Vegan Green Bean Casserole With Crispy Gluten-Free Fried Onions
Iconic green bean casserole ditches the canned soup and gets a vegan makeover.
Look, we get it. We all grew up with creamy, rich green bean casserole, and we have fond memories of sprinkling French’s fried onions on top as tykes. But choosing this gluten-free, vegan green bean casserole allows you all of the delicious flavor of the casserole without the processed ingredients. Trust us: once you’ve tried this version, you won’t be going back.
Canned green beans thankfully no longer contain BPA, but the grey, unappealing canned veg doesn’t hold a candle to fresh green beans, which are worth the extra few minutes to prep and cook. We also like making our own pumpkin puree for pies, pasta, and more — it’s surprisingly easy.
Gone, too, is the canned cream of mushroom soup so common in green bean casseroles. Instead, this vegan green bean casserole recipe uses cashew cream — a great substitute for heavy cream that’s far less heavy and won’t leave you with a stomach ache.
The lack of soup has also led, in this case, to a dearth of a very common green bean casserole ingredient: mushrooms. If you’re a fan, toss them in, but since mushroom aversions are common, you can feel free to leave them out; it’ll be just as tasty.
The key to making your green bean casserole extra tasty is in the topping. Crispy fried onions add a delicious crunch. In this recipe, the onions are tossed with gluten-free flour and arrowroot to create a crispy coating. They are then very lightly fried in safflower oil until golden brown, they are just as tasty!
Serve this up with your holiday feast and complete the spread with a herb-roasted apple cider-brined heritage turkey (here’s why to get a heritage turkey, and read here about the pros and cons of brining), our outrageously good sweet potato casserole and a homemade, paleo-friendly pumpkin pie.
We nerd out, not just on organic food, but on all things related to a non-toxic kitchen. Read our popular chef-tested and reviewed guides to the top non-toxic cookware brands, our favorite clean ceramic cookware, and our chef’s picks for non-toxic bakeware.
Ingredients
For the casserole:
For the topping:
Preparation
- Add the onions to a bowl, and add enough almond milk to cover them. Let soak for 15 minutes, and then drain.
- Heat the safflower oil over medium heat in a deep skillet like the carbon steel one from Made-In.
- Add the gluten-free all-purpose flour, brown rice flour, arrowroot powder, and sea salt to a medium bowl. Whisk until well combined. Add the onions and stir until the onions are completely coated.
- Add the coated onions to the skillet in an even layer. Cook for about three minutes and then gently flip them. Cook for another three minutes, or until the onions are golden brown. Transfer to a paper towel.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease an 9×9-inch baking dish or cast iron skillet with olive oil (the blue ceramic one from Staub makes for a beautiful presentation). Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the green beans and boil for five minutes. Drain into a colander, and then transfer to a large bowl filled with ice water. Let sit for about one minute, and then return to the colander to drain.
- Meanwhile, add the almond milk, sea salt, and cashews to a high-speed blender like Vitamix. Blend for about two minutes, until completely smooth.
- Add the green beans to the prepared baking dish. Pour the cashew cream over the green beans. Top with crispy onions then bake in the oven for about 20 minutes.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!
