This vegan green bean casserole is creamy, comforting, and packed with flavor! Made with tender green beans, a homemade mushroom sauce, and a crispy topping with fried onions, it’s the perfect side dish for Thanksgiving or Christmas. And it’s so easy to make!
Why This Recipe Works
If you’re looking for a delicious vegan side dish for Thanksgiving, you will love this vegan green bean casserole! It’s rich, creamy, savory, and topped with crispy breadcrumbs and fried onions.
The perfect comfort food for the holiday season! And it’s also much healthier than the traditional Thanksgiving dish invented by Campbell’s.
Unlike traditional green bean casserole, which is usually made with canned cream of mushroom soup, this version uses a homemade mushroom sauce. It’s made with fresh cremini mushrooms, onions, garlic, and plant-based cream.
The mushrooms give the sauce a rich, savory flavor, while the cream makes it wonderfully smooth and creamy.
I used frozen green beans for this recipe, which makes it super quick and easy. They have a great texture and you don’t have to spend time trimming fresh beans. Of course, you can also use fresh green beans if you prefer.
The combination of creamy green beans, melted vegan cheese, seasoned breadcrumbs, and crispy fried onions is just so delicious! I especially love the contrast between the creamy casserole and the crunchy topping.
And the best thing is that this recipe is incredibly easy to make! You only need simple ingredients and about 30 minutes. You can even prepare most of it ahead of time, which is especially convenient when you’re cooking a big Thanksgiving dinner.
It’s the perfect addition to your holiday table, but it’s also delicious as a comforting side dish throughout fall and winter.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Green Beans – I used frozen green beans because they’re convenient and work really well in this recipe. You could also use fresh green beans.
- Cremini Mushrooms – they give the homemade sauce its rich and savory flavor. I recommend using fresh mushrooms.
- Onion – I used a yellow onion, but a white onion would also work.
- Garlic – fresh garlic adds lots of flavor to the mushroom sauce.
- Soy Cream – makes the sauce wonderfully creamy without any dairy. You could also use unsweetened oat cream or another plant-based cooking cream. Thick full-fat coconut milk is another option, although it will slightly change the flavor.
- Soy Sauce – adds a delicious savory, umami flavor to the mushroom sauce.
- Cornstarch – helps thicken the sauce and gives it a creamy consistency.
- Vegan Cheese – I used shredded vegan cheese for an extra creamy and cheesy casserole.
- Breadcrumbs – create a delicious crunchy topping. I used whole wheat breadcrumbs, but you could also use gluten-free breadcrumbs.
- Paprika Powder & Garlic Powder – add extra flavor to the breadcrumb topping.
- Fried Onions – make the casserole wonderfully crispy and give it that classic Thanksgiving flavor. Make sure to use a vegan brand.
- Fresh Parsley – adds a little freshness and color just before serving.
- Salt & Pepper – to taste.
How to Make This Recipe
1. Step: Finely chop the onion and slice the mushrooms.
2. Step: Heat some oil in a large pan and sauté the chopped onion for about 2 minutes on high heat. Then add the mushrooms and the garlic and cook them for another 3 minutes.
3. Step: Stir in the soy or oat cream. If you can’t find soy or oat cream, you could also use thick full-fat coconut milk.
4. Step: Combine the corn starch with the water and add it to the mushrooms together with the soy sauce. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Step: Cook the frozen beans for about 5 minutes. Drain and put them in a casserole dish.
6. Step: Pour the mushroom sauce over the green beans. Sprinkle the vegan cheese on top.
7. Step: Combine the bread crumbs with paprika powder and garlic powder. Put it on top of the vegan cheese. Preheat the oven to 350 °F and bake the green been casserole for 20 minutes.
8. Step: Sprinkle with the fried onions and freshly chopped parsley. Serve immediately.
Tips & Tricks
- Use frozen or fresh green beans. I prefer frozen green beans because they’re convenient and have a great texture. If you’re using fresh green beans, trim the ends and blanch them until just tender before adding them to the casserole.
- Check the fried onions. Make sure that the fried onions you buy are vegan. Not all brands are vegan. I know that Trader Joe’s fried onions happen to be vegan. Just check the labels and I’m sure you will be able to find more brands. Or make them from scratch if you’ve got more time.
