This traditional green bean casserole is smothered in a flavorful from-scratch mushroom alfredo sauce and topped with crispy fried onions. A true family favorite and holiday classic perfect for large gatherings, potlucks, dinners, and holiday meals!
My favorite part of a holiday dinner is actually a collection of side dishes. I love having a bit of mashed potato, stuffing, and green bean casserole mingling with a little brown gravy on my fork. They are all distinct individual dishes perfect on their own; and yet they create the most satisfying flavor combination on the planet. And I absolutely love every bit of it.
This Classic Green Bean Casserole is one of my favorites. It’s simple, plant-based, and delicious. As a bonus, this casserole dish can be made 1-2 days early. This allows you to spend quality time with family and friends instead of prepping a big holiday meal in the kitchen.
This Classic Green Bean Casserole is created by combining three ingredient groups – fresh ingredients, a creamy sauce, and a flavorful topping.
- The fresh ingredients feature mushrooms, onion, garlic, and green beans,
- The creamy sauce is created by combining flour with vegetable broth, plant milk, and seasoned with Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Butter optional.
- The topping is a combination of vegan cheese and crispy fried onions.
The first ingredient group contains the basis for this Classic Green Bean Casserole. It’s created by sautéing fresh mushrooms, onions, and, garlic. I use whatever mushrooms my local grocer has. You can use a single variety mushroom like bella button mushrooms or a variety of mushrooms that offers an array and depth of flavors and textures.
Sautéed over medium heat, mushrooms, onion, and garlic release incredible depth and aroma. The green beans can be fresh or frozen. You can use French-style cut green beans or cut your green beans in shorter segments. The choice is yours, so long as the tough ends are removed.
The next ingredient group in this Classic Green Bean Casserole provides incredible umami to this dish. In Japanese, Umami means deliciousness and is often described as the savory taste of a dish. Umami is often referred to as the fifth taste of savoriness.
And while the sautéed mushrooms provide incredible umami, I highly recommend making and using Umami Vegetable Broth. It really contributes greatly to the savory aspects of this Classic Green Bean Casserole. I love that it costs next to nothing since it is made with kitchen scrapes. Plus, it lends so much depth, flavor, and umami to a dish without any added salt, color, or preservatives.
In addition to vegetable broth, flour and unsweetened plant milk is used to create a smooth creamy roux or gravy. While you can use any flour, I typically use white whole wheat flour or spelt flour.
You can also use any unsweetened non-dairy plant milk. I prefer making and using my Oat + Almond Milk since it naturally thickens slightly when cooked. I’ve had great success with the Oat + Almond Milk and plain unsweetened almond milk.
To make the gravy, flour is tossed in with the sautéed green beans, mushrooms, and onions until they’re coated evenly. Then the milk and broth are whisked in until the gravy is thickened and smooth. Worcestershire sauce adds a nice subtle flavor, as does the vegan parmesan cheese and fried onions.
These last two ingredients are optional. I enjoy adding both for flavor and appearance. They each help recreate the classic holiday dish I have enjoyed at Thanksgiving and Christmas throughout my life. If you follow a 100% whole food plant-based diet, please omit both.
If you’d like enjoy this recipe as written, you can use any vegan parmesan and fried onions. I really like Violife and Follow Your Heart parmesan. Though I usually purchase fried onions for this recipe, I have also made my own fried onions. Using an air fryer or oven, it’s a very simple process.
Finally, transfer the Classic Green Bean Casserole to a large casserole dish or two medium size dishes. Then sprinkle some crispy fried onions atop to get it that nostalgic green bean casserole look. At this point, you can cover it up and store in the refrigerator for later enjoyment or bake it until the top is toasted and the sauce is bubbly. It’s best served with your favorite holiday or family meal.
This Classic Green Bean Casserole is easy to prepare ahead of time, which makes it ideal for large family gatherings and holiday meals. It also freezes well, making it ideal for meal prep or batch freezer meals. You can store this in the freezer for up to three months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before use. Then bake as directed, ensuring the casserole is fully heated through.
