Easy Vegan Green Bean Casserole
Nov 01, 2024 • Updated Jan 07, 2025
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A vegan green bean casserole has to be one of my favourite things to eat for Thanksgiving dinner. This recipe takes fresh green beans, a creamy homemade mushroom sauce, and crispy fried shallots to recreate a classic, comforting dish- totally plant-based, no dairy needed. It’s rich and hearty- made with simple ingredients and an easy, stress free method. Whether you’re a longtime vegan or trying something new, this casserole delivers all the nostalgic flavours and textures we love!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Creamy Vegan Green Bean Casserole
My vegan version of a classic green bean casserole features a one-pan creamy mushroom sauce made with almond milk, nutritional yeast, and umami-rich miso for a savoury, rich flavour – no heavy cream needed!
It’s also wonderfully simple and customizable – use any mushrooms you have on hand, swap the shallots for onions to create a crispy onion topping, or try a different plant milk for a unique twist. This dish is perfect for any holiday table alongside tofu sticks, dairy-free mashed potatoes, and a slice of vegan pumpkin pie and brings classic comfort with a vegan and gluten-free twist.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Green beans: Use fresh green beans, washed and trimmed.
Creamy Mushroom Sauce
*You can also use your favorite canned vegan cream of mushroom soup.
- Vegan butter: Can substitute with a neutral oil like avocado or grapeseed oil.
- Shallots: Substitute with a small yellow onion if preferred.
- Fresh garlic
- Cremini mushrooms: Baby Bella mushrooms are a good alternative.
- Shimeji mushrooms: Also known as beech mushrooms. Try oyster or enoki mushrooms if shimeji aren’t available.
- Gluten-free flour: If you aren’t gluten-free you can use all-purpose flour of choice.
- White miso paste: Yellow miso also works.
- Nutritional yeast:
- Almond milk: You can use unsweetened almond milk, oat milk, soy milk, or any of your favorite plant-based milk. If you don’t have any dietary restrictions you can also use whole milk.
- Vegetable broth
- Tamari: Substitute with soy sauce or coconut aminos for a slightly different flavor
- Salt and black pepper
Fried Shallot Topping
- Shallots
- Furikake
See the full recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts and instructions.
How to Make Green Bean Casserole
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 400F. Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to a boil, salt generously, and cook the green beans for 4 – 5 minutes until just tender. Drain and transfer them to an ice bath to halt the cooking process, then set aside.
Step 2: In a large saucepan add butter, olive oil, shallots, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper, cooking for 2-3 minutes. Add both types of mushrooms to the pan and cook for 3 – 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they become nicely browned. Sprinkle in the nutritional yeast and miso paste, stirring to coat the mushrooms evenly. Then, add the gluten-free flour, stirring until everything is well combined.
Step 3: Pour in the vegetable broth and almond milk, stirring constantly to create a smooth sauce. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer on low for 5 – 8 minutes, allowing it to thicken slightly.
Step 4: Add tender green beans into your casserole dish, pour the mushroom sauce over the top, and toss everything together until the green beans are well-coated. Top with fried shallots then bake for about 15 minutes, until the casserole is warmed through and golden brown on top.
To Make Fried Shallots
Step 1: Using a mandolin, slice the shallots thinly and separate the slices into individual pieces. In a pan, add cold neutral oil and bring it to temperature, then add shallots in small batches. Fry each batch for about 8 minutes, moving them around in the pan to ensure even cooking. Watch the heat carefully to prevent burning – the shallots may take a bit of time to begin browning, but patience will yield a perfectly crisp result.
Secrets to Success
- If the mushrooms are packed too tightly in your pan, they’ll release moisture and steam instead of browning. Use a wide, heavy-bottomed pan, and cook the mushrooms in a single layer for best results. Let them sit undisturbed for the first minute or two, then stir occasionally until they’re golden brown.
- When adding the almond milk and vegetable broth, stir continuously and let the sauce simmer. Allowing it to thicken naturally on low heat creates a creamy, cohesive sauce without any lumps.
- Use unsweetened plant milk to keep the sauce savoury, and avoid anything with added flavour or sweeteners. Almond, oat, or soy milk are great choices for a creamy consistency.
