Vegan Green Bean Casserole

Say hello to the most delicious vegan green bean casserole recipe on the internet. This vegan green bean casserole is made with fresh green beans, mushrooms, a vegan roux, and fried onions!

The holidays are upon us and you’ve asked time and time again for more vegan Thanksgiving recipes! We’re here today sharing a delicious vegan green bean casserole made with fresh green beans and the most scrumptious homemade mushroom gravy you’ve ever tried!

PS: there is no cream of mushroom soup involved in this recipe because it’s 100% homemade from scratch.

Best Vegan Green Bean Casserole!

I know what you’re thinking…a vegan green bean casserole not made with butter or milk? Listen, it can be done and it WILL be tasty!

This recipe tastes exactly like a traditional green bean casserole but uses simple swaps to make it plant-based. Let’s check it out.

Butter –> olive oil

Cream of mushroom soup –> homemade vegan gravy

Milk –> almond milk

What does green bean casserole taste like? This popular Thanksgiving side dish is savory and saucy with a hint of mushrooms and garlic.

What You Need

• fresh green beans – the fresher the better!
• olive oil – you can also try a vegan butter, if you’d like.
• Bella mushrooms – mushrooms add such an amazing flavor to the homemade creamy sauce.
• white onion – onion is another flavor powerhouse. Feel free to use any color.
• minced garlic – anyone else naturally double the garlic in every recipe? Feel free to do that here!
• fried onions – we kept this part super simple and actually used a store-bought fried onion product. Just read the label and make sure it’s plant-based.
• white whole wheat flour – this is used to make the roux AKA the thickening agent for the sauce.
• unsweetened almond milk – almond milk is also used in the roux. Feel free to use whatever plant-based milk you choose.
• Worcestershire sauce – a little goes a long way. This adds a flavor blast of salty and savory.
• vegetable broth – veggie broth is used to thin things out a bit. It helps the sauce go a LONG way.
• spices – what would a casserole be without spices?

Make it Gluten Free

The only ingredient in this recipe that is not naturally gluten-free is the white whole wheat flour. You need some kind of flour to create your roux, which is what thickens the sauce. So, simply swap the white whole wheat flour for an all-purpose gluten-free flour blend.

Also, make sure to buy a gluten-free friendly Worchestershire sauce. Some sauces can be sneaky with additional, unnecessary ingredients!

How to Make Vegan Green Bean Casserole (step by step)

Follow our super simple tutorial to whip this vegan Thanksgiving recipe up in less than an hour!

Prep Green Beans

Good news for you is that this recipe is made with the freshest of green beans! Can green beans –> no thank you.

The first step in making green bean casserole is prepping your green beans. Rinse them under cold water and pat them dry. Then, use a pair of kitchen sheers (a knife works too) to snip off the ends of each bean. You can also break the neds right off too!

Transfer green beans right into a greased 9×13-inch casserole dish and set aside.

Begin Sauce

Who needs cream of mushroom soup when you can make your own mushroom gravy in just a few steps? Not us!

Next, saute mushrooms, onions, and garlic in olive oil for 5-8 minutes. The goal here is to remove moisture from your mushrooms and cook them down.

Make Roux

Now, it’s time to ditch the store-bought creamy mushroom soup for a homemade mushroom gravy. In order to thicken up your gravy, we must make a vegan roux! Here’s how to do it:

1. Heat a saucepan over medium/high heat. Add olive oil. Add flour and whisk until a crumble or paste forms.
2. While continuing to whisk (this is important), slowly add in almond milk. Continue Whisking for around 3-5 minutes over medium heat until it begins to thicken.
3. Once thick, you can remove your roux from the heat and add Worcestershire, salt, pepper, garlic powder, fresh thyme, and vegetable broth and whisk until combined. 
4. Finally, add in the sauteed mushrooms and mix to combine.

Prep casserole + Bake

Pour delicious mushroom gravy sauce right on top of your green beans and use a wooden utensil to mix to combine. Make sure that all green beans are coated in the gravy.

We wanted to make this vegan green bean casserole extra saucy because everyone needs a little sauce in their life.

Cover casserole dish and bake at 375ºF for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and mix. Then, cover again and bake for 15 more minutes, covered.

Remove and mix one more time. Taste your green beans and bake for 10-15 more minutes, covered, or until green beans are cooked.

Add onions

The last step is to add the fried onions! Now, we kept things pretty simple and use a store-bought fried onion for this recipe, but you can make your own.

Mix 1/2 cup into the casserole and then top the casserole with another full cup.

Can I make this ahead of time?

This Thanksgiving side dish is a great one to make ahead of time. Follow these super-simple instructions on how to do so:

1. Make the casserole as is following steps 1-7 in the recipe card. Do NOT mix in or top it with the fried onions.
2. Let the casserole cool completely and then cover it.
3. Place casserole in the refrigerator for up to 1-2 days.
4. When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350ºF and bake the casserole, covered, for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, stir, and see how warm it is.
5. Bake the casserole for an additional 10-15 minutes as need.
6. Before you’re ready to serve, mix in 1/2 cup of fried onions and then top it with another 1 cup.

Storage

Got leftovers? Store your casserole in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days.

Reheating Directions

To reheat, you can either microwave on high for 90 seconds to 2 minutes OR add the entire casserole into a medium frying pan and reheat on low/medium for 5-10 minutes.