Dairy Free Green Bean Casserole Recipe
This dairy free green bean casserole with tender green beans, creamy mushroom sauce and topped with crispy onions is a delicious and easy make-ahead side dish.
Traditional green bean casserole is made with cream of mushroom soup.
Delicious? Yes! Dairy free? Sadly not.
But now you can make your green bean casserole recipe dairy free with our easy homemade mushroom sauce that’s just as creamy and tasty as the real thing.
Perfect for a special occasion, holiday season or a weeknight dinner, this recipe is designed to be cow’s milk allergy friendly without sacrificing any flavor.
Why You’ll Love This Dairy Free Green Bean Casserole Recipe
- Simple to make
- Perfect dairy free thanksgiving dinner side dish
- A healthier take on a classic favorite
- Ideal for those with dairy food allergies
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Green beans: I use fresh green beans, but you can use frozen. If using frozen, thaw them first, pat them dry to remove excess moisture and skip the boiling part of the recipe – pop them straight into the sauce. At a pinch you can use canned, however they have a more soggy texture and will produce a different flavor from fresh or frozen.
- Fresh garlic: Substitute with garlic puree or frozen garlic.
- Mushrooms: Use chestnut or button mushrooms.
- Olive oil: Or another neutral oil such as vegetable oil.
- All purpose flour
- Almond milk: Or another plant based milk such as soy milk.
- Vegetable stock
- Salt & black pepper
- Crispy onions: I use store-bought crispy fried onions, but feel free to make your own if you like.
How to Make Dairy Free Green Bean Casserole
- Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Cook the mushrooms: Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and sauté for 5-10 minutes, until golden brown.
- Parboil the green beans: Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to a boil and add the green beans. Boil for 2-3 minutes, then drain and rinse the beans under cold water to stop the cooking process.
- Make a ‘roux’: In the mushroom pan, add another tablespoon of oil. Once hot, sprinkle in the flour a little at a time, stirring constantly to form a paste (roux). Cook for 1 minute.
- Add stock: Slowly add the vegetable stock, stirring continuously until the mixture thickens.
- Finish the sauce: Once it is thickened, whisk in the almond milk, season with salt and pepper, and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 5-7 minutes more, or until the sauce is thick and bubbly. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.
- Assemble to dish: Stir the partly cooked green beans into the sauce, then transfer the mixture into a medium-sized baking dish.
- Bake: Scatter crispy onions over the top and bake uncovered for 15-20 minutes, until the beans are cooked through and the top is golden brown. Cover with foil if the onion topping brown too quickly.
- Serve: Remove the casserole dish from the oven, serve and enjoy!
Leftovers
To store: Keep banana bread in an airtight container on the countertop and consume within 4 days.
To freeze: First allow the banana bread to fully cool to room temperature.
Frequently Asked Questions
The type of green beans you choose should depend on personal preference.
Fresh beans: Have a more crunchy texture and fresh flavor. If you’re using them, trim the ends, either cut into bitesized pieces or leave whole, and parboil for 2-3 minutes before adding to the sauce.
Frozen: Frozen beans are blanched and then flash-frozen straight after picking. To use them in this casserole, thaw, drain and pat them dry with paper towel before adding to the casserole.
Canned: Many people use canned beans for green bean casserole, but canned beans lack the texture and peak-season flavor of fresh or frozen beans. They are good for tight budgets and time-saving though, so feel free to use them. Just be sure to drain them well to remove excess water first.
Yes, you can assemble the casserole (minus the crispy onion topping) up to 2 days in advance. Keep covered and refrigerated until ready to bake. Then remove the cover, add the crispy onions and bake until heated through.
Choose a neutral flavored dairy free milk such as soy, cashew or oat.
Yes you can freeze green bean casserole. Transfer the casserole to an airtight, freezer safe container and freeze for up to 2 months.
For best results, freeze before adding the crispy onion topping and defrost thoroughly before reheating.
To reheat, place in an oven safe dish and reheat in the oven, uncovered, at 180C/350F until fully heated through.
More DF Sides
If you make this Dairy Free Green Bean Casserole recipe I’d love for you to give it a star rating ★ below. You can also tag me on Instagram (@thesunshinepantry) or Facebook so I can see your amazing creation!
Dairy Free Green Bean Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- 450 g fresh green beans trimmed (1 lb)
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- 150 g chestnut or button mushrooms finely chopped (5.3 oz)
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour plain flour
- 150 ml vegetable stock ⅔ cup
- 250 ml almond milk 1 cup
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Handful of crispy onions
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and sauté for 5-10 minutes, until golden brown.
- Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to a boil and add the green beans. Boil for 2 minutes, then drain and rinse the beans under cold water to stop the cooking process.
- In the mushroom pan, add another tablespoon of oil. Once hot, sprinkle in the flour a little at a time, stirring constantly to form a paste (roux). Cook for 1 minute.
- Slowly add the vegetable stock, stirring continuously until the mixture thickens.
- Once it is thickened, whisk in the almond milk, season with salt and pepper, and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 5-7 minutes more, or until the sauce is thick and bubbly. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.
- Stir in the parboiled green beans, then transfer the mixture into a medium-sized ovenproof dish.
- Scatter the crispy onions over the top and bake uncovered for 15-20 minutes, until the beans are cooked through and the top is golden brown. Cover with foil if the onions brown too quickly.
- Remove from the oven, serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Thick sauce: If your sauce is too thick, add in a little more almond milk or vegetable stock to loosen it. Add just small amount at a time until it reaches the desired consistency.
- Make ahead: Assemble the casserole (minus the crispy onion topping) up to 2 days in advance. Keep refrigerated and bake before serving.
- Substitutions:
- Milk: Almond, oat or cashew work great in this recipe
- Beans: fresh give the best texture, but frozen work too. Parboil fresh and thaw frozen before using in the casserole.
- Topping: to make the dish onion free, swap them for breadcrumbs.
- Extras: add bacon bits or flaked almonds for a next level green bean casserole.
- Approx 46 kcal per serving
⭐ Pin this Recipe for Later ⭐
This green bean casserole tastes so good and is easy to make. A must-have on your dairy free holiday recipes list!