This Dairy-free Green Bean Casserole recipe features crisp, fresh green beans coated in a homemade, creamy mushroom sauce made without any dairy or gluten, making it allergy-friendly. The dish skips the canned soup for a healthier twist, using fresh mushrooms and simple seasonings to build a flavorful base. Topped with crunchy fried onions, it’s a classic holiday side dish that everyone can enjoy at your holiday table.
A traditional green bean casserole recipe is often made with canned soup that doesn't have the best ingredients. This is a healthy green bean casserole that is a great recipe for the whole family. Whether you or your loved ones have a dairy allergy or not, everyone is sure to love at your Thanksgiving table.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Dietary restrictions: These are never a fun thing to navigate during the holiday season, but this gluten-free and dairy-free green bean casserole makes it easy to navigate many restrictions (or food allergies) that your guests may have. It is also plant-based, making it a lot healthier than a classic green bean casserole.
- Make ahead: We all know that it can be tough to time the cooking for everything for Thanksgiving dinner, but this recipe is one that you can make ahead and reheat the day of.
- Homemade mushroom sauce: In the classic Thanksgiving dish, green bean casserole uses canned mushroom soup. This recipe uses a homemade mushroom sauce that is simple and so delicious.
Ingredients You Will Need
Green Beans: are a low-calorie vegetable rich in essential nutrients such as vitamins K, C, and A, along with dietary fiber. Helping support bone health, boost the immune system, and aid in maintaining healthy vision and skin green beans are a great addition to a plate.
Coconut Milk: A dairy-free alternative that is rich in healthy fats, particularly medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), which can provide a quick source of energy. It also contains essential nutrients like potassium and magnesium, contributing to heart health and promoting proper muscle and nerve function. Be sure you buy the full-fat coconut milk.
Cashews: have essential minerals like magnesium and copper. They can help support heart health by reducing bad cholesterol levels, promoting bone health, and aiding in the maintenance of healthy blood pressure, making them a valuable addition to a balanced diet.
Olive Oil: It is really important to get a high-quality olive oil and one that is 100% olive oil and single origin, the food industry likes to cut corners when it comes to oils so be sure you check your labels.
Ghee: clarified butter made by simmering butter to remove the water content and milk solids, resulting in a rich, nutty, and lactose-free cooking fat with a high smoke point. It is not technically dairy-free but is usually tolerated by most people with lactose issues since the milk solids are removed.
Baby Bella Mushrooms: Mushrooms are one of the very few foods that are a good source of Vitamin D, which helps with bone health and immune function. Outside of that, mushrooms are also known to reduce the risk of chronic disease, too!
White Onion: Onions are full of antioxidants that help fight inflammation. They also have folate, manganese, and some vitamin C. They are antibacterial, help digestion (for some), and can help reduce your risk of cancer.
Garlic: is known for its anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. It helps fight many diseases like the common cold, heart disease, and others.
Parsley: is a versatile herb that goes great in many dishes. It is packed full of antioxidants and vitamins that support your brain health, immune system, and even your bone health.
Rosemary: is high in antioxidant, anti-bacterial, and anti-inflammatory compounds. With all of these benefits, rosemary can help improve memory, digestion, heart health and so much more. It is an herb that goes so well with many dishes!
Sage: an aromatic herb that has many health benefits such as anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. It can help with digestive health, oral health, and skin health.
Thyme: is an herb from the mint family! It may also provide numerous health benefits, such as fighting acne, regulating mucus, fighting infections, and helping boost your overall immune system.
Sliced Almond: have high levels of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, fiber, and essential vitamins and minerals. Consuming almonds can help lower the risk of heart disease, and provide a good source of antioxidants and energy-boosting nutrients.
Gluten-free Crispy Fried Onions: I really like the 365 brand from Whole Foods, but any gluten-free brand will work. These are also sometimes called French fried onions.
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Heat a large cast iron pan to medium heat. Bring a pot of water to a boil.
Boil Green Beans. Add green beans to boiling water for 2-4 minutes (until vibrant green), then quickly transfer to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking.
