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You’ve just found the Vegan Green Bean Casserole recipe that’s going to become your fave Thanksgiving side dish! Dead-simple, easy-to-find ingredients, no extra fuss, and richness that makes the dairy, or canned cream of mushroom soup some folks make this dish with, look downright dumb. This one's creamy, crispy, and exactly what your holiday table needs.
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Ready in less than 30 minutes, this vegan Green Bean Supreme is going to assist your dairy-free mashed potatoes and tofu turkey in pulling off the most legendary-delicious holiday meal of all time!
I’ve been tweaking and perfecting this recipe to make sure you nail it on the first try. Your whole family is going to freak the heck out. I mean that in a good way. Ready to dig in? Take my money!
Jump to:
- 🥰Why this is the best vegan green bean casserole recipe
- 🧅 Ingredients for vegan green bean casserole
- 🤯Variations
- 📖 How to make this vegan green bean casserole recipe
- 💡Vegan Thanksgiving Dinner Ideas
- 👉Top tips
- 🤷♀️ Recipe FAQs
- ✌️This vegan green bean casserole recipe loves being served with these:
- Vegan Green Bean Casserole Recipe
🥰Why this is the best vegan green bean casserole recipe
🧅 Crunchy-as-Heck Onion Top: The crispy fried onions (or shallots) on top add the perfect crunchy contrast to the creamy filling. And like all of my vegan Thanksgiving recipes, it has no cholesterol in it either!
🙅♀️🌾 Easily Made GF: I don’t use flavorless, boring ol’ bread crumbs in the topping. And that makes it easy to make this a completely gluten-free vegan recipe as long as you use a gluten free flour mix as the thickener instead of regular flour.
🛒Simple Ingredients: Everything in this recipe is easy to find at your local grocery store. No need for fancy specialty items, no pre-made canned soup (It's a lame thing a lot of recipes call for), just some basic pantry staples and fresh veggies, making it super accessible for any level of cook.
✅ Tested and Approved Worldwide: After countless tweaks and tests, like all of the vegan recipes I publish, this has been shared with my massive team of recipe testers. It came back with glowing reviews from kitchens all around the world.
🧅 Ingredients for vegan green bean casserole
The Green Beans Themselves
This recipe works pretty much the same whether you use standard green beans like I use in my veg biryani recipe, slender french-style haricots vert, or sitaw like I use in my Indonesian sayur lodeh recipe. You can also rock these out with runner beans, as I sometimes do when I make my Turkish green beans during the time of the year that may garden is over run with those.
I really don’t recommend using canned or frozen green beans for this recipe, but if you must… just rinse them well and skip the blanching step in the recipe instructions.
Vegan Butter
I really love the richness and traditional flavor that using vegan butter gives this recipe. My top recommendations are Earth Balance buttery sticks (which are conveniently pre-measured), Melt, and the vegan butter from Trader Joe’s, which is actually tastes remarkably like dairy butter, and it’s super cheap compared to the others. You can also use the butter I teach in my vegan dairy crash course.
Not a fan of butter? You really can rock this out with any other plant-based oil, but I’d recommend either olive oil or refined coconut oil for this recipe.
Mushrooms
Sliced mushrooms add an umami flavor and give the casserole more body. A few of my testers just used white button mushrooms in the recipe and were happy with the results. But if you can get them, I think cremini mushrooms (aka “baby Bella”) are the perfect mushroom for this project.
If you are also making mushroom gravy as part of your holiday spread, you can use these same mushrooms for both projects. Feeding two birds with one scone, as they say.
Flour
All-purpose flour helps thicken the mushroom sauce, creating that creamy texture without dairy. If you need this dish to be gluten-free, you can use a gluten-free flour blend or even cornstarch as a substitute. I’ve tested it with a bunch of different brands, and as long as you don’t use one with a ton of brown rice flour in it, you will love the results.
