As I sit down to write this vegan, gluten-free green bean casserole recipe a couple of weeks after making it, I was in for a reflection of this year. The 2020 holiday season is rapidly approaching, with Thanksgiving less than two weeks away.
Suffice it to say, 2020 was tough. So many people lost jobs, loved ones, financial security, and others lost even more.
From my dinner table to yours, I pray you have a holiday season of renewal, joy, and safety amidst a trying time that continues to take from us.
It is with this thought that I share with you a recipe that’s warmed the hearts and stomachs of my family over the years. If you’re also from an allergy-ridden family, this is the vegan, gluten-free green bean casserole for you!
We’ll start with some fresh green beans from your local grocery store or farmer’s market, add a homemade cream of mushroom soup — without the dairy, and top it all off with gluten-free copycat French’s Fried Onions that are crispy in all the best ways.
Let’s get cooking!
How to Make Vegan, Gluten-Free Green Bean Casserole
Cook the fresh green beans
To start, you need to know that your green beans shouldn’t cook for long. We want to blanche them, and then let them cook the rest of the way in the oven.
To do this, add your green beans to boiling water and let them cook for about six minutes. After you remove them from heat, dump them in a bowl of cold water. This will stop the cooking process, so they can finish cooking in the oven.
Make the cream of mushroom soup
While your green beans are in their cold water bowl, make the mushroom soup by adding mushrooms, onions, and garlic to a saucepan with seasonings. Then, you want to add vegetable broth and some plant-based milk. I prefer to use almond, and I recommend unsweetened with no extra flavors like vanilla.
Bring all that to a simmer, with the aromas swirling around you. Mmmm.
Fry the copycat French’s Fried Onions
This is the hook, line, and sinker of the entire recipe. My mom says these are the best part, and I’m inclined to agree with her!
For the crispy breading, use your favorite gluten-free all-purpose flour and mix in your favorite seasonings. Salt and pepper are the basics here, but I prefer to add a little something extra. I recommend a seasoning blend like Morton Nature’s Seasons!
My other secret is to soak your thinly-sliced yellow onion in homemade, plant-based buttermilk. Can you tell I’m from the South? 
Bringing it all together
You’ve done the messy bits and hard work. Now, it’s time to let the oven do its job!
In a casserole or side dish of your choice, add the green beans. Then, pour the cream of mushroom soup over those, and top it all with the fried onions. It should look like the cover photo of this recipe post.
Put it in the oven, and voilà! You have a vegan, gluten-free green bean casserole to enjoy for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner.
Vegan + Gluten-Free Green Bean Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 lb Green beans
- 1/2 tsp Himalayan pink salt
- 8 Baby bella mushrooms
- 1 Small yellow onion
- 3 cloves Garlic
- 1 cup Plant milk I use unsweetened, unflavored almond milk.
- 1/2 cup Vegetable broth
- 2 tsp Seasoned salt I recommend Morton Nature's Seasons.
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning blend
- 1/2 tsp Sage
- 1/2 cup Gluten-free all purpose flour
- 3 Tbsp Olive oil
- 1 Tbsp Cornstarch
- 1 Tbsp Water
- 1/2 Tbsp Apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Boil 2 cups of water with the Himalayan pink salt.
- Prepare the fresh green beans by washing and snapping them in about one and a half inch length. If you use frozen green beans, skip this step!
- Add prepped fresh (or frozen) green beans to boiling water. Allow to boil for six minutes, then remove from heat and place green beans in a bowl of cold water.
- While the green beans are in their bowl of cold water, break the mushrooms into chunks with your hands. This makes the mushroom soup feel more homemade!
- Add mushrooms, 1/2 cup of plant milk, veggie broth, garlic, 1/4 of the onion (chopped), sage, Italian seasoning, and 1 tsp of the Morton Nature's Seasons to a medium saucepan. Simmer on medium heat for about 15 minutes, until veggies are thoroughly cooked.
- Mix cornstarch with 1 Tbsp of water and add to mushroom soup. Stir constantly until thoroughly mixed to avoid clumping! We want a thick, creamy mushroom soup.
- Once the mushroom soup is done, heat the olive oil on medium-high in a skillet.
- Make buttermilk with 1/2 cup of the plant milk and the apple cider vinegar. Let sit while you thinly slice the rest of the yellow onion. Place sliced onions in buttermilk to soak once all are sliced.
- Mix gluten-free all-purpose flour and 1 tsp of Morton Nature's Seasons in a medium-sized bowl.
- Remove a few of the sliced onions from buttermilk and coat generously in flour mix. Then, add them to the skillet and let fry until breading is golden-brown and crispy!
- Remove onions from heat and repeat the last step until all onions are fried.
- Drain green beans and place them in your favorite serving or casserole dish. Add the cream of mushroom soup on top and evenly mix. Finish by adding copycat French's Fried Onions on top!
- Bake in oven for 25 minutes, serve, and enjoy!
Pin this recipe to your favorite Pinterest board!
0 Comments