Vegan Classic Green Bean Casserole 🌱 A favorite traditional holiday recipe made even better with all plant-based ingredients! Tasty green beans & crispy onions baked with a savory homemade cream of mushroom gravy. Enjoy this delish vegan side dish at Thanksgiving or any time of year!
Being vegan doesn't mean you have to give up the traditional meals you have always enjoyed. With so many fantastic plant-based ingredient options, it's easy to "veganize" favorite family recipes, making them even better!
What are your "must-have" Thanksgiving side dishes? For me, green bean casserole is definitely one. Paired with cranberry sauce, bread stuffing, and all the fixings . . . I'm hungry just thinking about it!
Table of Contents
How to Make a Vegan Classic Green Bean Casserole
Traditionally, this dish is prepared with condensed cream of mushroom soup. In this recipe, we're going to make our own delicious creamy mushroom gravy that you can also enjoy on top of baked or mashed potatoes, pasta, veggie burgers and meatballs.
🌱 Ingredient Notes
🥕 See the printable recipe card below for quantities and details.
Green beans - fresh, frozen or canned (french cut or julienned/thinly sliced)
Mushrooms - button or cremini
Vegan butter - your choice
Garlic - fresh
Sweet basil - dried or fresh (I use dried sweet basil for convenience and taste)
Flour - all purpose
Vegetable broth - or bouillon
Soy sauce
Non-dairy milk
Crispy onions - I keep it easy and buy packaged crispy onions. If you have the time and inclination to make your own, see the recipe in the FAQ's below.
🌱 Instructions
Prepare the mushroom gravy
Melt vegan butter in skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and mushrooms. Stir to prevent burning while mushrooms begin to sweat and garlic becomes tender. Add basil.
Stir in flour, whisking into a thick roux (paste-like consistency) Whisk in broth. Add soy sauce. Continue whisking. Gradually add milk, a small amount at a time, whisking continuously until gravy is thick and creamy. Add salt & pepper to taste. Remove gravy from heat.
Combine the casserole
Place green beans in a baking dish.
🥕 TIP: You can use fresh or frozen (thawed) or canned green beans. I prefer French cut beans that are sliced lengthwise. They are more tender and cook quicker. Allow frozen green beans to thaw for 15-20 minutes, and drain off any liquid before adding to the casserole.
Add gravy to green beans, stir to combine.
Stir in ⅔ of onion rings. Reserve the rest. Cover with foil and bake at 350°F for 30 minutes.
Remove from oven. Sprinkle top with remaining onion rings. Continue baking (uncovered) for an additional 5-7 minutes until onion rings are golden brown.
🥕 NOTE: This dish can be prepared a day in advance. Pre-bake it and store covered in refrigerator. Reheat in oven (covered) at 350º for 15 minutes. Remove cover and add reserved onion rings during last 5 minutes of baking until crispy.
🌱 Serving Suggestions
Vegan green bean casserole is the perfect side dish for any Thanksgiving or holiday feast. I love to serve it with slices of our fabulous mushroom seitan Wellington or keep it simple with easy vegan chicken fillets, maple cranberry yams, yummy bread stuffing, and of course, fluffy mashed potatoes with homemade mushroom gravy.
Equipment
Here's what you'll need:
- Skillet - medium to large
- Measuring cup
- Measuring spoons
- Kitchen knife
- Cutting board
- Whisk
- Oven proof casserole dish
FAQ's
Can I use fresh or frozen green beans for this recipe?
Yes, you can use fresh, frozen, or canned green beans. If using frozen, make sure to thaw and drain them before incorporating them into the casserole.
Can I use a different type of mushroom if I don't have cremini mushrooms?
You can use other varieties of mushrooms like white button mushrooms or portobello mushrooms as a substitute for cremini mushrooms.
What is a good alternative to fried onions for topping the casserole?
You can use toasted breadcrumbs, crushed crackers, or even crispy croutons as an alternative to fried onions for topping the casserole.