Vegan Milk
Unsweetened plant-based milk is the liquid base of the sauce, adding creaminess without the dairy. Soy milk and oat milk are the best to use in this recipe, but you can get away with almond milk too. I would swear clear of coconut milk, or non-dairy creamer for this as they both have too noticeable of a flavor. Whatever you do, don’t use any kind of sweetened non-dairy milk or one that has (🤢) vanilla in it.
Bouillon Paste
When I planned this recipe, I wanted it to be one you could quickly pull off without having vegetable broth already on hand. Vegetable Bouillon Paste (such as Better Than Bouillon No-Chicken) helps create an overall savory flavor in the sauce. If you can’t find the bouillon paste, two crushed bouillon cubes will make a great substitute. Just adjust the salt in the recipe, as those cubes can vary a lot in saltiness.
Fried Onions
Shlef-stable French fried onions give this casserole that signature crispy, crunchy topping that makes it super addictive. If you can’t find French fried onions (a lot of stores only stock them around the holidays), you can use fried shallots that most Asian food stores sell. They are an awesome, ready-to-use garnish for topping things like my Balinese sayur salad, Vietnamese rice paper salad, and Thai tom yum fried rice with.
Keep in mind, if you are making this glenten-free, these onions sometimes have wheat in them, so read the ingredeints carefully.
*See the recipe card at the bottom of the page for exact quantities, nutritional info, and detailed cooking directions.
🤯Variations
Lions Mane & Truffle Green Bean Caserole
Swap out regular mushrooms with chopped lions mane mushrooms for a rich, meaty texture that gets even richer and more aromatic with a wee lil' drizzle of truffle oil. Lion’s mane become seriously steak-like when cooked, which is why they are the star of my vegan fajitas recipe. Add some natural, high quality truffle oil to the mushroom sauce just before pouring it over the green beans for an extra hit of earthy decadence.
Green Bean Casserole with Chestnuts & Baharat Oyster Mushrooms
Adding some sliced roasted chestnuts to the filling is a great way to go. Then use oyster mushrooms in place of the cremini mushrooms, and like I do in my vegan shawarma recipe, season them with some baharat, which is a warming Lebanese 7-spice blend.
📖 How to make this vegan green bean casserole recipe
Nail this classic holiday side dish on your first shot by following these step-by-step photos with helpful tips. Or scroll down to the bottom of this page for the easy-to-print recipe card.
Step One
Hot Tub Time:
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and meanwhile, get your green beans prepped for action. Bring up a large pot of water to a boil over high heat.
Blanch the trimmed and cut beans in boiling water for about 2 minutes, just until they’re a vibrant green but still crisp.
✅ If you are more of a steamer-person, that’s cool too. Just steam them for about 4 minutes over medium heat instead.
Step Two
Cryotherapy:
Transfer the cooked green beans into a bowl of ice water immediately to stop the cooking process, then set them aside.
Step Three
Victor Von Shroom:
In a large skillet over medium heat, melt vegan butter for 2 minutes. Once it’s fully melted and bubbling, add the chopped mushrooms and onions.
Sauté for 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are slightly golden and the mushrooms have browned and become tender.
Step Four
Kanga Roux:
Add minced garlic, parsley, and flour to the skillet. Whisk continuously for 60 seconds to get the flour to absorb and for all clumps to break down.
Step Five
My Milk (-shake brings all the boys to the yard):
Slowly whisk in the unsweetened plant-based milk, making sure the body of the sauce remains smooth.
Add bouillon, thyme, black pepper, and salt, letting the sauce simmer over low heat for 5 minutes until it thickens to a creamy slightly-looser-than-gravy consistency.
Step Six
Mr. Bean Takes a Shower:
Drain the blanched string beans, in a colander, picking out any ice that remains.
Then transfer them to a large baking dish. Pour the creamy mushroom sauce over the beans and stir well to ensure everything is evenly coated.
Step Seven
Paul (b)Onions:
Top the casserole with a generous layer of crispy fried onions or shallots. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 18-20 minutes until the top of the casserole is golden brown and crunchy.
Step Eight
Garnish and Serve:
Before serving, you can optionally sprinkle some fresh parsley leaves and finely minced red onion over this classic green bean casserole for a little freshness that nicely contrasts the cooked dish and makes it look a little prettier.
