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Green Bean Casserole is a side dish that so many of us know and love, and we’re pretty sure its popularity has something to do with the savory comfort that only “cream of whatever” soup can bring to a hot dish. Well, this bake has that same level of comfort and is somewhat reminiscent of that casserole classic, but has a fun new favor profile. Packed with savory ham and plenty of cheese, this casserole uses creamy white beans as its base instead. We promise you’ve never had anything quite like it!
The white beans are soft and tender and are mild enough that they take on the other flavors of the dish so well. There’s some onion and garlic thrown in there, and a little thyme too, and they add a background of earthy flavor to the creaminess in this dish. And that creaminess is nothing to sneeze at. It comes from sour cream, mozzarella, and a condensed cream soup (more on that in a minute), but also from the beans themselves. You’re using two cans of beans here. One you drain and then mash up as you cook them, which gives the dish some extra texture. The other you dump in whole and undrained, and that liquid lends some starch and flavor to the bake.
As for the soup, you can use cream of mushroom or cream of chicken or really whatever “cream of” soup lights your fire. (Cream of asparagus, anyone?)
This ain’t the type of casserole you’re probably used to, but we can promise that it’s all at once creamy, savory, and totally satisfying.
Ham & White Bean Bake
Yield(s): Serves 4-6
1 hour
you're making mealtime meaningful.
Ingredients
- 2 cans (15 oz each) white beans
- 1 can (10.5 oz) condensed cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup
- 2 cups sour cream
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese, grated and divided
- 2 cups ham, cubed
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 2-quart baking dish. Set aside.
- In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook 2 minutes more.
- Drain one can of beans and add to skillet, mashing beans up with a spoon or fork to create a smoother texture. Add other can of beans, but do not drain. Reduce heat to low, and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove from heat, and add ham, can of soup, sour cream, thyme, and half of the cheese. Stir to combine and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Spread in prepared baking dish and top with remaining cheese. Bake until top is golden brown and mixture is bubbly, 35-40 minutes. Let sit 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Adapted from Our Home Made Easy.