• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
That Girl Cooks Healthy
  • Home
  • About Me
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact
    • FAQ/Disclaimer
    • Work With Me
  • Recipe Index
  • Health guidance
    • My Caribbean
  • My E-book
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • About Me
    • FAQ/Disclaimer
    • Privacy Policy
    • Work With Me
  • Recipes
  • Health guidance
  • My E-book
  • ×

    BLANK » Recipe Index » Appetizers

    Vegan Green Bean Casserole With Coconut Milk (Gluten Free)

    Last Updated January 29, 2023. Published November 2, 2021 By Charla 10 Comments

    • Share
    • Tweet
    • Yummly
    • Flipboard
    • Mix
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Learn how to make a vegan and gluten free version of green bean casserole. This recipe consists of cooked green beans, sauteed mushrooms cooked in a creamy sauce topped with homemade French fried onions. A delicious casserole that is perfect for the holiday season.

    Pair of heads holding the dish with the green bean casserole

    Thanksgiving just wouldn't be complete without that green bean casserole. This is a timeless dish that is a signature for most households during the holiday season.

    I know just how important this side dish is to my vegan and gluten free readers, so much so that I made my own rendition that caters to most dietary requirements.

    What is a green bean casserole?

    In short this is an American side dish that is served during the holiday season. The dish was created by Dorcas Reilly and her team in the Campbells home economic department.

    The casserole consists of three main components - green beans, cream of mushroom soup and French fried onions.

    It was created at a time where processed foods were heavily utilized hence the reason why Campbell's cream of mushroom soup was a key feature.

    Although many people still adhere to this method, there is a more modified version where sliced mushrooms are pan seared (brown) and a creamy bechamel sauce is used in place of cream of mushroom soup.

    Some people add cheese be it cream cheese or shredded cheese to yield more creaminess and then the infamous French fried onions are added as a topping.

    Spoon scooping out some of the casserole

    Speaking of toppings, the good news is that I have already posted my the gluten free version of French fried onions, so all aspects of the recipe are covered!

    Also, I've swapped the Campbell's cream of mushroom soup for something that is much more vegan friendly. It's cross between a rich sauce and soup!

    It's just the right consistency, not too thick and not too thin, which is what you need to make an awesome green bean casserole.

    The steps

    Steps 1-4 Boiling the green beans
    • (move onto the next step, if you don't have a steamer) I steamed my green beans using my steamer basket, set it up in hot water and sprinkled the pink salt over the beans and steamed for several minutes, removed the beans, rinse them under cold water, set aside to cool.
    • If you boiling the green beans, then bring a large pot of water to the boil.
    • Stir in the pink salt then add the green beans.
    • Reduce the heat to medium then cook the beans until they are fork tender and the colour starts to darken (this will take a few minutes) then drain, cool and set aside.
    steps 5-10 sauteing the mushrooms and making the sauce
    • Add the olive oil to a non stick saucepan, on medium heat.
    • Proceed to saute the mushrooms with the garlic until they are slightly brown. During this time they may extract their own juices.
    • Continue to cook the mushroom until any excess liquid eventually evaporates.
    • Push the mushrooms to one side of the saucepan, now melt the butter in the pan.
    • Stir in the flour, keep stirring until the flour turns golden brown (don't worry if it doesn't turn completely smooth).
    • Whisk in the vegetable broth so it dissolves the flour.
    • Pour in the coconut milk and stir in the cheese until the sauce becomes smooth and starts to thicken.
    • Add the thyme, soy(a) or aminos if you are using it and stir.
    Steps 11-14 making the sauce, adding the green beans and topping
    • Add the desired amount of pink salt and black pepper, do a taste test to adjust the seasoning levels to what you would want.
    • Stir in the green beans and ⅓-½ cup's worth of French fried onions, continuing to stir until the beans are completely heated through.
    • Transfer the green bean/sauce contents to the baking dish, spreading out the mixture evenly.
    • Sprinkle on the amount of French fried onions that you prefer.
    • Bake in the oven for roughly 20 minutes, cover loosely with aluminium foil for the first 15 minutes, then leave uncovered for the remaining 5 minutes.

    Frequently asked questions

    Can you use fat free coconut milk instead?

    To yield that creamiest from the sauce I would recommend using full fat coconut milk because fat free coconut milk is very thin and wouldn't result in the best structure for your sauce.

    Can you make this recipe ahead of time?

    I personally recommend making it on the day but I do understand that people maybe limited for time especially when they are making multiple holiday recipes.

    What I would suggest is having the green beans cooked and left in a bowl. Also do the same with the mushroom sauce, prepare then set it side.

    The next day all you will need to do is toss the green beans in the sauce (it may thicken up when left to cool overnight, perfectly normal!) simply re-heat, allow it to loosen up, toss in the beans, add the topping and bake!

