Vegan Green Bean Casserole (2024)

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This Vegan Green Bean Casserole is a must for your holiday table! The tender veggies are wrapped in a savory mushroom sauce, topped with crispy fried onions, then baked until hot and bubbly. Your guests will be going back for seconds! This recipe is easy to make and you can make it ahead, too.

Classic side dishes are always a part of our holiday lineup. We talk, laugh, and stuff ourselves with Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole, lots of Vegan Sourdough Stuffing, Mashed Potatoes, and of course, Vegan Green Bean Casserole! These delicious sides were utterly easy to veganize and you can't tell the difference in taste.

BUT, what about the turkey?

Nowadays, it's so easy to replace turkey meat with store-bought vegan alternatives. There are many to choose from and SO tasty! I usually make my Vegan Wellington or Vegan Meatloaf because turkey meat was never a favorite of mine. Either way, it's easy and delicious to have a vegan holiday!

Table of Contents

How To Make It

(FULL PRINTABLE INSTRUCTIONS IN RECIPE CARD BELOW)

First, you'll want to boil the green beans in a large pot of salted water for about 5 minutes. Drain and rinse with cool water to stop them from cooking. This will prevent the green beans from getting mushy during the baking process.

1 - Sauté onions until translucent (about 3-4 minutes).
2 - Add mushrooms and sauté until they release their moisture and are lightly browned. Now add minced garlic, thyme, sage, nutmeg, black pepper. Sauté until fragrant.
3 - Add the white wine and cook until liquid almost completely reduces.
4 - Now add the flour and stir constantly for 30-60 seconds.

Can I Use Frozen Green Beans?

YES! And you don't even have to boil them - just thaw them out and let them drain. You can run them under cool water to help them thaw faster.

Can I Make It Gluten-Free?

Yes, all you have to do is swap out the regular flour for gluten-free all-purpose flour. For the fried onions, you can buy a gluten-free variety, but if you can't find them, you can use about 1 cup of gluten-free breadcrumbs instead. Toss them with a ½ teaspoon of garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper, then drizzle with melted butter and combine. I sprinkle them at the start of baking.

Can I Make It Ahead Of Time?

Yes! You would make the entire recipe up until the baking step, but don't add the onions on top. Once everything is cooled, cover and place in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. The casserole will take about 10-15 minutes more to heat throughout. Add the onions in the last 5-8 minutes of cook time.

Can I Make Green Bean Casserole Without Mushrooms?

If you are not a mushroom fan, you can omit them altogether. However, I recommend enhancing the flavor of the sauce in another way. I would suggest 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast, 1 tablespoon of tamari sauce (or soy), and 1-2 teaspoons of mellow miso paste.

Also, before adding the flour to the sautéed onions, add 1 tablespoon of vegan butter and let it melt. Stir the flour in until combined. then proceed with the rest of the written recipe.

MORE VEGAN THANKSGIVING RECIPES TO ENJOY:

Vegan Pumpkin Pie
Stuffed Acorn Squash
Vegan Cauliflower Casserole

Need more ideas? Here are 35 more Vegan Thanksgiving Recipes to choose from. They are all drool-worthy!

I’D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU

If you make this Vegan Green Bean Casserole, I’d love to hear what you think in the comment section below. It would really make my day. You can also follow me on Instagramand share your creation with me. Just tag me@veganhuggsand hashtag#veganhuggsso I don’t miss it.

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Vegan Green Bean Casserole

Ingredients

▢ 1 ½ pounds green beans , cleaned and trimmed (cut in half width-wise if preferred.
▢ 2 ½ tablespoons olive oil , divided (or preferred cooking oil)
▢ 1 medium onion , diced
▢ 3-4 cloves garlic , minced or crushed
▢ 8 ounces cremini mushrooms , sliced or chopped
▢ ¾ teaspoon dried thyme
▢ ½ teaspoon ground sage (optional)
▢ ¼ teaspoon nutmeg (optional)
▢ ⅓ cup dry white wine (optional)
▢ ¼ cup all-purpose flour (GF if preferred)
▢ 1 cup vegetable broth
▢ 1-2 tablespoons nutritional yeast (optional)
▢ ½ teaspoon sea salt , more to taste (+ more for boiling green beans)
▢ Fresh ground pepper , to taste
▢ 1 ½ cups lite coconut milk , canned unsweetened (see note)
▢ 6 ounces fried onions (GF if preferred)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 °F (190°C). Lightly grease a 2.5-quart casserole dish (or something similar).
In a large pot, bring salted water to a boil and add green beans. Cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and rinse with cool water to stop them from cooking further (this will prevent soggy green beans). Drain well and set aside.
In a large pan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Add onions and sauté until softened and translucent, about 3-4 minutes.
Add mushrooms and remaining 1 ½ tablespoon of oil. Sauté until they release their moisture, are reduced in size and are lightly browned. About 5-7 minutes.
Add minced garlic, thyme, sage, nutmeg, black pepper. Sauté until fragrant, about 30-60 seconds.
Turn heat up to med-high and add the white wine. Once it simmers, lower back to medium heat. Cook until liquid almost completely reduces, about 1-2 minutes.
Add flour to the pan and stir constantly for 30-60 seconds. Now slowly add the vegetable broth while constantly stirring. Stir in nutritional yeast. Simmer until it thickens, about 2-3 minutes.
Turn heat to medium-low and add the coconut milk. Stir often to prevent burning. Cook for 2-4 minutes until thickened. Taste for salt and add more needed. Remove from heat.
Add green beans into the pan and gently fold to combine. Pour into the casserole dish. Bake uncovered for 15 minutes until heated throughout. Now cover the top with fried onions and cook for 5 minutes more or until hot and bubbly. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

The lite coconut milk doesn't impart a coconut flavor, but if you're super sensitive to coconut, you can use any unsweetened non-dairy milk. My second choice would be soy.
If you don't want to cook with the wine, you can skip that step. If you need to deglaze the pan, you can add a few splashes of vegetable broth instead.
For extra depth of flavor, add 1 tablespoon of low-sodium tamari or soy sauce while the broth is simmering.
To make ahead, prepare the entire recipe up until the baking step, but don't add the onions on top. Once everything is cooled, cover and place in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. The casserole will take about 10-15 minutes more to heat throughout. Add the onions in the last 5-8 minutes of cook time.

Nutrition

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