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

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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.

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

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 long can green bean casserole stay in the fridge before cooking? ›

Pour the mushroom sauce over top, stirring to coat the green beans well. Cool completely, then tightly cover the baking dish with plastic wrap then foil. Refrigerate up to 2 days. Reheating: Remove the baking dish from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes or up to 1 hour before you'd like to finish them in the oven.

What is a substitute for onions in a recipe? ›

If you need texture and flavor that smells great, you can try these for a healthy onion alternative.
  1. Fennel.
  2. Celery.
  3. Celeriac.
  4. Carrots.
  5. Bell Peppers.
  6. Italian Peppers.
  7. Tomato.
  8. Mushroom.
Sep 18, 2023

Why is my green bean casserole so soupy? ›

The Casserole Is Too Soupy

If you used frozen green beans, but didn't fully defrost and drain them prior to adding them to the casserole, that mistake will surely account for the excess water you're now experiencing.

Should green bean casserole be soupy before cooking? ›

Green Bean Casserole from Scratch FAQs

Cover and freeze until you are ready to bake. You can bake start from frozen without adding the onions until the casserole has already baked for about 20 minutes. Should green bean casserole be soupy? No, your green bean casserole should not be soupy.

Why do my green beans taste rubbery? ›

They are rubbery because people never cook them enough. Try cooking your beans thro and they will not only taste better, they will not squeak or bounce when you try to eat them.

Are canned green beans mushy? ›

Fresh green beans have the crispest texture but require prep work like cutting and precooking. Canned green beans may have a bad reputation for being mushy, but they're affordable, require no prep, and are accessible year-round.

Why do Americans 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.

Which canned green beans taste best? ›

If your recipe happens to call for Italian green beans, these are the best canned green beans. Del Monte is the brand that makes the most appearances on this list, but if you're looking for French style green beans, go for Great Value. They're less salty and more substantial than Del Monte.

Can you overcook green bean casserole? ›

Overcooking the beans won't just drain them of their appealing color, but it will also make them too soft and mushy, resulting in a less appetizing casserole.

Is it safe to eat green bean casserole left out overnight? ›

Keep Food out of the Danger Zone

Throw away all perishable foods that have been left in room temperature for more than 2 hours (1 hour if the temperature is over 90° F, such as at an outdoor picnic during summer).

Can I eat week old green bean casserole? ›

Green Bean Casserole Leftovers

Your creamy green bean casserole will last about four days in the fridge. The crunchy topping will get softer as time goes by; pop it into the oven to reheat to crisp it up a bit. While casseroles have a reputation for being freezer-friendly, green bean casseroles don't freeze so well.

How many cans of green beans equals 4 cups? ›

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

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? ›

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.

Can you boil onions instead of frying? ›

Onions are perfectly safe to boil. Even if you undercook or overcook them, they are still safe to consume, as long as they are fresh. While being healthier than fried onions, boiled onions cannot be the best option if what you are looking for is flavour and crispiness.

Can you fry spring onions instead of onions? ›

The spring onion is an immature onion. It has a less pungent taste than a mature onion. They can be eaten raw or cooked. Cooking over a low to medium heat develops their sweetness.

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