Healthy Vegan Green Bean Casserole
If you're looking for a healthy side dish, this is your recipe. This vegan green bean casserole is made with a cashew-based mushroom sauce that is super creamy and delicious. It tastes like it's made with cream and cheese, but it's 100% dairy-free.
Eek … guys, I'm so happy right now! See that dish full of green beans and mushrooms and creamy sauce? That is a VEGAN green bean casserole that is every bit as good as the one I grew up eating. Can't wipe the smile off my face.
I know it might seem like I get excited over the strangest things. It's true, I do. But when I can take some comfort food I grew up with and make it healthy, I can't help but get giddy.
It's not that I'm trying to be an impersonator. I'm not vegan. I eat dairy. I would eat a regular cheese and canned mushroom soup filled casserole if you put one in front of me. #NotGonnaLie
But, when I'm cooking at home I want to eat things that not only taste good but make me feel good, too.
This Vegan Green Bean Casserole is made using the Magic Mushroom Sauce that I shared with you a few weeks ago. That magical sauce is made with cashews that make it rich and creamy without using any dairy. In this recipe, it replaces the traditional creepy (but tasty, I admit) cream of mushroom soup.
The result? a healthy green bean casserole that you can serve to your friends and family without them noticing anything is different. Win!
So what are you guys up to for Easter? Do you do the traditional big turkey dinner? With stuffing? And mashed potatoes? And (this) vegan green bean casserole?
Most years I forget all about Easter until I get invited to dinner. It always sneaks up so fast after Thanksgiving and Christmas! You'd think that all the chocolate Easter bunnies and candy eggs around that I'd take notice, but it always catches me off guard.
This year I'm on it.
Only we'll be having pizza Easter dinner this year. Pizza. I know, it's weird. It's a tradition we started last year and it was so fun we're going to roll with it again. 🙂
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Vegan Thanksgiving Side Dish Recipes:
- Whole Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Garlic
- Bourbon Maple Glazed Carrots with Pistachios
- Mini Hasselback Potatoes with Roasted Garlic
- Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad
- Ginger Orange Cranberry Sauce
- Roasted Pumpkin Spinach Salad
- Herb and Garlic Butter Smashed Sweet Potatoes with Smoky Pecans
Healthy Vegan Green Bean Casserole
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Prep Time: 25 mins -
Cook Time: 35 mins
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Total Time: 1 hour
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Yield: 6-8 servings 1x -
Category: Side Dish -
Cuisine: American
Description
If you're looking for a healthy side dish, this is your recipe. This vegan green bean casserole is made with a cashew-based mushroom sauce that is super creamy and delicious. It tastes like it's made with cream and cheese, but it's 100% dairy-free.
Ingredients
- 1 recipe Magic Mushroom Sauce
- 1.5 lb. green beans, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced
- 1 cup panko (or sub gluten-free breadcrumbs if needed, omit for paleo)
Instructions
- Begin my making the easy to make Magic Mushroom Sauce.
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Cover the bottom of an 11″x9″ casserole dish with a thin layer of the mushroom sauce. Top with half the green beans, then half the remaining mushroom sauce. Repeat once more. Pour 1/2 cup of water over the top then seal tightly with aluminum foil.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes, or until hot, bubbling and the green beans are soft.
- While the green bean casserole is in the oven, prepare the topping. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the sliced onion and cook until it is soft and brown, about 8-10 minutes. Add the panko to the pan and let it brown, about 2 minutes.
- Once the green beans are soft, mix them around in the casserole dish, pour the topping over the casserole and serve immediately.
This dish was amazing. I made it for Easter as my hubby and I are on this Whole30 program. Thank you for sharing the recipe!
★★★★★
Yay! I’m so happy you liked it!
Can u use canned green beans? My mom needs very soft foods.
I haven’t tried it with canned beans but if your mom needs it to be extra soft then I think that would be a great idea!
If I use frozen green beans instead of fresh, would I just eliminate the 1\2 cup water poured over the top? Thank you!
While I haven’t tried it, I suspect that would work just fine.
DIisclaimer: I am NOT a mushroom person, especially cooked mushrooms. There are few foods that I loath with quite as much passion as mushroom soup.
My husband requested Green Bean Casserole for Thanksgiving. With great scepticism I set out to find a dairy allergy friendly recipe that didn’t make me gag to cook.
I prepared the magic mushroom sauce to a T. Unfortunately, I have to go back to the store because my taste testing turned into eating a bowl of soup, and then I didn’t have enough left to make the casserole.
If this had been the mushroom soup of my childhood, I may not have spent the last twenty some years of my life believing that mushrooms were gross and mushroom soup was of the devil.
I haven’t yet made the casserole, but the mushroom sauce is magical and life changing. I’m very excited to try the green bean casserole now.
★★★★★
That is seriously THE BEST compliment ever! I’m so so happy you like the soup!
I’d like to make in advance and re heat for a party! What are your recommended time and temp for reheat?
If you have access to the oven for 40 mins, you could simply assemble the casserole and bake it right before serving it. Otherwise, I would bake it for no more than 30 minutes then reheat/ finish cooking it for 15 mins. Undercooking it a little will ensure it doesn’t overcook when you reheat it. 🙂
Approx ow many does this recipe serve? Wanting to make it as a side dish for a party of 30!
It will serve 6 as a part of a regular dinner or 8 if you’re serving it for a bigger, Thanksgiving style dinner. 🙂
Question: How far ahead can you make the Magic Mushroom sauce? I’d like to make this for Thanksgiving but there is only so much time.
It keeps well for several days in your fridge! You can definitely make this ahead of time. You can prep the casserole up to the point where it goes into the oven up to a day ahead. Just add a couple minutes to the cooking time as you’ll be cooking it from cold. I hope you have a great Thanksgiving!
The green beans need to be blanched first. Even after an hour mine were still crunchy. Next time I’d probably also use a non-dairy milk instead of water on top of the casserole. I did like the mushroom recipe just the way it was however.
The beans definitely do have a little crunch to them still, but that’s the way I like it. Blanching them would be a great idea if you like them softer. If you’re subbing non-dairy milk, just make sure it’s not one that is too flavorful or overly sweet. 🙂
This was delicious, but took WAY longer then 40 minutes. Definitely only going to make when i have plenty of time. Starving after the gym was not the right time to try this..
★★★★
Oh no, I just re-read the recipe and realized I didn’t account for making the Magic Mushroom Sauce. I’ve updated it now. Hope you weren’t hungry cursing me too much!!
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I made this the other day, didn’t tell my husband it was vegan, and he love it! That magic mushroom sauce, certainly is magic – there are all sorts of stuff I can use that for!
I love it! It’s the best when you don’t tell them and they love it. 🙂
O man, I’m always looking for hosting ideas and this one is a keeper! Pinned! Thank you Kristen!
Thank you so much for the pin!!
This looks wonderful. Is turkey traditional for E-Day? My family always had ham.
We always do a turkey. Ham would be deelish though!
Vegan Green Bean Casserole that’s just as good as the stuff I grew up with? SOLD! I’ve been meaning to try you magic mushroom sauce, and darn it, I’m doing it this weekend! This dish just looks too good to pass up!
I’ve been totally obsessed with the magic mushroom sauce. I’ve decided that it’s good with EVERYTHING lol!
Thank you for this recipe Kristen,
This is on the menu for tonight!
Jim
You’re so welcome!!
This looks so yummy! I gotta try that mushroom sauce 🙂
Thanks, Mel! That mushroom sauce really is to die for. 🙂