This vegan green bean casserole combines savory mushroom and cashew cream soup with tender green beans and crispy fried onions. Whether you’re hosting a vegan Thanksgiving, or you just want to make a healthy but satisfying side dish, this is the perfect recipe for you!
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The Best Vegan Green Bean Casserole
Truth time, I was a diehard vegan for most of my teen years. In fact, my first food blog was called theteenagevegan.com, which I insightfully changed from thefifteenyearoldvegan.com, since I knew that was an unrealistic brand to keep up with.
Anyway, my move to veganism is a big reason why I developed a love for cooking. Out of necessity, I needed to learn how to read ingredient lists and prepare meals. One of the first vegan cookbooks I ever bought myself was the same cookbook that I got the base of this recipe from.
All in all, I’ve probably made this vegan green bean casserole recipe for the last dozen Thanksgivings. At least one in Australia, not to mention countless others in friends’ kitchens. I’ve shared this recipe with friends and family, and I have continued to tweak it year after year.
This recipe starts with a cashew cream sauce blended with caramelized mushrooms and onion. Then, it’s tossed with tender green beans and sautéed mushrooms before being baked into a rich casserole. The grand finale, crispy fried onions, is the cherry on top of this perfect vegan Thanksgiving side dish.
If you guys are looking for an easily made vegan dessert, then look no further than this cherry tart.
Ingredients for Green Bean Casserole
As mentioned, this recipe is totally from scratch. With homemade “cream of mushroom soup,” tender green beans, and crispy onions on top, this is a well-rounded and fun recipe from start to finish.
Here’s what we will need for our vegan green bean casserole:
Green beans: Can be fresh or frozen. If using fresh, be sure to trim and blanch the green beans. To blanch, bring a pot of water to boil, add the green beans, and let them cook for 1-2 minutes until they turn vibrant green. Then, submerge them in ice water to stop the cooking process.
Mushrooms: I recommend wild mushrooms, but white button mushrooms will work too.
Yellow onion: 1 for the casserole and 1 for the fried onion topping.
Garlic: Does garlic need an explanation?
All-purpose flour: For coating, our soon-to-be fried onions. Can be swapped for cornstarch for a gluten-free green bean casserole.
Cashews: Use raw, untoasted cashews for a less nutty and more mild flavor. Preferably soak them for at least 4 hours or boil them for 5 minutes, as this will make them easier to blend.
Broth: Vegetable or any type of broth will work well. This can be substituted for water.
Soy sauce: If making a gluten-free green bean casserole, swap this for gluten-free soy sauce. Alternatively, I’ll often use a vegan Worcestershire sauce.
Nutritional yeast: If you’re not in need of a vegan green bean casserole, this can be substituted for grated parmesan cheese.
Lemon juice: For that pop of acidity, can be swapped for apple cider vinegar.
Oil: Both for sautéeing and frying. I’m using avocado oil.
Salt, pepper, thyme, rosemary, oregano, bay leaf: Necessary seasonings.
How to Make a Vegan Green Bean Casserole
This is a fairly intuitive recipe. To save time, you can make the cashew cream the night before, though you will have to re-blend it with your sautéed mushrooms and onions before baking.
So, let’s get into it.
Step One: Prep Work
First, preheat the oven to 350°F. Then, in a large Dutch oven, add a bit of oil, followed by your garlic and onion. Let this cook for 2-3 minutes, then add your mushrooms and all of your seasonings. Let this cook down until your mushrooms and onions are browned and have significantly reduced in size, about 5-7 minutes.
Step Two: Make the Soup
To your high-speed blender, add your drained cashews, nutritional yeast, broth, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and half of your sautéed mushroom mixture (don’t forget to remove the bay leaf).
Blend until smooth, adding more broth if necessary.
Step Three: Build the Casserole
Once your soup is fully blended, combine it with your green beans in your Dutch oven. Stir to combine everything, making sure to circulate the sautéed mushrooms from the bottom of the pan. Bake this at 350°F for 30 minutes or until your green beans are fully cooked.
You will know your green beans are done when they are tender but have a slight crunch.
Step Four: Make Fried Onions
While the green bean casserole is baking, add oil to a large skillet, making sure to fully cover the skillet by at least 1”. Next, toss your sliced onions in your flour.
Once your oil is hot enough (carefully drop 1-2 drops of water into the skillet; if it sizzles, it’s hot enough), gently add your flour-coated onions to the skillet. Allow them to cook until golden brown, then flip and repeat. Remember to work in batches so as not to overcrowd the pan.
