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? ›

Prepare a large bowl with an ice bath for blanching the beans. Blanch the beans by adding them to the boiling water and cooking for 5 minutes. Then drain in a colander and immediately plunge the beans into a large bowl of ice water. This will stop the cooking process so the beans don't turn mushy.

Can you freeze green bean casserole? ›

Stored properly, your leftover green bean casserole will last 3-4 days in the fridge. Freezing: Wrap your green bean casserole tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil, freezer wrap or transfer to an airtight container and keep in the freezer for 6 months.

Can you mess up green bean casserole? ›

Your Crispy Onion Topping Is Soggy

Yet it's one of the most common green bean casserole mistakes a home chef can make. If this happens to you, it may be due to adding that topping too early; toppings should be added at the very end of the cooking process, shortly before you pull it out of the oven.

What is a substitute for onions in a recipe? ›

What Can I Substitute for Onions?
  • Leeks. As a part of the onion family, leeks are definitely number one on my list. ...
  • Shallots. Like leeks, shallots belong to the same plant family as onions. ...
  • Celery Stalks. ...
  • Chives. ...
  • Fennel. ...
  • Bell Pepper. ...
  • Onion Flakes. ...
  • Onion Powder.
Jun 18, 2023

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.

Should green bean casserole be soupy before cooking? ›

Mistake No.

Green bean casserole should have a nice thick sauce that coats the green beans—it should not resemble soup.

How do I thicken up my green bean casserole? ›

Cornstarch and water: To thicken the soup. Arrowroot starch can also be used. Seasonings: Salt, pepper and soy sauce. Breadcrumbs: The green beans are topped with panko breadcrumbs for a crispy texture, or make your own breadcrumbs.

How to get onion flavor without onions? ›

It depends. If you're looking for something in a dried form, then there is granulated onion or onion powder. Dried chives have an oniony flavor too. You could even use something like Lipton onion soup mix.

What vegetable is similar to onion and garlic? ›

Allium vegetables – the ones from the onion family – form an important part of our diet. In addition to regular onions and spring onions, they include shallots, garlic, leeks and chives. Allium is the Latin word for garlic.

What is the Indian substitute for onions? ›

Asafetida powder is a ground powder from the gum of giant fennel, and is often used as a garlic and/or onion substitute in cooking -- especially for those who's diets may not allow garlic or onion consumption.

Which is better in green bean casserole canned or frozen? ›

My mother always made green bean casserole with store-bought canned green beans because that's what her mother did. When I make green bean casserole, I skip canned beans all together. Frozen green beans are the best green beans to use for green bean casserole.

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 after cooking? ›

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

What kind of onion for casserole? ›

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? ›

Not par-cooking vegetables, pasta, grains, or rice.

Often a quick 2-5 minutes in the microwave will just give them that great head-start. And if you're using onions in your casserole, you can sauté them for a few minutes to deepen their flavor and avoid any raw onion taste in your finished dish.

Can you boil onions instead of frying? ›

Boiling onions is as simple as peeling them, adding them to a pan with boiling water with a bit of salt and leave them for around 10 minutes. Drain them, and they are ready to go! Boiling onions will get rid of their bitterness while still retaining a subtle onion flavour. Onions are perfectly safe to boil.

Can you fry spring onions instead of onions? ›

Ways to eat

The entire onion, including the top, can be sliced and used raw in salads, as a garnish or cooked in stir fries. Spring onions are often used in Oriental cooking. Cut the green tops very finely and use like chives. Spring onions can be used instead of onions in some recipes.

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