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This Vegan Green Bean Casserole is made completely from scratch using fresh green beans, a dairy free mushroom cream sauce and homemade “fried” onions. Make room on your holiday tables for this easy-to-make American classic! 

This essential Thanksgiving side dish is typically loaded with dairy, but we are bringing you a version that is not only delicious, but 100% dairy-free and vegan!

Fear not, this casserole is super easy to make, and honestly way healthier and better tasting than its nonvegan counterpart. We must say, we’re pretty stoked with the results! 

Ingredients You’ll Need 

  • Crispy onions: We took it to the next level and included a recipe for making your own crispy onions at home. Baking them at home is not only more flavorful but healthier than their fried counterparts, too. Opt for store-bought french fried onions if you need a shortcut. 
  • Green beans: We recommend using fresh green beans over frozen for the best results. Frozen green beans have a higher chance of becoming soggy and overcooked.
  • Vegan butter: Using vegan butter instead of oil adds additional saltiness, but oil will work well too! We’d recommend going with a neutral oil like vegetable oil, or avocado oil. 
  • Aromatics: Fresh garlic and shallots are the start of the cream sauce and are essential to creating a flavor-packed base. 
  • Mushrooms: The traditional green bean casserole invented by Campbell’s uses their condensed cream of mushroom soup. This soup contains dairy and is therefore not vegan-friendly. Instead we substituted fresh mushrooms for a similar, fresher flavor.  
  • White wine: Dry wines like Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, or Pinot Grigio work well in cooking. To find a vegan-friendly wine, search on the Barnivore database.
  • Flour: Stirring flour into the cream sauce helps thicken it and creates a simple roux. If gluten-free, use an all-purpose gluten-free flour blend instead.
  • Vegan milk: Our go-to is our homemade almond milk, but substitute any unsweetened non dairy milk of choice. If opting for store-bought, taste it before adding it to the dish. Some unsweetened store-bought milks still have a sweet taste and smell from the added preservatives and will not work well in savory dishes like this one.
  • Broth: We used our homemade vegetable broth, but any store-bought version will work well. You could even opt for using a vegan chicken broth for additional flavor. 

Optional Ingredients

  • Soy sauce – for additional umami, salty flavor.
  • Breadcrumbs – for additional crispiness.
  • Vegan parmesan cheese – for an extra oomph!

Equipment Needed

How to Make a Vegan Green Bean Casserole

Make the Baked Onions

  1. Prepare the vegan buttermilk. In a large bowl, whisk together the almond milk and vinegar. Stir to combine and allow to sit for 1 minute to curdle and become vegan “buttermilk.” 
  2. Soak the sliced onions. Add the sliced onions into the buttermilk and allow to stand for 15 minutes, stirring halfway through. 
  3. Toss the onions in the flour mixture. Drain the buttermilk and return the onions back to the bowl. Sprinkle the onions with flour, garlic powder, salt and pepper and toss to evenly coat. 
  4. Bake. Spread the onions out on a lined baking sheet, spray generously with cooking spray, then pop them in the oven to bake for 22 to 26 minutes, or until lightly golden brown. Keep in mind that they don’t need to be fully cooked yet because they will continue crisping up on the casserole.

Make the Casserole

  1. Boil the green beans. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, then add the green beans and cook for 6 minutes. After 6 minutes, drain the green beans and immediately submerge them in an ice bath. Once cooled, drain and set aside.
  2. Sauté the shallots, garlic and mushrooms. In a large pan over medium heat, sauté the shallot in melted vegan butter for 3-4 minutes, or until translucent. Add in the garlic and mushrooms and cook for an additional 5-6 minutes. The mushrooms should be soft and their juices should have evaporated.
  3. Add the white wine. Cook for another 3-4 minutes, or until the liquid cooks off. 
  4. Stir in the all purpose flour. Add in the flour and stir constantly for 30-60 seconds to cook the flour and evenly coat the mushroom mixture. 
  5. Add the liquids. Slowly mix in the vegetable broth, almond milk and optional soy sauce. Simmer for about 6 minutes to slightly thicken.
  6. Stir in the green beans. Add the green beans and cook until uniform. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 
  7. Bake. Transfer the green bean casserole to the prepared baking dish and top with the  baked onions and optional breadcrumbs. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and crispy. 
  8. Serve. Once crispy, remove the casserole from the oven and cool for 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Serving Suggestions 

You can’t go wrong serving this vegan green bean casserole with other holiday classics like Vegan Buttermilk Biscuit Stuffing, Cranberry Sauce, Vegan Mashed Potatoes, Vegan Potatoes au Gratin, Pumpkin Pasta and more.

Or, browse our top 50 vegan Thanksgiving recipes or Christmas recipes and find a new family favorite this year! 

FAQs

Can I make green bean casserole gluten-free? 

This casserole can be made gluten-free with a few simple changes. Use gluten-free all-purpose flour, tamari, and gluten-free breadcrumbs (optional). You can also buy gluten-free fried onions if you prefer to go the store-bought route. 

Who invented the green bean casserole?

The original casserole was invented in the 1950s by Dorcas Reilly, an American chef that worked in the Campbell’s Test Kitchen. Dorcus was often called the “Grandmother of the Green Bean Bake.”

Why is my green bean casserole runny?

This can happen if you don’t simmer the liquids long enough before baking. The sauce needs this cook time on the stovetop in order to create the correct consistency. 

