Vegan Green Bean Casserole « Fried Dandelions — Plant Based Recipes (2024)

By Sarah 23 Comments

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My Vegan Green Bean Casserole has all of the classic flavors—crispy fried onions, creamy sauce, bright green beans—everything you remember from your Grandma’s Thanksgiving table. This traditional dish is perfect for the holidays, but simple enough to throw together for a weeknight meal. I first posted this recipe three years ago and it is still a favorite of mine. I’ve now updated it with new pictures to show off what a delicious dish this is!

Vegan Green Bean Casserole « Fried Dandelions — Plant Based Recipes (2)

I am so excited for the Mad Men premier this Sunday! It took me a while to get into this show—I watched part of an episode in the very beginning and wasn’t very excited about it—Irving went ahead and watched it without me and kept telling me that I would really like it and that I should try it again. Then, about a year and a half ago my friend hosted a Mad Men Halloween party. I spent time online looking for 1960’s era clothing ideas and had fun making a jello poke cake for the party. I can’t remember if it was vegan—this was 2 months before I made the switch—but it did use vegan jello. Oh, what’s a poke cake? A poke cake is when you take the cake, poke holes all over the top of it, and then pour the liquid jello over it. When you slice it open there are stripes of colors going through it. So last year, while Irving was on a business trip I decided to give it a shot. I watched entire seasons during each of Irving’s 1 week business trips. And then I caught up—ahh—now I have to watch in real time! I love the costumes, the 1960’s decor, the ad agency dynamics, and the idea of martinis in the middle of the day isn’t so bad either! Reminds me a little of my old graphic design days.

Many of the classic foods from the 1960’s are heavy on milk and butter, but it’s not too hard to veganize them. I got the idea to veganize green bean casserole this past Thanksgiving. My sister in law (who’s vegetarian!!!) was making the classic green bean casserole with Cream of Mushroom soup. I pulled out a few of the green beans and topped them with my mom’s onion gravy (that she had made with vegan butter just for me!), and topped it with a few of the crispy fried onions. The combination of the crispy green beans, crunchy fried onions, and flavorful onion gravy was so delicious, and it really reminded me of the real thing. I’ve made this a few times since then and it never lasts long!

BTW, can you believe that the fried onions are accidentally vegan? Healthy, no, but technically vegan (if you really want to make them “less bad,” make your own!)!

Are you a fan of Mad Men? Are you doing anything special for the premier? VegNews has a whole list of veganized 1960’s Mad Men era dishes that would be perfect for a Mad Men party. And definitely make these green beans—they are delicious, easy, and use only really basic ingredients!

I hope that this delicious casserole lands a place on your Thanksgiving menu this year! If you make it, please take a picture and tag me on social media— @frieddandelions // #frieddandelions —I love to see what you’re working on in the kitchen!

Vegan Green Bean Casserole « Fried Dandelions — Plant Based Recipes (9)

Print Recipe

Green Bean Casserole

My Vegan Green Bean Casserole has all of the classic flavors—crispy fried onions, creamy sauce, bright green beans—everything you remember from your Grandma's Thanksgiving table. This traditional dish is perfect for the holidays, but simple enough to throw together for a weeknight meal.

Prep Time25 minutes mins

Cook Time35 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr

Course: Casserole

Cuisine: American

Author: Sarah De la Cruz

Ingredients

  • 1 large onion
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ¼ cup flour sub 2 tablespoons of corn starch for a gluten free option
  • 2 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 bags frozen green beans 10 ounces each, no need to thaw
  • 1 can French's fried onions 3 ounce size is plenty, but feel free to splurge with the 6 ounce can (for a gluten free option make your own, or sub gluten free bread crumbs for a crispy topping)

Instructions

  • Heat olive oil in a shallow pan. Add onions and stir occasionally while the onions soften and turn translucent. This takes a good 20 minutes, don’t rush it because it gives so much flavor! Once onions are well cooked, add flour and stir well to cook flour, making a roux of sorts. It will be a dry mixture. Add salt and garlic powder. Add water and let simmer for a few minutes and allow mixture to thicken, turning into a gravy. Remove from heat.

  • Preheat oven to 350°.

  • Pour green beans into a square baking dish and add 1/2 cup of onions. Add all of the gravy and stir well to combine (if you think it will be too full to stir, go ahead and mix in a large bowl and then transfer to a baking dish). Place in oven and cook for 30 minutes, gravy mixture will be bubbly. Top with remaining fried onions (1/2 - 1 cup) and cook for 5-10 minutes more. Serve immediately!