💡Vegan Thanksgiving Dinner Ideas
Kick off your holiday meal with a cozy bowl of roasted carrot lentil soup topped with chestnuts and a drizzle of chili oil, served alongside a slice of grilled vegan cornbread.
I couldn’t sleep well at night if I plated up thin slices of my maple-glazed vegan ham or my stuffed vegan turkey roast packed with classic vegan stuffing without some of this traditional green bean casserole joining the party!
The essential sides? You’ve got to have Southern-style collard greens, vegan cornbread stuffing, and fluffy dairy-free mashed potatoes smothered in your choice of vegan brown gravy, or vegan sausage gravy. And then choose wisely because you can only pick one: candied yams, or pecan topped vegan sweet potato casserole!
As a total cranberry freak, I always serve either maple bourbon cranberry sauce, or my wonderfully fresh cranberry ezme as part of the spread, for sure.
Thanksgiving without dessert? That’s a God forsaken scam! A warm slice of vegan apple pie, a silky pumpkin flan, or some fresh vegan apple cider donuts are a must, m’dear love.
👉Top tips
- Nail the Texture Balance: For this recipe, the texture is everything. The most critical thing is not to overcook the green beans. SO really, just a quick blanch is all they need before they finish cooking in the oven.
- 🙅♀️ Please, no. Just NO: I guess if you have to, you can use frozen green beans. Just skip the blanching process. But for real, promise me you will never try to make this recipe using canned green beans, OK? That will suck and make you cry.
- Rest for the Best: Somehow green bean casserole gets even better as it cools a little. Even five minutes can make a massive difference in overall taste and firmness, making it also a little easier and less messy to serve.
- Mind Your Hot Spots: Don't be ashamed. Your oven isn’t alone in having uneven heat. A ton of folks have ovens like that! Anyway, give the casserole a spin at the halfway mark, or even change it to a different rack in the oven too. This will avoid unevenly browned onion topping.
🤷♀️ Recipe FAQs
To keep things crisp, make sure you layer on the onions thick enough. Depending on the size of your casserole dish, you may need to sprinkle a little extra on so that you don’t just have a thin layer that quickly gets wet from the moisture of the filling.
Absolutely! Feel free to throw in seasonal veggies or whatever you have on hand. Just be mindful that they don’t get that much of a chance to cook in the oven, which is the same reason the green beans and the mushrooms and onions get cooked a little beforehand.
Steamed slices of kabocha squash, like I use in making Filipino Kalabasa are a great holiday-appropriate choice to add in.
❄️ Refrigerating
Store any leftover green bean casserole in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Make sure the casserole has cooled down completely to room temperature before sealing to maintain its texture. You can also store the casserole right in the pan covered with aluminum foil. I never mess with, or recommend plastic wrap, because disposable, non-biodegradable stuff like that is destroying our planet, and is super-easy to avoid.
❄️ Freezing
I don’t really recommend freezing this dish. The green beans, which have already been cooked twice, will get terribly mushy and sad if you freeze, thaw, and reheat them.
🔥 Stovetop Reheating
To reheat on the stovetop, place a scoop of casserole over a tiny splash of olive oil or water in a skillet over low heat. Cover it with a lid and just let it do it’s thing for about 8-12 minutes, depending on the amount you are warming up.
🥵 Oven Reheating
Oven reheating is better for keeping the onion topping crispy, but it takes more time and requires more energy than the stovetop method. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake the casserole uncovered for approximately 10-15 minutes (again, depending on the amount you are reheating) until warm throughout.
✌️This vegan green bean casserole recipe loves being served with these:
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Get your hands on seriously crowd-pleasing vegan Thanksgiving menus, including detailed video guidance from Chef Adam Sobel.
