Dairy Free Green Bean Casserole (Vegan & GF)

This creamy dairy free green bean casserole is the perfect holiday side dish. This classic recipe has been reimagined to include all of the good stuff; green beans, mushrooms, a creamy sauce, and a crunchy onion topping, but without the dairy, or gluten! It’s simple, easy, and tastes like the original, only better!

It wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without green bean casserole! This iconic American side dish is a must for the holidays! However, if you or a friend or family member has a dairy allergy, or happen to be vegan or gluten-free, they cannot enjoy this side dish when made the traditional way.

This recipe has all of the classic components of the traditional dish, the creamy mushroom sauce, and the crunchy onion topping, but there’s no dairy or gluten, and it’s vegan friendly!

Green bean casserole was originally developed by the Campbell Soup company in 1955. Using a can of cream of mushroom soup, and green beans, it was meant to be a quick and easy side dish that used ingredients most Americans had on hand.

The recipe was printed on the back of the Cream of Mushroom Soup cans, and with time took off as a must have comfort food around the holidays.

This dairy free version checks all the boxes, but it’s also lower in fat, and calories, doesn’t use any processed ingredients. It’s a whole food plant-based take, making it suitable for those on a special diet.

Try these simple vegan green beans with a citrus glaze for another classic side dish!

Why you’ll love this Dairy Free Green Bean Casserole…

• Quick and easy to prepare
• Creamy dairy free sauce made with soy milk
• Oil free whole food plant-based ingredients
• Crunchy gluten-free onion topping
• No processed ingredients
• Heart healthy

Ingredients

• Frozen Green Beans-I used a 16 oz package.
• Sliced Mushrooms-I used pre-sliced mini Bellas to save time.
• Vegetable Broth-Used as a substitute for butter to help create the cream sauce.
• Gluten-Free Flour-Used to create a roux for the cream sauce.
• Soy Milk-I find that it is the best dairy free milk to use to create rich cream sauces.
• Dijon Mustard-Adds flavor to the cream sauce.
• Sage-I use dried for that Thanksgiving herbal flavor.
• Oregano-Dried and used in the sauce.
• Salt and Black Pepper-Added to your taste preference.
• Thinly sliced White Onion-For the crunchy topping.
• Gluten-Free Panko Breadcrumbs-Sautéd with the onions, and a little extra added to the top before baking.

For quantities and complete directions scroll to the bottom of the post where you’ll find the recipe card.

Tools

• Casserole Dish-I used a 1 1/2 qt casserole dish.
• Medium Saucepan-Used to create the cream sauce.
• Large Fry Pan-Used to sauté the onions and breadcrumbs.

How to Make Dairy Free Green Bean Casserole – Step by Step

Step 1: Preheat oven to 375 F. Add green beans, then mushrooms to casserole dish. Set aside.

Step 2: In a saucepan on low heat, add 2 tbsps of vegetable stock. Stir in the flour until a paste is formed. Add soy milk, dijon mustard, salt, pepper, sage, and oregano. Whisk together. Continue to whisk until sauce begins to thicken. Remove from heat, and set aside.

Step 3: Add 2 tbsp of vegetable stock to fry pan. Add thinly sliced onions. Sauté until soft about 3 minutes. Sprinkle gluten-free breadcrumbs overtop. Continue to sauté for an additional 2-3 minutes or until breadcrumbs are toasted and onions begin to brown.

Step 4: Pour cream sauce overtop the mushrooms and green beans. Top with onions and breadcrumbs. Add a touch more breadcrumbs if you desire.

Step 5: Bake for 35 minutes uncovered. Remove and allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Top Tips for Making Dairy Free Green Bean Casserole

• There is no need to defrost the green beans prior to cooking.
• Buy pre-sliced mushrooms to save yourself a step.
• Be sure to use unsweetened plain soy milk, with no vanilla or sugar added. If you can’t find unsweetened soy milk, use unsweetened coconut milk, or cashew milk.
• Since this recipe doesn’t use butter to create a roux, it’s important to whisk continuously so that the flour incorporates with the milk.

What goes well with green bean casserole?

This recipe is a must have Thanksgiving and holiday side dish. If you’re looking for a dairy free, vegan, and gluten-free main dish to serve it with I suggest, my meatless meatloaf, or my vegan potato casserole with cauliflower.

How to Store and Keep

Store in the casserole dish covered with saran wrap, or other cover. My casserole dish comes with a lid, which makes it very convenient for the holidays to keep the heat in for serving, and cover when storing.

This recipe will keep for 3-4 days in the refrigerator covered. You can also freeze this recipe by transferring it to a freezer safe container. Mark with the date and contents. It will keep frozen for 2-3 months.

When ready to reheat, transfer to an oven safe container, and bake at 375 F for 30 minutes or until warm and bubbly.

Variations

No soy milk? Use a coconut milk, soy milk, or coconut cream. I prefer the soy milk because it doesn’t have an undertone of coconut flavor. Just be sure to buy unsweetened and unflavored.

Alternative onion topping-If you do not need to worry about gluten-free friends or family, you can buy the French fried onion topping and use that instead.

Check out these other dairy free vegan Thanksgiving recipes!

• Gluten Free Vegan Thanksgiving Meal Plan
• Vegan Corn Casserole
• Vegan Gravy
• Mashed Potatoes with Almond Milk
• Vegan Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pie Bars
• Roasted Cauliflower Steaks by Jessica Gavin

If you’ve tried this dairy free green bean casserole, let me know how it turned out. You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest for more plant-based family recipes your whole family will enjoy!