Vegan Green Bean Casserole

This creamy vegan green bean casserole will make everyone at your Thanksgiving table happy, including your plant-based friends and family! You’ll love how it tastes just like the classic version but uses wholesome ingredients that everyone can enjoy.

Recipe Details

Timing & Servings: Prep Time: 20 minutes, Additional Time: 20 minutes, Total Time: 40 minutes, Serves: 10 people, Yield: 5 cups.

Nutrition Profile: Dairy-Free, Low-Fat, Vegan, Vegetarian, Egg-Free, Low-Calorie.

Nutrition Facts (per serving): 103 Calories, 4g Fat, 15g Carbs, 3g Protein.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Extra-virgin olive oil: You’ll need 2 tablespoons to get those mushrooms and shallots perfectly golden. This healthy oil adds such a nice flavor to the base of our casserole.

Mushrooms: Grab 8 ounces of any mushrooms you like and slice them up – you’ll get about 2 1/2 cups. They create that rich, earthy flavor that makes this casserole so satisfying!

Shallots: You’ll need 1/2 cup of sliced shallots, which is usually about 2-3 medium shallots. They’re milder than regular onions and add such a lovely sweet flavor.

Green beans: Pick up 4 cups of frozen cut green beans – they’re already prepped for you! Frozen beans work perfectly here and save you so much time.

Vegetable broth: You’ll need 2 cups of low-sodium vegetable broth or “no-chicken” broth. This creates the creamy base that brings everything together beautifully.

Almond milk: Get 3/4 to 1 cup of plain unsweetened almond milk. This makes the sauce perfectly creamy without any dairy – you won’t miss it at all!

All-purpose flour: Just 1/4 cup helps thicken our sauce to that perfect consistency. It works like magic when whisked with the almond milk.

Soy sauce: One tablespoon of reduced-sodium soy sauce adds that savory umami flavor that makes this taste so rich and satisfying.

Ground pepper: You’ll need 1 teaspoon of ground pepper for that perfect seasoning. Feel free to adjust to your taste!

Salt: Just 1/2 teaspoon of salt brings all the flavors together. You can always taste and add more if needed.

Vegan French-Fried Onions: One cup of these crispy beauties goes on top for that classic casserole crunch we all love!

How to Make Vegan Green Bean Casserole

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 375°F first thing. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add your sliced mushrooms and shallots to the pot. Cook them, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms release their liquid and everything smells amazing – this takes about 4 to 6 minutes.

Step 2: Add the frozen green beans and vegetable broth to your pot and bring everything to a boil. While that’s heating up, whisk the 3/4 cup almond milk and flour together in a medium bowl until smooth. Add this mixture to your green bean pot and cook, stirring constantly, until it’s bubbling and nicely thickened – about 2 to 3 minutes. If your sauce looks too thick, just add that extra 1/4 cup of almond milk. Stir in the soy sauce, pepper, and salt, then transfer everything to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.

Step 3: Sprinkle those crispy vegan french-fried onions all over the top of your casserole. Pop it in the oven and bake until it’s bubbling around the edges and the onions turn golden brown – this takes about 20 to 25 minutes. Let it cool for just a few minutes before serving!

Easy and Quick Vegan Green Bean Casserole Version

Want to save even more time? You can use 2 cups of store-bought vegan cream of mushroom soup instead of making your own! Just skip the flour and almond milk mixture, and mix the soup directly with your cooked green beans and seasonings. This cuts about 10 minutes off your prep time and tastes just as delicious!

Serving Ideas

This creamy casserole is the perfect side dish for your Thanksgiving feast! It pairs beautifully with roasted turkey, mashed potatoes, and cranberry sauce. You can also serve it alongside other vegan dishes for a complete plant-based meal that everyone will love.

Storage

Store any leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days in a covered container. To reheat, just pop it in a 350°F oven for about 15 minutes until warmed through. You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.

Substitutions

No almond milk? You can use any unsweetened plant milk like oat milk, soy milk, or cashew milk instead! If you can’t find vegan french-fried onions, try toasted breadcrumbs or crushed crackers for that crunchy topping. Fresh green beans work great too – just blanch them for 3-4 minutes first.

Pro Tips

• Make it ahead: You can prep this casserole through step 2 and refrigerate it for up to 2 days before baking!
• Perfect thickness: If your sauce gets too thick while cooking, just whisk in a little more almond milk until it’s just right.
• Extra flavor: Try adding a splash of white wine when cooking the mushrooms for an extra layer of flavor.
• Crispy topping: For extra crispy onions, add them halfway through baking instead of at the beginning.

FAQs

Can I use fresh green beans instead of frozen?

You bet! Just trim about 1 1/2 pounds of fresh green beans and cut them into 1-inch pieces. Blanch them in boiling water for 3-4 minutes before adding them to your mushroom mixture. They’ll taste amazing!

What if I can’t find vegan french-fried onions?

No worries! You can make your own by thinly slicing onions, tossing them with a little flour and salt, then pan-frying them until crispy. Or just use toasted panko breadcrumbs for a different but delicious crunchy topping.

Can I make this gluten-free?

Sure! Just swap the all-purpose flour for your favorite gluten-free flour blend or cornstarch. Use the same amount and whisk it with the almond milk just like the recipe says. Make sure your vegan onions are gluten-free too!

How do I know when the casserole is done?

You’ll know it’s perfect when the edges are bubbling nicely and those onions on top turn a beautiful golden brown color. This usually takes about 20-25 minutes, but every oven is a little different!

I hope you and your family love this vegan green bean casserole as much as mine does! It’s become our go-to for holidays and potlucks. Let me know how yours turns out – I’d love to hear about any fun variations you try!