Storage Instructions

Green bean casserole is best served fresh from the oven, but leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days. We don’t recommend freezing green bean casserole as doing so would make the crispy onion topping soggy. 

To reheat, place an individual serving in a microwave safe dish and heat in 30 second intervals until warmed through. Note that reheating this casserole will make the topping less crispy, but it will taste good! 

More Vegan Casserole Recipes You May Enjoy:

Make sure you tag us on Instagram @sweetsimplevegan and @consciouschris and hashtag #sweetsimplevegan if you recreate any of our recipes, we love to see your photos!

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an overhead shot of a vegan green bean casserole with oven baked onions and vegan parmesan cheese

Vegan Green Bean Casserole with Baked Onions (Gluten-Free Option)

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5 from 1 review

  • Author: Jasmine @ Sweet Simple Vegan
  • Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
  • Yield: 8 small servings
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Description

Nothing says “the holidays” quite like a creamy green bean casserole. This essential Thanksgiving side dish is traditionally loaded with dairy, but we are bringing you a version that is not only delicious, but 100% dairy-free and vegan!

Ingredients

Baked Onions

  • 1 cup (240 mL) almond milk
  • 1 tablespoon (0.5 oz) apple cider vinegar
  • 1 large (273 g) yellow onion, peeled and thinly sliced into rings
  • 1/3 cup (66.5g) all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • Cooking spray

Green Bean Casserole

  • 2 quarts water
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1 1/2 pounds fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces
  • 1 tablespoon (14g) vegan butter
  • 1 medium (22g) shallot, minced
  • 3 cloves (13g) garlic, minced
  • 8 oz. baby bella mushrooms diced
  • 3 tablespoons (1.4 oz.) dry vegan white wine* (see notes)
  • 5 tablespoons (47.5g) all-purpose flour 
  • 1 cup (240 mL) unsweetened almond milk (or nondairy  milk of choice)
  • 1 cup (240 mL) vegetable broth
  • 1 teaspoon (15mL) soy sauce (or tamari if gluten-free)
  • Salt and pepper, as desired
  • Optional: 3 tablespoons breadcrumbs (gluten-free if needed)
  • Optional: vegan parmesan cheese

Instructions

Onions

  1. Preheat to 425°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
  2. In a large dish, add in the almond milk and vinegar. Stir to combine and allow it to sit for 1 minute to curdle and become vegan “buttermilk”. Add in the sliced onions and toss to combine. Allow the mixture to stand for 15 minutes, stirring halfway through.
  3. Drain the buttermilk (reserving it if desired for other recipes) and return the onions to the bowl. Sprinkle the onions with the flour, salt, garlic powder and pepper, and toss to coat. Transfer everything to the lined baking sheet and spread it out into a single layer.
  4. Generously coat the onions with the cooking spray and then pop them into the oven to bake for 22 to 26 minutes, or until lightly golden brown, stirring halfway through. Keep in mind that we don’t want these to be fullly browned as they will continue cooking with the casserole later on. Set aside.

Green Bean Casserole

  1. In a large pot, add the water and salt and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, add in the green beans and boil for 6 minutes. In the meantime, prepare an ice bath by filling a large bowl with ice and water, at a ratio of 3:1 water to ice. Once the green beans have cooked, drain them and add them to the ice bath immediately. Allow it to sit for a few minutes or until cooled. Drain and set aside.
  2. Preheat oven to 400°F and set aside a medium casserole dish for later.
  3. In a large pan over medium heat, add in the vegan butter. Once it has melted, add the shallot and sauté until translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add in the garlic and mushrooms, and continue cooking until the mushrooms are soft and have cooked off their juices, about 5-6 minutes.
  4. Add in the white wine and cook down the liquid, about 3-4 minutes.
  5. Add the all purpose flour to the pan and stir constantly for 30-60 seconds to cook the flour and as well as coat the mushroom mixture.
  6. Next, slowly add in the vegetable broth , almond milk, and optional soy sauce. Allow the mixture to simmer and thicken for 6 minutes. It may seem thin but it will thicken more as it bakes in the oven.
  7. Add in the cooked  green beans and stir until uniform. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
  8. Transfer the mixture to the medium baking dish and sprinkle over the baked onions and optional breadcrumbs. Place it into the oven and bake for 20 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.
  9. Remove the dish from the oven and allow it to cool for 10 minutes before serving. Add vegan parmesan cheese on top as desired and enjoy!

Notes

  • Not all wine is vegan, but you can use Barnivore to figure out which ones are!
  • The nutrition facts do not take into consideration the optional ingredients or the salt and pepper to taste. 
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 1 hour
  • Category: Side, Thanksgiving, Holiday
  • Method: Stovetop, Oven
  • Cuisine: Vegan

Nutrition facts label provided by Nutri Fox.

Disclaimer: The nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by an online calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional’s advice. This page may contain affiliate links, which simply means that we earn a commission if you purchase through those links, but your price remains the same. Thank you for supporting Sweet Simple Vegan!

Meet The Bloggers

hey there! we’re jasmine & chris.

Hi, we’re Jasmine and Chris! We share fresh and fun recipes to show you that vegan cooking is easy, approachable and delicious. When we’re not blogging, you will probably find us enjoying live music, tending to our backyard garden or playing with our dogs Berry and Louie

More About Us

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5 Comments

  1. This vegan green bean casserole is delicious! It is simple to make and the flavor is incredible. Thank you Chris and Jasmine for sharing your recipe.



    Reply