This easy vegan green bean casserole is filled with a rich cream of mushroom soup and green beans, then topped with fried onions baked to crispy golden perfection.  It’s easy to make gluten-free so that everyone can enjoy it so it’s a must-have vegan side dish at any Thanksgiving table!

A close up of a vegan green bean casserole with French fried onions on top and a scoop taken out of it.

Want to save this recipe?

Enter your email below and get it sent straight to your inbox. Plus, get more amazing vegan recipes that will satisfy your cravings!

Save Recipe

I must admit, green bean casserole was one of my favorites on Thanksgiving, and what I requested anytime that my mom let me choose a meal as a kid. I went years without having it after I became vegan until I realized that I could just use my homemade vegan cream of mushroom soup to make a vegan green bean casserole.

If you’re making this dish as a side for a holiday dinner, it pairs great with this vegan stuffing, mashed potatoes, vegan shepherd’s pie, and vegan gravy!

❤️ Why you’ll love this vegan green bean casserole

  • it tastes just like the one you remember from childhood!
  • this is dairy-free, nut-free, and it’s easy to make gluten-free, plus soy-free too so everyone can enjoy it!
  • it can be prepared ahead of time, then, just top it with onions and pop it in the oven for about 45 minutes before you want to eat.
A white plate filled with vegan green bean casserole topped with fried onions.

🧾 Ingredients and substitutions

  • Mushrooms – I like cremini mushrooms, but you can use white button mushrooms or portabella mushrooms.
  • Canola Oil – or any neutral oil to fry the mushrooms in.  You can use vegetable broth as a fat-free option.
  • Salt – for flavor.  (Feel free to reduce the salt for a low-sodium casserole.)
  • Plain Plant-Based Milk – to make it creamy.  I like unsweetened soy milk or oat milk, but any plain flavored plant milk will work well.
  • Garlic Powder – for flavor.
  • Paprika – for flavor
  • Black Pepper – for flavor
  • Soy Sauce – for a traditional flavor.  You can also use Tamari or Braggs Liquid Aminos for a gluten-free option.
  • Potato Starch – to thicken the soup.  You can also use cornstarch or arrowroot.
  • Water – you must use cold water to dissolve the starch before adding to the soup mixture.
  • Green Beans – I usually use 2 (16 oz. bags) of frozen beans, but you can also use fresh green beans.
  • Fried Onions – these come fried in a can and are ready to sprinkle on your casserole. (They also sell gluten-free fried onions.)

🥄 How to make vegan green bean casserole

Step 1 – Preheat your oven to 375° F.

Step 2 – Start by making a pot of cream of my cream of mushroom soup. (See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for full instructions.)

Step 3 – Fill a casserole dish with fresh or frozen green beans.

Green beans with vegan cream of mushroom soup poured over them in a glass casserole dish.

Step 4 – Then, simply pour the soup over the green beans and mix well.

Step 5 – Sprinkle the top with fried onions, and bake at 375°F for 35-45 minutes. (Baking time will depend on the size of your beans and if you have started with fresh or frozen beans.)

Step 6 – Let it cool down and firm up for about 10 minutes before serving.

Green bean casserole being sprinkled with French fried onions on top.

👩🏻‍🍳 Pro Tips

  • If you don’t want your fried onions to be too brown, sprinkle them on after you bake the casserole for about 25 minutes.
  • You will know your casserole is done when it is bubbling and you can easily stick a fork in your beans.
  • If you don’t like fried onions or can’t find them, you can sprinkle crushed-up crackers of choice on top.

🌟 Baking adjustments

  • If you need the casserole to cook faster, blanch the beans in boiling water for about 5 minutes and then drain before adding them to the casserole.  This will cut the cooking time by about 15 minutes.
  • The petite french beans will also cook faster than the large green beans.

Note: This is a large recipe since it’s usually made for large holiday dinners.  If you are making this for a side dish for a small family, you will want to cut the recipe in half.

🍞 Making gluten-free green bean casserole

Everything in this recipe is gluten-free except for the soy sauce and fried onions.  So, to make this gluten-free, simply swap out the soy sauce for Bragg’s Liquid Aminos or Tamari and use gluten-free fried onions.  I’ve found these onions at Whole Foods, Sprouts, and even at Aldi or you can order them on Amazon too!  If you are feeling ambitious, you can make your own fried onions with this air-fried onion recipe from Plant Power Couple.

This dish is sure to be a hit with the gluten-free and dairy-free guests at your Thanksgiving table or simply as a side any day of the week!

A white plate filled with vegan green bean casserole.

🍂 Vegan Thanksgiving favorites

📌 Be sure to follow me on Pinterest for new vegan recipes!

📋 Vegan green bean casserole recipe

A close up of a vegan green bean casserole with a scoop taken out of it.
5 from 7 rating

Vegan Green Bean Casserole

Yield: 10
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 45 minutes
Resting time: 10 minutes
Total: 1 hour 10 minutes
Author: Monica Davis
A classic green bean casserole made without dairy (or gluten).  The perfect side dish for your next holiday meal.
Print Leave a Review Pin Recipe

Ingredients

  • 8 oz. package of mushrooms
  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • 1 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3 cups plain flavored plant-based milk of choice
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon paprika
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce , or Tamari or Braggs Liquid Aminos
  • 5 tablespoons potato starch or corn starch
  • 1 1/2 cups cold water
  • 32 oz. green beans, fresh or frozen (about 8 cups)
  • 1 1/2 cup fried onions, (gluten-free if needed)

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
  • Chop the mushrooms into small bite-sized pieces.  Then put oil in the bottom of a saucepan and sauté the mushrooms in the oil over medium heat.
  • Sprinkle the salt over the mushrooms and cook mushrooms until they get darker and release their juices.
  • Add dairy-free milk, garlic powder, paprika, black pepper, and soy sauce (optional) and heat until the soup just barely begins to bubble then reduce the heat to low.
  • In a separate container, mix the cornstarch and water and stir until it dissolves completely.
  • Pour the cornstarch mixture into the hot soup stirring constantly until it starts to bubble and thicken, then turn off the heat.
  • Place green beans in the bottom of a casserole dish and pour the soup over the beans and mix well.
  • Sprinkle fried onions over top of the casserole.
  • Bake for 35- 45 minutes until it is bubbly and the onions are golden brown.  (Bake time will vary depending on the size of the beans or if you used fresh or frozen).
  • Let it cool down for about 10 minutes before serving to set up and get more firm.

Notes

  • If you don’t want your fried onions to be too brown, sprinkle them on after you bake the casserole for about 25 minutes. 
  • If you need the casserole to cook faster, blanch the beans in boiling water for about 5 minutes and then drain before adding them to the casserole.  This will cut the cooking time by about 15 minutes.
  • The petite french beans will also cook faster than the large green beans.
  • You will know when it’s done when the casserole is bubbling and you can easily stick a for in your beans.
  • If you don’t like fried onion or can’t find them, you can sprinkle crushed up crackers of choice on top.
Note: This is a large recipe since it’s usually made for large holiday dinners.  If you are making this for a side dish for a small family, you will want to cut the recipe in half.
Serving: 1cup, Calories: 146kcal, Carbohydrates: 17g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Sodium: 507mg, Potassium: 407mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 929IU, Vitamin C: 17mg, Calcium: 136mg, Iron: 1mg
Did you make this recipe?Please leave a star rating and review below!

This recipe was originally posted on 10/29/2018.  It was updated on 10/22/20 to include new images and more detailed instructions.