It's not a holiday dinner without Vegan Green Bean Casserole! It's taken me a while to attempt to veganize this classic Thanksgiving side dish. It was once my favorite dish and I didn't want to be disappointed. Luckily, this vegan version is just as good as the original thanks to the crispy onions! So let this classic side return to your holiday table.
The full recipe card is at the bottom of this post.
Making the Vegan Green Bean Casserole
This green bean casserole only takes about 30 minutes, start to finish! To begin, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Finely chop the mushrooms and measure out about 1 cup worth.
Next, it's time to make the creamy sauce. In a large pan or cast-iron skillet, melt the vegan butter over medium heat. Add in the mushrooms and cook for about 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add in the flour and whisk to combine. Continue to cook for 1 minute, whisking frequently.
Add in the veggie broth and whisk until very well combined. The sauce will start to thicken.
Add the unsweetened almond milk, soy sauce, salt, black pepper, garlic and onion powder. You can also use unsweetened rice or soy milk, but soy will add more of a flavor. If you prefer lower sodium, you can leave out the ½ teaspoon of salt. Cook for 5 minutes while whisking occasionally. The sauce will continue to thicken.
In a 9" x 9" casserole dish, pour in the drained green beans. Make sure there is no excess water with the green beans. Add ½ cup of the crispy fried onions to the green beans. Pour the creamy mushroom sauce into the baking dish and stir until well combined.
Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of crispy fried onions over the top of the creamy green bean mixture.
Bake in the preheated oven for 15 - 20 minutes. Let sit for about 10 minutes before serving. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.
My Thanksgiving Menu
I love cooking a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. Over the years I've been veganizing my favorite dishes to serve alongside the originals. And in some cases, I've completely replaced the originals with vegan versions. Here is what I typically cook for our Thanksgiving Dinner.
- Roasted Turkey (for the non-vegans)
- Vegan Roast (I like Trader Joe's one.)
- Mashed Potatoes
- Green Bean Casserole
- Best Savory Vegan Stuffing
- Easy Vegan Cornbread Casserole With Jiffy Mix
- Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole
- Another Vegetable - either roasted asparagus or collard greens
- Cranberry Sauce (both homemade and from a can)
- Gravy (traditional and mushroom gravy)
- Dinner Rolls
FAQ
My family loves the crispy fried onion topping. Can we double the amount put in?
No. My family members also LOVE the french-fried onions. I've actually tried this before and completely ruined the casserole. It became super oily and gross.
Can I use olive oil instead of vegan butter?
Yes, feel free to use olive oil. I prefer the flavor of vegan butter but both options work.
Is green bean casserole better with canned or fresh green beans.
In my opinion, I think canned is much better! I just prefer the flavor and texture of canned green beans.
Can I use fresh green beans instead of canned?
Yes. But if you want to use fresh, you need to cook them first. Boil them for about 5 minutes and rinse in cold water. Then continue with the recipe using the cooked green beans.
What's the best kind of mushrooms to use?
I like using button mushrooms but cremini work well too.
Can I use fresh garlic instead of powdered?
Sure. You can sauté the garlic (about 1-2 cloves) with the mushrooms before adding the flour.
Why is my green bean casserole watery?
It could be because the canned green beans weren't well drained. Make sure there's no extra water in the green beans. To fix it afterwards, just use a spoon to try to get some of the liquid out of it.
Summary
This recipe tastes just like classic green bean casserole. This vegan version of the classic side dish is perfect on your Thanksgiving table. While I love it on holidays, there doesn't need to be a special occasion to make it! This dairy free green bean casserole is great to make any time of year.
Looking for other vegan recipes for side dishes? Check out:
Vegan Green Bean Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon vegan butter
- 1 cup mushrooms, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoon all purpose flour
- ¾ cup vegetable broth
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt (or less depending on salt preference)
- 2 cans French style green beans, drained
- 1 ½ cups crispy fried onions, divided
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°.
- Prepare the mushrooms by finely chopping them.
- In a large skillet, melt the vegan butter over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and saute for 4-5 minutes.
- Add the flour and whisk to combine. Keep whisking as it cooks for 1 minute.
- Add the vegetable broth and whisk until very well combined.
- Add the unsweetened almond milk, soy sauce, salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder. Cook for 5 minutes while whisking occasionally. Sauce will thicken.
- Pour the drained green beans in a 9" x 9" baking dish.
- Add ½ cup of the crispy fried onions to the green beans.
- Pour in the creamy mushroom sauce into the baking dish and stir until combined.
- Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of crispy fried onions over the top of the creamy green bean mixture.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Let sit about 10 minutes before serving.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.
Notes
- I recommend Earth Balance vegan butter.
- Almond milk is the best non-dairy milk to use in this dish but unsweetened soy works as well. It just has a stronger taste.
- My favorite brand of crispy fried onions is French's.
Sam says
I’m not vegan but some family members are. Since I’m hosting Thanksgiving this year I’m trying to accommodate everyone. I tried this out and it was great! It tastes just like the original. Thanks for the recipe.
jencardenas says
Thanks Sam for the comment and for trying a vegan recipe! I'm sure your family members will appreciate it.