Dairy Free Green Bean Casserole

This dairy free green bean casserole recipe comes together with simple ingredients in about 30 minutes. Crisp-tender green beans, homemade dairy free cream of mushroom soup, and a crispy onion topping make this the ultimate vegan version of a traditional holiday side dish!

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays! Everybody gets together, we begin to reminisce on the year, and of course, eat really good food!

What was your favorite Thanksgiving side dish growing up? Mine was vegan stuffing or vegan mac and cheese! Today though, it's this delicious, loaded, healthy green bean casserole!

It comes together with creamy green beans, fresh mushrooms, a homemade creamy sauce, and crispy fried onions.

Why you'll love this recipe

This classic green bean casserole without mushroom soup is savory and crunchy, with no milk needed!

• Allergy friendly: Since I'm lactose intolerant, have food allergies, and dietary restrictions are abundant in my family, I created this green bean casserole without milk to please everyone at the dinner table.
• Simple to make: Remove the stress from holiday cooking! This string bean casserole is quick and easy to make.
• Easy to adapt: I've included plenty of ingredient substitutions and cooking variations so you can make this meal your own.

Ingredient notes

• Green beans: You can use fresh green beans, frozen green beans, or even canned green beans.
• Mushrooms: Depending on preference, use sliced or chopped mushrooms.
• Butter or oil: I recommend using unsalted vegan butter. However olive oil or avocado oil will work as an easy plant based replacement.
• Garlic: Optional but encouraged for added flavor!
• All-purpose flour: This will help thicken our DIY cream of mushroom sauce.
• Vegetable broth: We only need a bit, so this is perfect for using the last of the carton.
• Dairy-free milk: I'll talk more about the different types of non-dairy milk below.
• French fried onions: Store-bought or homemade.

Which dairy free milk is best?

I always say to use what you already have on hand! Just make sure it's plain in flavor and unsweetened. Here are a couple of my favorites:

• Almond milk: Accessible and versatile.
• Canned coconut milk: Creamy and velvety smooth.
• Full fat oat milk: Thick and creamy.
• Soy milk: Mild and creamy.

Gluten free substitutions

• Use gluten-free flour in place of all-purpose flour.
• Replace french fried onions with gluten-free panko bread crumbs.

How to make dairy free green bean casserole

The full directions are in the printable recipe card below.

This easy vegan green bean casserole from scratch starts on the stovetop then finishes in the oven or air fryer. Learn how to make the traditional green bean casserole free from any dairy.

Plus, learn how to make your very own cream of mushroom soup. I promise it’s super quick and easy, and way better than the canned soup you’ll find at the grocery store. It tastes just like the real thing, but is totally dairy free and vegan friendly!

• Step 1: Preheat the oven and cook the green beans.
• Step 2: In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the mushrooms and garlic.
• Step 3: Make the creamy mushroom sauce by creating a basic roux using flour, veggie broth, and dairy free milk.
• Step 4: Stir in the cooked green beans and assemble casserole in baking dish, adding the crispy onions to the top of the casserole.
• Step 5: Bake the green bean casserole in the oven at 400F for about 15 minutes.

Variations

Air fryer green bean casserole

Follow the same instructions above. Instead of baking in the oven, cook green bean casserole in the air fryer at at 375F for about 10 minutes.

Skillet green bean casserole

To make in green bean casserole in a skillet, use an oven-safe or cast iron skillet and place that directly into the oven rather than transferring the green bean mixture to a casserole dish.

Make-ahead green bean casserole

This is such a great dish to prep early! You have two options, uncooked or cooked.

Assemble ahead of time

Follow the recipe instructions up until the onion topping and baking. Instead transfer mixture to baking dish and cover tightly. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

On day of, remove from the fridge, top with crispy onions, and bake as directed.

Bake ahead of time

Assemble and bake casserole, leaving off the onion topping. Once cooked, let cool completely, then cover tightly, and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

On day of, remove from the fridge, add onion topping, and reheat at 350F for about 25-30 minutes, or until warmed through.

How to store leftovers

Store leftover green bean casserole in an airtight container or covered tightly in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days.

