesn't make it onto the Thanksgiving table, I will for sure be trying it just to have in general 🙂
Min says
Aww thanks, Selena! I can't wait for you to try! Do you have any fav recipes with miso paste? I'd love for you to share! I have a huge tub of it now so want to make sure I don't waste any of it 😉
Lisa @ Healthy Nibbles & Bits says
I LOVE this addition of miso paste in the green bean casserole! This dish just looks so inviting!
Dietitian Jess says
Love soy! Great healthy spin on a cream sauce for a traditional recipe.... so creative and delicious sounding 🙂
Min says
Thank you so much! I certainly had a blast experimenting in the kitchen 😉