Plant-Based Green Bean Casserole

RECIPE BELOW! I’ve always been a sucker for some green bean casserole… Even when I was younger with a pretty basic palate, green bean casserole could be found on my plate at the holiday table.

As the years have rolled on, it’s still one of my faves. However, as I became more educated in health and nutrition, I noticed that using a condensed canned soup didn’t provide the best source of ingredients or flavor. Sure, it’s convenient, but the amount of salt was alarming, along with the fact that dairy and whey was present, which we had decided to cut dairy out of our diet.

When Thanksgiving rolled around during our first couple months of being plant-based, I attempted a green bean casserole from scratch. It was ok. I continued to make one each year, and now on year 4, I think I’ve really nailed it.

This casserole is full of flavor. You can truly taste the green beans in concert with the homemade cream of mushroom. This is achieved by understanding what to add to your cream of mushroom soup base.

Not all plant milks are equal within the plant-based cooking world. You would be mistaken to add a coconut or oat milk to this recipe, as it will undoubtedly take away from the flavors we’re trying to highlight.

Surely I do not know everything, but I DO know what I previously stated. The best plant-milks when trying to create a neutral cream are:

Cashew milk (unsweetened)
Soy milk (unsweetened)

I hope you’ll try this recipe out for a get together someday! It comes together quickly and again tastes awesome.

Happy eating! A plus tard…

Plant-Based Green Bean CasseroleHow to make plant-based green bean casserole

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Plant-Based Green Bean Casserole

Yield: 12

Author: Camryn Clements

Prep time: 7 MinCook time: 35 MinTotal time: 42 Min

Full of flavor and comes together quickly! You're going to love this easy and delicious plant-based side dish, all made from plants!

Ingredients

• 3 - 12oz bags of frozen cut green beans, steamed according to pkg instructions* (Canned green beans work too! Just drain before using)
• 1 onion, diced
• 4 large cloves of garlic, minced ( ~ 2 Tbsps)
• 2 Tbsps olive oil
• 8oz baby portobello mushrooms, rinsed and minced
• 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce or tamari
• 2 Tbsps vegan Worcestershire sauce (Lord Sandy's or Kroger brand are good choices)
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp dried tarragon
• 1/4 tsp ground thyme
• 2 cups non-dairy milk (I like unsweetened soy milk or unsweetened cashew for this recipe. Unsweetened almond is fine. But others may take away from the mushroom and green bean flavor.)
• 1/4 cup corn starch or flour
• 2/3 cups low sodium vegetable broth, DIVIDED (see recipe)
• french fried onions for topping (optional - omit if needed)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Steam the green beans according to package directions if you haven't already.
2. Sauté onion in the olive oil until soft and translucent (7-8 minutes). Add the minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds or until you can smell it.
3. Add the mushrooms and a splash of the broth and cook for 3-4 minutes until the mushrooms start to reduce and start to produce an aroma.
4. Add the soy sauce, Worcestershire, pepper, tarragon, thyme and milk to the pot and bring to a low boil. In a separate container, whisk together the rest of the broth and the corn starch. Add to the pot.
5. Simmer for a minute or two until the soup thickens. Remove from heat. Taste and adjust.
6. Mix together the steamed green beans, all of the cream of mushroom soup, and a handful of french fried onions* (optional, though creates a great texture). Add a couple cracks of salt and pepper to season the green beans. Taste & adjust to your liking. Place in a casserole dish and cover with foil.
7. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 15-25 minutes, depending on how soft you want your green beans. If you like them super soft, bake covered for 25 minutes.
8. Remove from oven. Remove foil. Top with french fried onions and bake for another 5 minutes uncovered.
9. Let cool slightly and serve!

Notes

~ Canned green beans work for this recipe! Just drain before adding to the dish.

~ I do not recommend using coconut milk. It has too strong and distinct a flavor and will not taste good in this recipe.

~ Keep in mind how soft you want your green beans for this recipe. When you steam the green beans initially, they should be fully cooked (not firm or snappy). Do not try this recipe with undercooked green beans as it will take 2-3 times the time to fully cook the green beans to the expected "casserole" consistency once you've assembled the casserole.

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