Saute. When the pan is hot, add ghee and olive oil. Once ghee is melted, add diced white onion, chopped mushrooms, and garlic to the pan and saute for 5 minutes. Then add parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme, black pepper, and salt to the pan and continue sauteing.
Blend. While the veggies are sauteing, combine coconut milk and cashews in a high-speed blender and blend until smooth. Add a tablespoon of water at a time if needed. This should be a thick, creamy sauce.
Make the casserole. Add cashew cream sauce to the pan with the veggies and bring it to a simmer. Stirring frequently. Then add green beans to the pan and toss until they are all evenly coated in the cashew cream sauce. Add onion topping and slivered almonds to the top.
Bake. Cover the pan with foil and put it in the oven for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, remove the foil, add crunch onions, and slice almonds to the top of the casserole. Bake for another 5-10 minutes or until the green beans are tender, yet still have a crunch to them.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
Troubleshooting: These green beans are fresh and crispy. If you like a more traditional green bean casserole you can steam the green beans prior to adding the sauce or let them boil a couple minutes longer!
Sauce: If the sauce needs to be thinned out, add 1 tablespoon of water, chicken broth, or vegetable broth until it is the desired consistency.
Recipe Variations
- Whole30: Dairy-free green bean casserole is easily adapted to make it Whole30! Just remove the crispy onions and add extra sliced almonds or crispy shallots.
- Alternative Milk: If coconut milk isn't for you, almond milk, oat milk, cashew milk, or any other non-dairy milk works just fine.
Storage Tips
After serving: Leftover green bean casserole can be stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. I do not recommend freezing.
Prior to serving: If you are making this recipe ahead of time and storing it until Thanksgiving, store it in the refrigerator in a cast iron pan or baking dish covered with foil for up to 2 days. Then bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes or until the casserole is heated all the way through.
What To Serve With It
- Thanksgiving dinner: mashed potatoes, roasted root veggies, roasted delicata squash
- Protein: Ham or Turkey
FAQs About Dairy-free Green Bean Casserole
A classic green bean casserole does contain dairy, however, this recipe is completely dairy-free. It uses coconut milk as a replacement.
Technically you can use either, however, I like the crispness of fresh green beans better.
Dairy-Free Green Bean Casserole
Ingredients
- 24 oz Green Beans trimmed
- 1 cup Coconut milk
- 1 cup Cashews
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 tablespoon Ghee
- 1 cup Mushrooms diced finely
- ¼ White onion diced finely
- 1 tablespoon Garlic minced
- ½ tablespoon Parsley, dried
- 1 teaspoon Rosemary
- 1 teaspoon Sage
- 1 teaspoon Thyme
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Sliced almonds to top
- Crunchy Onions I get the 365 brand (gluten-free) from Whole Foods
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Heat a large cast iron pan to medium heat. Bring a pot of water to a boil.
- Add green beans to boiling water for 2-4 minutes (until vibrant green), then quickly transfer to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking.
- When the pan is hot, add ghee and olive oil. Once ghee is melted, add diced white onion, chopped mushrooms, and garlic to the pan and saute for 5 minutes. Then add parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme, black pepper, and salt to the pan and continue sauteing.
- Add cashew cream sauce to the pan with the veggies and bring it to a simmer. Stirring frequently. Then add green beans to the pan and toss until they are all evenly coated in the cashew cream sauce. Add onion topping and slivered almonds to the top.
- Add cashew cream sauce to the pan with the veggies and bring it to a simmer. Stirring frequently.
- Add green beans to the pan and toss until they are all evenly coated in the cashew cream sauce.
- Cover the pan with foil and put it in the oven for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, remove the foil, add crunch onions and slice almonds to the top of the casserole. Bake for another 5-10 minutes or until the green beans are tender, yet still have a crunch to them.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- These green beans are fresh and crispy. If you like a more traditional green bean casserole you can steam the green beans prior to adding the sauce!
- To make this Whole30, leave off the Crunchy Onions on top and add extra sliced almonds.
- Make the sauce ahead of time and throw it all in the oven the day of.
Leave a Reply