Is there a gluten-free option for this recipe?
To prepare this recipe without gluten, you can use a gluten-free flour or cornstarch as a thickening agent, and choose gluten-free breadcrumbs or crispy onions for the topping.
Can I make this casserole in advance?
Yes, you can prepare the casserole in advance and refrigerate it, covered, for up to 24 hours before baking. You may need to add a few extra minutes to the baking time if the casserole is cold from the refrigerator.
How can I make my own vegan crispy onion rings?
Making homemade vegan crispy onions is fairly simple and they can be a delicious addition to your vegan green bean casserole. Here's a basic recipe:
Ingredients:
- 2 large onions
- 1 cup non-dairy milk (such as almond or soy milk)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (or a gluten-free alternative)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Vegetable oil for frying
Instructions:
- Slice the Onions:
- Peel and thinly slice the onions into rings. You can use a mandoline slicer or a sharp knife to ensure even slices.
- Soak in Non-Dairy Milk:
- Place the sliced onions in a large bowl and pour the non-dairy milk over them. Let them soak for at least 30 minutes. This helps mellow out the sharpness of the onions and makes them tender.
- Prepare the Coating Mixture:
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour and salt.
- Coat the Onions:
- Heat vegetable oil in a deep pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Make sure there's enough oil to submerge the onions.
- Take a handful of soaked onions, allowing excess milk to drip off, and toss them in the flour mixture until well coated.
- Fry the Onions:
- Carefully place the coated onions into the hot oil. Fry them in batches to avoid overcrowding. Fry until they turn golden brown and crispy, which should take about 2-3 minutes per batch.
- Drain and Cool:
- Use a slotted spoon to remove the crispy onions from the hot oil and place them on a plate lined with paper towels. This helps absorb any excess oil.
- Cool and Store:
- Allow the crispy onions to cool completely. They will become even crispier as they cool. Once cooled, store them in an airtight container for up to a week.
You can use these homemade vegan crispy onions to top your green bean casserole. They also make a tasty garnish for salads, veggie burgers, or any dish where you want a crunchy, flavorful element.
If you love this recipe ★★★★★ please be sure to rate it below! Sharing your experience lets me know that you enjoyed it and will help other readers decide if they should give the recipe a try too. Thanks a bunch!🥕
Recipe
Vegan Classic Green Bean Casserole
Equipment
- skillet
- whisk
- Oven proof casserole dish
Ingredients
- 12 oz green beans French cut - fresh, frozen (thawed) or canned
- 3 tablespoon vegan butter
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cups mushrooms white or cremini - washed, stems removed, sliced
- ¼ teaspoon basil sweet - dried
- 2 tablespoon flour all-purpose
- ¼ cup vegetable broth
- 4 tsp soy sauce
- 1 cup non-dairy milk soy, almond, cashew or rice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 6 oz fried onions vegan crispy
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°
- Melt 3 tablespoon butter in skillet over medium heat.
- Add garlic and mushrooms. Stir to prevent burning while mushrooms begin to sweat and garlic becomes tender.
- Stir in basil.
- Once mushrooms are soft, stir in flour, whisking into a thick roux (paste-like consistency)
- Whisk in broth.
- Add soy sauce. Continue whisking.
- Gradually add milk, a small amount at a time, whisking continuously until gravy is thick and creamy.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Remove from heat and combine with green beans. Stir in ⅔ of onion rings. Reserve the rest.
- Transfer to an oven proof baking dish. Cover with foil and bake at 350° for 30 minutes.
- Remove from oven. Sprinkle top with remaining onion rings. Continue baking (uncovered) for an additional 5 minutes until onion rings are golden brown.
Notes
Nutrition
These are estimated values generated from a nutritional database using unbranded products. Please do your own research with the products you're using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.
Food Safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Don’t leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
Connie Edwards McGaughy says
If you like green beans, you're going to LOVE this simply delish all-vegan version of a traditional green bean casserole!