    Can you use frozen green beans instead?

    Yes, you can! However, it's very important to use whole French cut beans not those thinly sliced/halved beans

    If you do decide to use frozen ones, then you will want to thaw them out completely and use some kitchen towel to blot off any excess water so your casseroles flavour won't be diluted.

    What about frozen mushrooms? Yay or Nay?

    It's a nay from me, mushrooms are a complete hot bed for absorbing water, they are like a sponge and soak it up!

    Water logged mushrooms will resist the browning process so some of the flavour will be loss, at a risk of ruining your recipe.

    Please play it safe and use fresh mushrooms!

    Notes and tips

    • The exact dimension for the oval baking dish I used is 28x19x6cm (11x7x2 inches).
    • The amount of French fried onions you use will be subjective, I LOVE onions so as you can see, I overloaded the casserole.
    • This is the link to the Homemade Vegetable Broth that I use.
    • Be sure to do a taste test, especially when you have made the sauce and are adding the seasoning and adjust to how you would like it.
    • Here is the recipe to how I made the French Fried Onions in my air fryer.
    • You will need to double or possibly triple the batch of onions depending on how much you intend to use.
    • For best results eat/serve the casserole on the same day.
    • You can use any type of mushroom you wish to make this recipe.
    Green bean casserole in an oven proof baking dish

    More vegan holiday recipes to try

    • Macaroni Pie
    • Sweet Potato Mac and Cheese
    • Air Fryer Brussel Sprouts
    • Cranberry Relish/Sauce
    • Mashed Sweet Potatoes
    • Nut Roast
    • Chestnut and Pumpkin Soup
    • Pumpkin Parfait

    **Don't forget to comment below and star rate if you have tried my recipes. Let's be friends and engage on YouTube, Facebook and Instagram I also like to pin on Pinterest, where you can find more amazing recipes.**

    Casserole in an oven proof dish

    Vegan Green Bean Casserole With Coconut Milk (Gluten Free)

    Learn how to make a vegan and gluten free version of green bean casserole. This recipe consists of cooked green beans, sauteed mushrooms cooked in a creamy sauce topped with homemade French fried onions. A delicious casserole that is perfect for the holiday season.
    5 from 5 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 40 minutes
    Cook Time: 30 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
    Servings: 6 people
    Calories: 188kcal
    Author: Charla

    Ingredients

    To steam/boil the green beans

    • 1 lb French cut green beans (455g) use fresh or thawed ones
    • water
    • 1 teaspoon pink salt (5g)

    To saute the mushrooms

    • 1 tablespoon olive oil (15g)
    • ½ lb mushrooms chopped into small pieces (225g)
    • 2 garlic cloves minced
    • 3 tablespoon butter (45g)
    • 3 tablespoon gluten free flour (24g) I used brown rice flour

    To make the sauce

    • 1 cup vegetable broth (250ml) see notes for the recipe link
    • 1¼ cup full fat coconut milk (275ml)
    • ⅓ cup vegan cheese (37g) or vegan cream cheese
    • 2 teaspoon dried thyme (10g)
    • 1 tablespoon organic soy(a) or coconut aminos (15g)
    • ½ teaspoon paprika (1.5g)
    • black pepper and pink salt to taste
    • 1½-2 cups Gluten free French fried onions see notes for the recipe link

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 350f/180C/gas mark 4
    • Lightly grease a oven proof dish and set aside.

    To cook the green beans

    • (move onto the next step, if you don't have a steamer) I steamed my green beans using my steamer basket, set it up in hot water and sprinkled the pink salt over the beans and steamed for several minutes, removed the beans, rinse them under cold water, set aside to cool.
    • If you boiling the green beans, then bring a large pot of water to the boil.
    • Stir in the pink salt then add the green beans.
    • Reduce the heat to medium then cook the beans until they are fork tender and the colour starts to darken (this will take a few minutes) then drain, cool and set aside.

    To saute the mushrooms

    • Add the olive oil to a non stick saucepan, on medium heat.
    • Proceed to saute the mushrooms with the garlic until they are slightly brown. During this time they may extract their own juices.
    • Continue to cook the mushroom until any excess liquid eventually evaporates.
    • Push the mushrooms to one side of the saucepan, now melt the butter in the pan.
    • Stir in the flour, keep stirring until the flour turns golden brown (don't worry if it doesn't turn completely smooth).