Vegan Green Bean Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh green beans ends trimmed and cut into halves
- ¼ cup vegan butter
- 8 ounces cremini mushrooms sliced
- 1 cup onion diced
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- 4 teaspoons fresh parsley minced
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups unsweetened plant-based milk
- 1 tablespoon vegetable bouillon paste (I prefer No-Chicken Bouillon from Better Than Bouillon)
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¾ teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1 ½ cups French fried onions or fried shallots
Optional garnishes:
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley leaves
- 2 teaspoons red onion finely minced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Steam or boil the green beans for 3-4 minutes, until just barely tender with still a little life left in them.
- Drain and place the green beans in a bowl of ice water to shock them. Set aside.
- In a large skillet, melt the vegan butter over medium heat. After 2 minutes, when the butter is fully melted and hot, add the mushrooms and onions, and sauté, stirring occasionally, for 5-6 minutes until they begin to brown.
- Add the minced garlic, parsley and flour, and whisk rapidly for 60 seconds until the flour is fully absorbed.
- Gradually whisk in the plant-based milk, vegetable bouillon paste, thyme, black pepper, and salt, stirring well to combine. Allow the mixture to simmer over low heat for 4-5 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Drain the green beans in a colander and let the drip dry. Transfer them to a large baking dish and pour the mushroom sauce over them. Stir until the beans are evenly coated. Spread the fried onions or shallots evenly over the top.
- Bake the casserole at 375°F (190°C) for 20 minutes, until the top is golden and crispy.
- Before serving, garnish with fresh parsley leaves and finely minced red onion.
Notes
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Louise Elam says
We made this for Thanksgiving and it was a big hit! We’ve made it multiple times. Love it!
Sandra Westerlund says
Tried the Green Bean Casserole at our Thanksgiving dinner and it was a hit! Looking forward to trying more of your recipes.
Thank you.
Adam Sobel says
So glad you loved it, Sandra!
Nancy says
I made this for thanksgiving and it was so delicious! I could have eaten just this for my entire meal. It is easy to make and everyone loved it.
Dina LeClair says
This was so good. Everyone loved it!! Amazing flavor and no one could tell the mushroom cream was vegan. Ha!!
Nancy Klotz says
I'm making a lot of your recipes for Thanksgiving. I was too shy to show my tryouts. Everything its looking great, I am thankful for so much, including you Adam! Thank you for your generosity, kindness and great recipes. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Sarah says
This came out great! It had a great flavor and my non-vegan family loved it!
Bryan Shaw says
People were raving about the the sauce asking how to make it! Really enjoyed making it!
Adam Sobel says
Glad you loved this one and the cornbread, dear Bryan!
Jennifer Margopulos-Kelenske says
Green bean casserole is so much better w/ fresh green beans! I made it exactly as stated with soy milk and the sauce was very creamy. Even my non vegan family enjoyed it! And it still tastes good for leftovers for the next few days even though the fried onions are not crispy anymore.
Rachel says
Oh my... this was amazing. My omni-sister said it tastes better than anything she had ever had. The only complaint was from the nephew who said the green beans needed more flavor. Next time I'm going to add something to the steaming water.
Karin Van Zeist says
Once you make this, you will never ever make a different recipe. So flavorful, tasty and I am going to make these not only around Thanksgiving. In other words!! YUMMMMM
Shirley Salvatore says
Delicious and easy to make. I agree that letting the casserole rest a bit really deepens the flavor. This recipe is a winner! The sauce is very creamy, especially with soymilk.
Marna says
I dont know for me...green bean casserole...was ehhh...NO MORE! These simple ingredients meld together in a perfect blend of comfort heaven! Toppings are not to be missed. Follow exact and mind the notes...you wont be disappointed! (Next time, yes there will be a next time, soon, I will try frying shallots!)
Adrienne Davidson says
A traditional favorite and is easy to make gluten-free to cover everyone at Thanksgiving. And as delicious as ever!
Bevin says
The mushroom and onion sauce was very good and the green beans were the perfect texture. No mushy casseroles here! The onions on top were the perfect accent. I substituted gluten free flour and gf fried onions.
hg says
Now us vegans don't have to miss out on a great Green bean casserole. Creamy, mushroomy and crispy all in one. Great way to use up the last of my string beans in the garden for the year.