- Use unsweetened plant-based cream. Soy cream works especially well because it has a neutral flavor and makes the sauce nice and creamy. Oat cream is another great option.
- Prepare it ahead of time. You can assemble the green beans and mushroom sauce in the casserole dish the day before. Keep the breadcrumbs separate and add the cheese and breadcrumb topping just before baking. Finish with the fried onions after baking for the best texture.
- Add the fried onions just before serving. This keeps them nice and crispy and prevents them from becoming soggy.
- Make it gluten-free. Simply use gluten-free breadcrumbs and replace the soy sauce with gluten-free tamari. Also make sure your fried onions are gluten-free.
Storing
Stored in an airtight container in the fridge, this vegan green bean casserole will last for about 3–4 days.
For the best results, reheat leftovers in the oven at 350 °F for about 10–15 minutes, or until heated through. Cover the casserole loosely with aluminum foil if the topping starts to brown too much.
You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave, but keep in mind that the topping won’t stay as crispy.
Meal Prep
This recipe is perfect for preparing ahead of time, especially for Thanksgiving when you have lots of other dishes to make.
Simply prepare the green beans and mushroom sauce and assemble them in your casserole dish. Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
Store the breadcrumb mixture separately. When you’re ready to serve, add the vegan cheese and breadcrumbs and bake until hot and golden. If the casserole is coming straight from the fridge, it might need a few extra minutes in the oven.
Add the crispy fried onions and fresh parsley just before serving.
Freezing
I would not recommend freezing this green bean casserole if you have any leftovers. Unfortunately, the cooked green beans will not freeze well. Neither will the crispy bread crumb topping.
Serving Options
I like to serve this vegan green bean casserole with the following recipes:
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I hope you like this vegan green bean casserole recipe as much as we do around here.
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Sina
Vegan Green Bean Casserole
Ingredients
Method
- Finely chop the onion and slice the mushrooms.
- Heat some oil in a large pan and sauté the chopped onion for about 2 minutes on high heat. Then add the mushrooms and the garlic and cook them for another 3 minutes.
- Stir in the soy or oat cream. If you can’t find soy or oat cream, you could also use thick full-fat coconut milk.
- Combine the corn starch with the water and add to the mushrooms together with the soy sauce. Season with salt and pepper.
- Cook the frozen beans for about 5 minutes. Drain and put them in a casserole dish.
- Pour the mushroom sauce over the green beans. Sprinkle the vegan cheese on top.
- Combine the bread crumbs with paprika powder and garlic powder. Put it on top of the vegan cheese. Preheat the oven to 350 °F and bake the green been casserole for 20 minutes.
- Sprinkle with the fried onions and freshly chopped parsley. Serve immediately.
Notes
- I used soy cream for this recipe. You could also use oat cream or rice-based cream instead. In Canada, Australia, and Great Britain it’s easily available in supermarkets, but so far I haven’t seen it in the U.S. You might want to check out your local health store. If you can’t find it, you can replace the soy cream with thick full-fat coconut milk. Or even with a mixture of cashew butter and water.
- Make sure that the fried onions you buy are vegan. Not all brands are vegan. I know that Trader Joe’s fried onions happen to be vegan. Just check the labels and I’m sure you will be able to find more brands. Or make them from scratch if you’ve got more time.
- I used cremini mushrooms for this green bean casserole. I don’t suggest replacing them with any other kind of mushrooms.
- You can prep this vegan green bean casserole ahead of time.Just store the bread crumbs in an airtight container and cover the casserole dish with plastic wrap. Store both in the fridge. When you’re ready to eat, sprinkle the vegan cheese and the bread crumbs on top and bake it for 20 minutes. I think the best part of this green bean casserole is the creamy beans and the crunchy top. This way the green bean casserole will still be crunchy. If you make the entire dish the day before and then reheat it you won’t have the crunchy crust anymore.
Mrs. Kade
Superb!!
Elizabeth
Tested this vegan green bean casserole for Thanksgiving next week and it was really good! Thanks for the recipe, Sina!
Sara
I’m planning to make this for our Thanksgiving dinner. I’ve wanted to try it first, so I made it yesterday and we all loved it! I changed a few minor things, for example I used coconut cream and I used more vegan cheese. Thanks for the recipe! It’s definitely on our Thanksgiving dinner list! :-)