    To make the sauce

    • Whisk in the vegetable broth so it dissolves the flour.
    • Pour in the coconut milk and stir in the cheese until the sauce becomes smooth and starts to thicken.
    • Add the thyme, soy(a) or aminos if you are using it and stir.
    • Add the desired amount of pink salt and black pepper, do a taste test to adjust the seasoning levels to what you would want.
    • Stir in the green beans and ⅓-½ cup's worth of French fried onions, continuing to stir until the beans are completely heated through.
    • Transfer the green bean/sauce contents to the baking dish, spreading out the mixture evenly.
    • Sprinkle on the amount of French fried onions that you prefer.
    • Bake in the oven for roughly 20 minutes, cover loosely with aluminium foil for the first 15 minutes, then leave uncovered for the remaining 5 minutes.

    Notes

    • The exact dimension for the oval baking dish I used is 28x19x6cm (11x7x2 inches).
    • The amount of French fried onions you use will be subjective, I LOVE onions so as you can see, I overloaded the casserole.
    • This is the link to the Homemade Vegetable Broth that I use.
    • Be sure to do a taste test, especially when you have made the sauce and are adding the seasoning and adjust to how you would like it.
    • Here is the recipe to how I made the French Fried Onions in my air fryer.
    • You will need to double or possibly triple the batch of onions depending on how much you intend to use.
    • For best results eat/serve the casserole on the same day.
    • You can use any type of mushroom you wish to make this recipe.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 188kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 628mg | Potassium: 414mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 716IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 65mg | Iron: 3mg
    Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @ThatGirlCooksHealthy or tag #ThatGirlCooksHealthy!
    « Trinidad Macaroni Pie (Vegan, Gluten Free)
    Slow Cooker Curry Goat (Coconut Milk Version) »
    • Share
    • Tweet
    • Yummly
    • Flipboard
    • Mix

    About Charla

    I'm Charla. Caribbean foodie & Certified Health Coach. Welcome to the heaven of gluten and dairy free recipes as well as modernised healthier alternatives to some of your favourite Caribbean recipes.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Shashi

      November 05, 2021 at 12:03 pm

      I am loving this version of green bean casserole. I am lactose intolerant and this is my kinda recipe. So tasty and flavor packed!

      Reply
      • Charla

        November 05, 2021 at 5:53 pm

        Yay! Glad to hear it fits your dietary needs.

        Reply
    2. Gina

      November 05, 2021 at 11:55 am

      5 stars
      Vegan and GF? This is my kind of casserole. So hard to find a good Thanksgiving side dish that satisfies both those needs - this one does it in a delicious way!

      Reply
      • Charla

        November 05, 2021 at 5:54 pm

        Thank you Gina

        Reply
    3. Beth Sachs

      November 05, 2021 at 11:16 am

      5 stars
      The creamy sauce sounds delicious with the green beans! Perfect side dish for thanksgiving.

      Reply
      • Charla

        November 05, 2021 at 11:20 am

        Definitely and thank you Beth

        Reply
    4. Amanda Wren-Grimwood

      November 05, 2021 at 10:34 am

      5 stars
      All the flavours of a green bean casserole but much lighter and healthier - perfect!

      Reply
      • Charla

        November 05, 2021 at 10:52 am

        Thank you Amanda

        Reply
    5. Mandy Applegate

      November 05, 2021 at 7:29 am

      5 stars
      I love green bean casserole and this looks delicious - can't wait to make it!

      Reply
      • Charla

        November 05, 2021 at 9:49 am

        Thank you so much

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

    Greetings

    I'm Charla. Caribbean foodie & Certified Health Coach. Welcome to the heaven of gluten and dairy free recipes as well as modernised healthier alternatives to some of your favourite Caribbean recipes. Learn more about me

    JOIN MY MAILING LIST AND BE THE FIRST TO KNOW WHEN I POST EXCLUSIVE HEALTHY RECIPES.

    Featured recipes

    dumplings in a bowl

    Caribbean Boiled Coconut Dumplings

    A bowl of soup with a grey side plate

    Turkey Neck Soup

    plate of avocado, rice, shrimp and cabbage

    Jamaican Black Pepper Shrimp

    Jamaican hot chocolate

    Jamaican hot chocolate (cocoa tea)

    eggplant and roti

    Baigan Choka (Roasted Eggplant Dip)

    Seasoned cho cho

    Roasted Cho cho (Chayote)

    More

    Featured in

    Top Choice Recipes

    overnight oatmeal in a jar

    Vegan Blueberry Banana Overnight Oats

    powder with the peppers

    How to Dehydrate Peppers

    tall glasses of lemonade

    Jamaican Lemonade

    6 cho cho on a white plate

    Stuffed Christophine (Cho Cho/Chayote)

    Toasted Coconut Ice Cream (Vegan)

    Vegan chickpea curry recipe

    Vegan chickpea curry

    spoon scooping up the corn

    Chicheme (Vegan style)

    pouring juice into the glass

    Tamarind juice recipe

    Footer

    Featured In

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy

    Contact

    • Contact
    • FAQ

    Copyright © 2020