Dairy-Free Green Bean Casserole
This dairy-free green bean casserole skips the canned soup and builds a real mushroom sauce instead, with fresh green beans, cashew cream, and crispy fried onions on top.
Recipe by Non Dairy Dude
Green bean casserole is one of those dishes I avoided for years after cutting dairy because the original is basically a can of condensed cream of mushroom soup plus milk. Not a lot to work with. The version here builds the sauce from scratch: cremini mushrooms, broth, flour, and all-purpose dairy-free cashew cream in place of any dairy. It's thicker than the canned-soup version and actually tastes like mushrooms.
The green beans get blanched first so they stay bright and tender-crisp under the sauce, not army-green mush. Tamari and a little Dijon go into the sauce for depth. The crispy fried onions on top are the one thing you still buy at the store; just flip the bag and check the label because a few brands sneak in dairy.
This is a natural pairing with dairy-free mashed potatoes and dairy-free mushroom gravy if you're doing a full holiday spread. It holds well in the oven on low, which is the only thing that matters when you're juggling four dishes at once.
This recipe uses: All-Purpose Dairy-Free Cashew Cream
Ingredients
Green Beans
- 2 lbFresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1 tbspKosher salt, for blanching water
Mushroom Sauce
- 1 tbspOlive oil
- 3 tbspDairy-free butter
- 16 ozCremini or baby bella mushrooms, sliced
- 1 smallYellow onion, finely diced
- 3 clovesGarlic cloves, minced
- 1½ tspFresh thyme leaves
- ¼ cupAll-purpose flour
- 1½ cupsLow-sodium vegetable broth or chicken broth
- ¾ cupAll-purpose dairy-free cashew cream
Seasoning
- 1 tbspTamari or soy sauce
- 1 tspDijon mustard
- ¾ tspFine salt, plus more to taste
- ½ tspFreshly ground black pepper
- pinchGround nutmeg
Topping
- 2 cupsCrispy fried onions, dairy-free label checked, divided
Instructions
- 1
Heat the oven to 375 F. Lightly grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish or a deep 2 1/2-quart casserole dish.
- 2
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the kosher salt. Add the green beans and blanch for 4 to 5 minutes, until bright green and just tender. Drain and rinse under cold water, then drain very well.
- 3
Heat the olive oil and dairy-free butter in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they release their liquid, the liquid cooks off, and the mushrooms brown.
- 4
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion, thyme, fine salt, black pepper, and nutmeg. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until the onion softens. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- 5
Sprinkle the flour over the mushroom mixture and stir constantly for 2 minutes, until no dry flour remains.
- 6
Slowly whisk in the broth, starting with about 1/2 cup and whisking smooth before adding more. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, until the sauce thickens.
- 7
Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the cashew cream, tamari, and Dijon mustard. Simmer gently for 2 minutes. Taste and adjust with more salt, pepper, or tamari if needed.
- 8
Fold in the drained green beans and 1/2 cup of the crispy fried onions. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish.
- 9
Bake uncovered for 20 minutes, until hot and bubbling around the edges. Sprinkle the remaining 1 1/2 cups crispy fried onions over the top and bake for 8 to 10 minutes more, until the onions are golden and crisp.
- 10
Let the casserole rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving so the sauce settles slightly.
How we make it dairy-free
- Condensed cream of mushroom soup → Replaced with a from-scratch sauce using dairy-free butter, flour, broth, and cashew cream. More work than opening a can, but the flavor is actually mushroom-forward instead of just salty.
- Milk (used in the original to thin the soup) → The broth does that job here. Low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth keeps the sauce pourable without dulling the mushroom flavor.
- Butter in the roux → Dairy-free butter plus olive oil. The olive oil keeps it from scorching while the dairy-free butter brings the richness you need for a proper roux.
Check the crispy fried onion label. French's original is dairy-free, but store brands vary.
Tips & Variations
Fresh green beans are worth it: They keep better texture than canned beans and prevent the casserole from turning overly soft. Frozen green beans can work in a pinch, but thaw and dry them well before adding.
Blanch, then cool: Briefly cooking the green beans first keeps them bright and tender without making them mushy after baking.
Brown the mushrooms properly: Let their liquid cook off before building the sauce. Pale, wet mushrooms make a flat sauce.
Check crispy onion labels: Many crispy fried onions are dairy-free, but formulas can change and some flavored versions may include milk. Check the package every time.
Add onions in two stages: A small amount folded into the casserole gives classic flavor inside, while the rest goes on near the end so the topping stays crisp.
Do not boil cashew cream hard: Once the cashew cream goes in, keep the sauce at a gentle simmer so it stays smooth.
Make ahead: Assemble the green bean and mushroom sauce mixture up to 1 day ahead without the fried onion topping. Bake until hot, then add the onions for the final 8 to 10 minutes.
If making cashew cream from scratch: Add about 40 minutes for soaking and blending before starting the casserole.
For a bigger holiday plate: Serve alongside dairy-free mashed potatoes, mushroom gravy, scalloped potatoes, or chicken pot pie.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use frozen green beans instead of fresh?⌄
You can, but skip the blanching step. Thaw and pat them dry first or the sauce gets watery. Fresh beans stay crisper, so frozen is a compromise worth knowing about but not the first call.
What is all-purpose dairy-free cashew cream?⌄
It's a blended cashew cream that substitutes for heavy cream or milk in sauces. The site has a recipe for it. You soak raw cashews and blend them smooth. Make it ahead and keep it in the fridge for up to five days.
Can I make this casserole ahead of time?⌄
Yes. Assemble everything through the sauce-and-bean layer, cover, and refrigerate for up to a day. Add the fried onion topping right before it goes in the oven so they stay crisp.
How do I keep the sauce from getting too thick?⌄
Splash in a bit more broth, a tablespoon at a time, and stir over low heat. Cashew cream thickens as it cools, so the sauce that looks right in the pan will be slightly thicker once the casserole bakes. Err on the side of looser when you assemble it.
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