This Classic Green Bean Casserole is a plant-based side dish that delivers flavor in every bite. It’s a fantastic accompaniment to Vegetable Not-Meatloaf or meatless roast. My favorite sides include Creamy Rosemary Mashed Potatoes, Baked Mac ‘n Cheez, Classic Vegan Holiday Stuffing, Orange Cranberry Sauce.
I hope you enjoy this Classic Green Bean Casserole as much as I do.
I would love to see your results! Please leave a comment and rate it down below, tag a picture @pebblesandtoast and #pebblesandtoast on Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, and Facebook! Enjoy!!
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Ingredients
- 8 ounces Bella mushrooms, finely chopped*
- 1 small onion, finely chopped*
- 1-2 Tbsp vegan butter or oil (optional)
- 4 garlic cloves, minced (2 Tbsp)
- 2 pounds green beans, trimmed (fresh or frozen)
- 3 Tbsp flour**
- 1 cup vegetable broth or water
- 1 cup plant milk
- 1 tsp vegan worcestershire sauce
- ½ cup vegan parmesan cheese, shredded
- 6 ounces crispy fried onions, divided
- salt and pepper to taste (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375° F.
- In a large skillet or pot, sauté the mushrooms and onions with the vegan butter or oil over medium heat for about 4-5 minutes. If not using butter or oil, add a tablespoon of water or vegetable broth, as needed, to keep the onions and mushrooms from sticking.
- Stir in the green beans and garlic. Sauté 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally. The green beans should be tender. This may take an extra few minutes if your green beans are frozen.
- Stir in the flour until everything is evenly coated, about a minute.
- Then slowly stir in the broth until a smooth thick gravy forms.
- Slowly stir in the milk, a little at a time, until the milk is absorbed by the gravy. Continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thick and bubbly, about 4-5 minutes.
- Remove from heat. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, vegan parmesan, and 1 cup fried onions. Taste and adjust the garlic, salt and pepper, if desired.
- Pour the green bean mixture into a large casserole dish.
- Spread the remaining fried onions evenly over the top.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the top is nice and golden.
Notes
* I use a food processor to speed up the dicing/chopping process.
** Use any flour you have on hand, including gluten-free baking blend. I typically use white whole wheat.
Classic Green Bean Casserole (vegan)
Equipment
- stove
- oven
Ingredients
- 8 ounces Bella mushrooms finely chopped*
- 1 small onion finely chopped*
- 1-2 Tbsp vegan butter or oil optional
- 4 garlic cloves minced (2 Tbsp)
- 2 pounds green beans trimmed (fresh or frozen)
- 3 Tbsp flour**
- 1 cup vegetable broth or water
- 1 cup plant milk
- 1 tsp vegan worcestershire sauce
- ½ cup vegan parmesan cheese shredded
- 6 ounces crispy fried onions divided
- salt and pepper to taste optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375° F.
- In a large skillet or pot, sauté the mushrooms and onions with the vegan butter or oil over medium heat for about 4-5 minutes. If not using butter or oil, add a tablespoon of water or vegetable broth, as needed, to keep the onions and mushrooms from sticking.
- Stir in the green beans and garlic. Sauté 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally. The green beans should be tender. This may take an extra few minutes if your green beans are frozen.
- Stir in the flour until everything is evenly coated, about a minute. Then slowly stir in the broth until a smooth thick gravy forms.
- Slowly stir in the milk, a little at a time, until the milk is absorbed by the gravy. Continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thick and bubbly, about 4-5 minutes.
- Remove from heat. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, vegan parmesan, and 1 cup fried onions. Taste and adjust the garlic, salt and pepper, if desired.
- Pour the green bean mixture into a large casserole dish.
- Spread the remaining fried onions evenly over the top.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the top is nice and golden.