- Make sure green beans are fully dry before adding them to the sauce to prevent a watery casserole.
- If you prefer a thicker sauce, reduce the broth by 1/4 cup for extra creaminess.
- If your sauce isn’t reaching the right consistency, here are some easy adjustments. If it’s too thick, add a small splash of almond milk or vegetable broth, stirring well to thin it out gradually. If the sauce seems too thin, let it simmer for a few extra minutes on low, stirring occasionally to help it reduce and thicken.
Serving Tips
This green bean casserole is delicious as a side dish, but here are some other fun ways to serve it:
- Layer this casserole as a filling in a vegan shepherd’s pie.
- Spoon it over baked potatoes for a hearty, creamy topping.
- Fill roasted acorn squash halves with a scoop of the casserole!
- Pair it with some of my Thanksgiving recipes for a wonderful vegan Thanksgiving table.
Storage Tips
- Fridge: Let any leftovers come to room temperature and then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the oven at 350F until warmed through.
- Freezer: Freeze the assembled but unbaked casserole (without the fried shallots) for up to a month. Let it thaw overnight in the fridge, then add the shallots and bake as directed.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! Frozen green beans are a great shortcut. Just thaw and pat them dry before adding to the casserole to prevent excess moisture.
If you’re short on time, use store-bought crispy fried onions for a similar crunch on top!
More Vegan Recipes
If you make this recipe, be sure to let me know what you think with a star rating and comment below! Follow me on Instagram for more delicious recipes!
Vegan Green Bean Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs green beans cleaned and trimmed
Creamy Mushroom Sauce, or use your favorite canned vegan cream of mushroom soup
- 3 tbsp vegan butter or use neutral oil
- 1 small shallots
- 5 cloves garlic
- 8 oz cremini mushroom
- 3.5 oz shimeji mushroom also called beech mushroom
- 1/3 cup gluten free flour
- 1-2 tbsp white miso paste
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 2 cups almond milk
- 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
- 2 tsp tamari
- Salt and pepper to taste
Toppings
- 5 shallots sliced and fried
- Furikake to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F
- Bring a pot of water to a boil, salt generously and cook green beans for 4-5 minutes, then drain and shock in an ice bath to stop cooking.
- In a large saucepan add butter, olive oil, shallots and garlic. Season with salt and pepper, cooking for 2-3 minutes.
- Then add mushrooms and cook for 3-5 minutes until nicely browned. Add nutritional yeast and miso paste and toss. Add flour and stir to coat veggies. Add vegetable broth and milk, stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper, then bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and let cook on low heat for 5-8 minutes.
- Add cooked green beans to the baking dish and add the mushroom mixture, tossing to coat well. Top with fried shallots and bake for 15 minutes, until warm and lightly golden brown on top.
To make fried shallots:
- Slice shallots using a mandolin and separate into individual pieces. Start with cold neutral oil in a pan and fry in batches for 8 minutes. Keep an eye on the heat because it can burn easily. If they appear to not be browning, be patient it takes some time.
- Be sure to move shallots around consistently in the pan.
Notes
- If the mushrooms are packed too tightly in your pan, they’ll release moisture and steam instead of browning. Use a wide, heavy-bottomed pan, and cook the mushrooms in a single layer for best results. Let them sit undisturbed for the first minute or two, then stir occasionally until they’re golden brown.
- When adding the almond milk and vegetable broth, stir continuously and let the sauce simmer. Allowing it to thicken naturally on low heat creates a creamy, cohesive sauce without any lumps.
- Use unsweetened plant milk to keep the sauce savoury, and avoid anything with added flavour or sweeteners. Almond, oat, or soy milk are great choices for a creamy consistency.
- Make sure green beans are fully dry before adding them to the sauce to prevent a watery casserole.
- If you prefer a thicker sauce, reduce the broth by 1/4 cup for extra creaminess.
- If your sauce isn’t reaching the right consistency, here are some easy adjustments. If it’s too thick, add a small splash of almond milk or vegetable broth, stirring well to thin it out gradually. If the sauce seems too thin, let it simmer for a few extra minutes on low, stirring occasionally to help it reduce and thicken.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