While your first batch is frying, line a plate with paper towels. Using a pair of tongs, move your freshly fried onions to the paper-towel-lined plate and continue until all of your onions are fried.
Step Five: Add Fried Onions
Once your green bean casserole is fully cooked, remove it from the oven. Sprinkle your fried onions on top and return the casserole to the oven to bake for another 5 minutes. Serve warm, and enjoy!
Storing and Reheating Your Casserole
As you might have guessed, casseroles make for the perfect leftovers, and this vegan green bean casserole is no exception. Store leftovers in an airtight container and consume them within 3 to 4 days.
To reheat your casserole, you can either place the casserole dish in the oven preheated to 350°F and heat for 12-15 minutes or until it is thoroughly warm. Alternatively, you can microwave your casserole in 30-second increments until fully warm.
If freezing your leftover casserole, it should last about 6 months if stored in an airtight container. I recommend thawing it in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Final Thoughts
I seriously hope you enjoy this vegan green bean casserole as much as I do. I have, and will always, prefer this recipe to any other non-vegan green bean casserole from scratch, and I’m sure you’ll understand why after giving it a try.
Please leave a comment below if you gave this recipe a try, and follow me along @liv_eatslocal on Instagram so you know first when I post a new healthy, seasonal recipe.
FAQs
Yes! If you prefer to use your crockpot, then you can simply swap the Dutch oven in this recipe for a skillet to do your sautéeing (unless your slow cooker has a sauté setting), then build your casserole in the slow cooker (minus the fried onions) and cook with the lid on high or about 2 1/2 hours. Once finished, add your fried onions and serve.
No, green bean casserole should be baked uncovered for at least 30 minutes, or until the soup is bubbly and the green beans are fully cooked.
Vegan Green Bean Casserole
Equipment
- 1 Dutch oven I'm using a 6-quart
- 1 Blender
- 1 Wooden spoon
- 1 Large skillet
- 1 Tongs
- 1 Measuring cups
- 1 Knife and cutting board
Ingredients
For cashew cream of mushroom soup
- 1 1/2 cups Raw cashews Soaked for 4 hours or boiled for 5 minutes
- 2 cups Vegetable broth
- 2 tbsp Nutritional yeast
- 1/2 tbsp Lemon juice
- 1 tbsp Soy sauce Swap for gluten-free soy sauce, if necessary
- 1 tsp Salt Or more, to taste
- 1 tsp Black pepper Or more, to taste
For Casserole
- 1 1/2 lb Green beans
- 5 cups Mushrooms, sliced I'm using white buttons, but use your favorite mushrooms
- 2-3 Garlic cloves, minced
- 1 Small yellow onion, sliced thin
- 1/2 tbsp Dried rosemary
- 1/2 tbsp Dried thyme
- 1/2 tbsp Dried oregano
- 1 Bay leaf
- 1 tsp Salt Or more, to taste
- 1 tsp Black pepper
- Oil, for sautéing I'm using avocado oil
- 1 Small yellow onion, sliced thin
- 1/2 cup All-purpose flour Or cornstarch for gluten free option
- Oil, for frying I'm using avocado oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F
- In a large Dutch oven set the heat to medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons oil, followed by garlic and onion. Sauté for 2-3 minutes.
- Add seasonings (thyme, rosemary, oregano, bay leaf, salt, and pepper) followed by mushrooms. Continue sautéing until the onions and mushrooms are caramelized, about 5-7 minutes.
- Drain and rinse cashews, then add them to your high-speed blender along with broth, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, soy sauce, salt, pepper, and half of your sautéed mushroom mix (don't forget to remove the bay leaf). Blend until smooth, adding more broth if neccessary.
- Turn off the heat on the stovetop and add your blanched and trimmed green beans to the Dutch oven, followed by your soup mixture. Stir to combine everything.
- Bake for 30 minutes, or until your green beans are fully cooked.
- Remove your green bean casserole from the oven and top it with the fried onions. Bake for another 10 minutes.
For the fried onions
- In a large bowl, toss your sliced onion in the all-purpose flour.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, add 1" of oil. When the oil is simmering, carefully add your flour-coated onions to the skillet.
- In batches, add your flour-coated onions to the skillet, careful not to overcrowd the pan. Let fry on one side until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes, then flip and fry the other side.
- While frying, line a plate with paper towels. Once the onions are done frying, move them to the paper-towel-lined plate and continue until all of the onions have been fried.
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