To reheat, cover baking dish with foil and place in an oven preheated to 350F for about 25 minutes or until warmed through.

Can you freeze green bean casserole?

Want to prep your holiday meal ahead of time? Get a head start by cooking the green bean casserole as directed excluding the french fried onion topping.

Let cool to room temp then wrap well with plastic wrap and foil. Label, date, then freeze for up to 2 weeks.

To serve, preheat oven to 350F. Cover with foil and bake until warmed through, about 45 minutes. Uncover and top with crispy fried onions. Continue to bake uncovered for about 15 minutes, or until warmed through.

Frequently asked questions

This simple side dish is easy to adapt! Here are some recipe tips to help you in the kitchen.

Related recipes

Want more dairy free holiday recipes? Try these next:

• Fill the holiday table with classic recipes like dairy free dinner rolls, vegan mashed potatoes and gravy, and roasted root vegetables.
• Put a healthier spin on traditional side dishes like dairy free sweet potato casserole, butternut squash mac and cheese, and smashed brussels sprouts.
• Finish thanksgiving dinner off with dairy free pumpkin pie!

I hope you love this dairy-free green bean casserole as much as we do! It's ideal for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or special occasion.

Dairy Free Green Bean Casserole (Vegan, Gluten Free Option)

Jenna Urben

This easy dairy free green bean casserole recipe comes together with crisp-tender green beans, a homemade creamy sauce, and crispy onions. It's rich, savory, and a must-have at Thanksgiving dinner.

4.98 from 40 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 30 mins

Total Time 40 mins

Course Side Dish

Servings 6 servings

Calories 98 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 pound green beans rinsed and trimmed
• 8 ounces sliced mushrooms chopped
• 2 tablespoon vegan butter or neutral oil
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 3 tablespoon all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour
• ¾ cup vegetable broth
• 1 cup dairy-free milk
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 1 (6-ounce) canister fried onions

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark while you're cooking!

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 400F and bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add whole or cut in half green beans and let cook for 5 minutes. Place in an ice bath to stop cooking, drain, and set aside.
• In a large skillet over medium heat, cook mushrooms in melted butter. Season with salt and pepper and let cook for about 5 minutes. Add garlic and let cook until fragrant, about a minute or so.
• To make the creamy sauce, stir in the flour and fully coat the mushrooms. Stream in the broth and bring to a simmer, stirring, until the mixture thickens.
• Reduce heat to low, stir in dairy-free milk, and cook for about 5 minutes, until desired consistency is reached. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more salt or pepper, if needed. Add cooked, tender green beans to the mushroom sauce and stir to combine.
• To assemble green bean casserole, transfer mixture to a greased 9x13 baking dish (or similar size) and top with desired amount of crispy onions. Bake for 15 minutes, until top is golden, serve warm.

Notes

Store leftovers in an airtight container or covered tightly in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days. To reheat, cover baking dish with foil and place in an oven preheated to 350F for about 15 minutes or until warmed through.

Make green bean casserole ahead of time by following the recipe instructions up to topping with onion and baking. Instead, transfer to baking dish without the onion topping and cover tightly. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days. On the day of, remove from the fridge, top with crispy onions, and bake as directed.

Bake green bean casserole up to 3 days ahead of time, let cool, cover tightly, and store in the fridge. On the day of, remove from the fridge, add onion topping, and reheat at 350F for about 25 minutes or until heated through.

To freeze green bean casserole, cook as directed excluding the fried onion topping. Let cool completely then wrap tightly with plastic wrap and foil. Store in the freezer for up to 2 weeks. To reheat, preheat the oven to 350F. Cover with foil and bake for about 45 minutes, or until warmed through. Uncover and top with fried onion, bake for another 15 minutes, or until warmed through.

Nutrition

Calories: 98kcalCarbohydrates: 14gProtein: 4gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.02gSodium: 175mgPotassium: 309mgFiber: 3gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 845IUVitamin C: 10mgCalcium: 89mgIron: 1mg

Did you make this recipe?Please leave a star rating or review in the form below, then snap a picture and tag me @theurbenlife on Instagram!