I am here to save the day with an easy recipe for Green Bean Casserole that is not only Vegan but Gluten Free as well.This Thanksgiving you don’t have to worry about what you’re making for a side because this is the recipe you want. Using almond milk and cauliflower as substitutions to heavy creams also makes this casserole a healthy option. Fortunately, with this recipe you don’t have to choose between healthy or delicious because it’s both.
I did my research first; as I do with every recipe, to a get feel for what makes the dish authentic. Traditionally Green Bean Casserole is made with some sort of canned mushroom soup, green beans and Frenches French fried onions. All of these components seemed easy enough to recreate at home with better ingredients, making them 100% vegan and 100% gluten free.
But let’s stop gushing about how good this recipe is going t be, and actually make it. Traditionally green bean casserole uses a can of cream of mushroom soup, usually Campbell’s. These are loaded with all sorts of ingredients your body really doesn’t need. I mean honestly, who buys soup?! It’s the easiest thing ever to make at home!
My solution is to simply make my own soup using almond milk and cauliflower. Start with a good looking head of cauliflower and cut it into florets. Add those to a saucepan. In that same saucepan and almond milk, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and onion powder. Put the lid on this and cook it on medium high until the cauliflower is soft.
While the cauliflower is cooking take a pan and put it on medium heat. Add some coconut oil in it, then add in diced onions, mushrooms, and garlic. Let those cook for about 15 minutes. You’ll know their cooked down enough when your onions start to turn translucent. Now transfer your cauliflower into a blender and blend it until it is smooth with everything thoroughly blended together. Pour that back into the same pot you cooked it in then add in your mushrooms, onions and garlic. Mix that all together and let it simmer on your stove at the lowest possible setting.
While that’s simmering, make your French fried onions. Slice 2 onions thinly, I suggest making them a ad smaller than you would natural expect an onion ring to be. Slicing thinly is crucial to making these onions turn out right, the thinner they are the better they are going to mix with the casserole and the better they will look topping it. Instead of an egg wash, we are going to use a large bowl of almond milk, or if your prefer, soy milk. The flour you choose to use if of course up to you, however, I have chosen to go with coconut flour. I have been getting a lot of GF recipe requests, so I figured “ Why the heck not!?” Not to mention that coconut flour is high in fiber and low in carbohydrates. But you can use any flour you wish! If you have a deep fryer, use it! It’s your best option. But if not, put about 2 inches of oil in a deep pan or pot and use that.
I decided to blanch these green beans. I HATE boiled veggies, but you can get that nice deep green colour, and crispy bite, when you blanch them. Just place them into boiling hot water for 2 minutes, no longer. Blanching also retains many of the vitamins and nutrients lost during the boiling process.
That’s all it takes to make amazing Green Bean Casserole that will truly wow your guests this Thanksgiving. They won’t even notice that this dish is missing the dairy! Do you want more easy vegan Thanksgiving recipes? Leave me a comment with your requests.
Gluten Free Green Bean Casserole Recipe | Dairy Free
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
This Thanksgiving you don't have to worry about what you're making as a vegan side dish because this is the best green bean recipe out there! Using almond milk and cauliflower as substitutions to heavy creams also makes this casserole a healthy option. Fortunately, with this recipe you don't have to choose between healthy or delicious because it's both a great vegan and delicious thanksgiving recipe.
Author: The Edgy Veg
Recipe type: Side
Cuisine: American
Serves: 4-6 servings
Ingredients
- Creamy Soup
- 1 head cauliflower, chopped
- 1 ½ cups unsweetened almond or soy milk
- 1 Tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp himalayan salt + additional 1 tsp himalayan salt
- ½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper5
- 1 ½ Tbsp onion powder
- pinch of nutmeg
- 1 medium size white or Spanish onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 16 oz of mushrooms, finely chopped
- 2 Tbsp coconut oil, or your favourite cooking oil of choice
- French Fried Onion Topping
- 2 large white or spanish onion, thinly sliced with a mandolin
- 1 ½ cups coconut flour, you can also use unbleached all purpose (if you aren't gluten free) or gluten free all purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups soy milk, or your favourite non dairy milk of choice
- 1 tsp himalayan salt
- 1 tsp dried sage
- 1 tsp paprika, to season
- Vegetable oil for frying 2-4 cups depending on what pan or deep fryer you are using.
- 1 pound fresh green beans, rinsed, trimmed and halved
Instructions
Make the Soup:
- Place chopped cauliflower in a large pan with almond milk, garlic powder, salt, onion powder, black pepper. And cook until the cauliflower is soft.
- When the cauliflower is cooked and soft blend in a blender until very smooth and creamy, and transfer back into the large sauce pan.
- In a large heavy bottom pan heat up coconut oil, and saute garlic, onions, salt and mushrooms until the mushrooms start to give up some of their liquid. This should take about 10 minutes.
- Once the mushrooms are cooked, add them to the large pot with the cauliflower soup, and simmer on low allowing flavours to incorporate. While you prepare the onions and beans.
French Fried Onion Topping
- Soak the onions in the milk for 5 minutes.
- In a medium sized bowl add flour, dried sage and salt, and whisk to combine.
- Heat oil in a large heavy pan or deep fryer.
- Take a handful of onions and toss them in the flour to coat.
- Fry in batches in oil for about 2 minutes, stirring as needed to brown evenly.
- Drain on paper towels and season to taste with paprika.
Prepare the Green Beans & Build Casserole
- Preheat oven to 475 degrees F.
- Bring a large saucepan of water and 1 tsp of salt to a boil.
- Add the beans and blanch for 3 minutes. Drain and set aside to allow all water to drop from beans.
- To the sauce pan with the mushroom cauliflower soup, add the green beans, ¼ of the french fried onions, and mix to combine.
- Place in a large casserole dish, and bake for 15 minutes or until bubbling.
- Remove, topped with remaining french fried onions and serve immediately.