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Vegan Green Bean Casserole « Fried Dandelions — Plant Based Recipes (2024)

FAQs

How do you keep green bean casserole from getting mushy? ›

Green Bean Casserole Tips

Don't overcook the green beans: Remember when you are blanching the green beans that they will continue to cook and soften while baking in the oven with the rest of the casserole. So it's important to undercook them slightly during this first step so that they don't get mushy in the oven.

How do I thicken up my green bean casserole? ›

Before you add your topping, try to thicken the casserole with flour or cornstarch so the topping sits on top and doesn't sink to the bottom. If you're freeing up your oven by making your casserole in a slow cooker or a pressure cooker (like an Instant Pot), don't add your topping until it hits the serving dish.

What foodborne illness can you get from green bean casserole? ›

Green bean casserole

These are all potential signs of Clostridium botulinum, a bacterium that produces the dangerous botulism toxin.

Should you drain canned green beans before cooking? ›

But if you're someone who needs to watch your sodium intake, it certainly can't hurt to drain and rinse canned beans before using them. Doing so can reduce the sodium by 40%. If you don't want to rinse, consider at least draining them first. Draining alone will “reduce the sodium by a third,” says Reinagel.

Is green bean casserole better with canned or fresh? ›

this is a great classic Thanksgiving side dish! Are frozen or canned green beans better for green bean casserole? This green bean recipe uses the fresh kind, but frozen are your next best bet. Canned green beans are too mushy and will fall apart, so don't use those if at all possible.

Which onions are best for casseroles? ›

Yellow onions are perfect for stews, soups, barbecues, roasts and sauces. Avoid eating them raw as they have a strong flavour.

Should you cook onions before putting in casserole? ›

To prevent a soupy casserole, be sure to fully thaw any frozen vegetables in a colander over a bowl, and pat dry, squeeze excess moisture out of greens like spinach or chard, and quickly precook watery fresh vegetables like onions, mushrooms or squashes just until they release their moisture.

What onion is better for stir-fry? ›

GREEN ONION: Best Stir Fry Onion

Green onions, sometimes called scallons, are onions that have not yet matured, so they have a very small bulb. They are great for stir fry. You can use the green tops in a salad as well. And they make a wonderful garnish for soups or tacos.

Can you overcook green bean casserole? ›

The Green Beans Are Mushy

The first is simply that you overcooked them, and they lost their shape and texture.

How many cans of green beans are 4 cups? ›

Notes: ✿ 4 cups of green beans is about 1½ pounds fresh or 16 ounces frozen or 2 cans (15 ounces each) drained.

How long can green bean casserole sit out? ›

The casserole can sit out at room temperature for about an hour, then it should be reheated or stored in the fridge.

Why do I feel sick after eating beans? ›

Lectin is a protein which can be found in many types of beans, but it's most highly concentrated in kidney beans. Ingesting high doses of lectin can cause diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. Lectin in kidney beans is so concentrated that some individuals can become sick after consuming just four or five beans.

Can you get sick from eating too many green beans? ›

Lectins are proteins present in green beans that help bind carbohydrates. Lectins cause digestive problems such as nausea, vomiting, bloating, and diarrhea. Cooking beans neutralizes the lectin, making them safe to eat, improves taste, and increases antioxidant levels.

Why do people eat green bean casserole? ›

How It Became a Holiday Staple. Green bean casserole was considered a perfect dish for holiday entertaining because it was simple, inexpensive, and could easily be made ahead of time. It became known as a "jiffy casserole" because it went from one bowl to one pan.

How do you make a casserole not soggy? ›

Just because your casserole is starting to look a bit soupy doesn't mean it's beyond saving. In fact, all you need to do is add some pasta noodles or grains to your base. This trick works for the simple reason that both types of ingredients soak up water as they cook.

How do you keep green beans crisp in the fridge? ›

How to Store Green Beans. Green beans should be stored unwashed in the crisper drawer of your fridge. If they came in a bag, keep them in the bag when storing. If they came in a small berry box from the market, transfer them to a reusable storage or plastic bag before storing them in the fridge.

How do you cook beans so they are not mushy? ›

Stovetop Method

Stir them gently and occasionally, never letting them hit a strong boil; this can burst their skins and make them mushy or unevenly cooked. Depending upon the variety, dried beans will cook quickly (about 15 minutes for red lentils) or slowly (up to 3 to 4 hours for unsoaked chickpeas or lima beans).

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