Dairy-Free Green Bean Casserole

This Dairy-Free Green Bean Casserole recipe is the new side you will need! Fresh green beans to make the most of summer produce, dairy-free mushroom sauce, yet creamy and delicious, and a crispy onion top, all made under 20min. Guaranteed side dish hit!

I love green beans of all kinds. The most typical ones in Spain are runner beans (also known as romano beans), which are flat and rectangular. A staple at any Spanish home is to boil them with potatoes and then serve them as a starter with extra virgin olive oil. At the market lately, I have also been finding local French green beans, which are in season now. Thus, to vary a bit I’ve also been buying and enjoying them.

I have been using French green beans in salads of all kinds (swapping the chickpeas with them in my Mediterannean Chickpea Salad) and as a plain side. However, to keep things interesting, I started to develop an idea in my head based on a Green Bean casserole I had looooong ago. When I was a teenager, I spent a month abroad every year with native English-speaking host families (either in Ireland or the States) and one year I learned how to prepare a Green Bean Casserole with an amazing Californian host family I lived with.

Dairy-Free Green Bean Casserole Components

I learn that in the States, green bean casseroles are a very typical side dish for Thanksgiving. They generally have a creamy mushroom sauce and loads of crispy onions. Green beans are in peek now though, so I thought… Why not make a green bean casserole? Summer calls for light and quick dishes though, and 90% of the population refuses to switch on the oven. So bearing all of this in mind this recipe was born.

Green beans: Preferably fresh, but you can also use frozen. You can leave them whole or cut them in half for easier eating (especially for the kids), just remember to trim the edges. You will need to blanch them and then rinse them with cold water to stop the cooking process and keep them vibrant green. If you prefer them more cooked than a nice al dente bite, then feel free to cook them longer.

Mushroom sauce: you can make it ahead and since it’s dairy-free it freezes extremely well! So you have a couple of options here. Either make the recipe with the quantities it calls for or double, triple, quadruple it, and freeze for another day. It works amazingly well with white fish, grilled chicken breasts, over rice, mashed potatoes, and pasta! I think you’ll love this sauce – I could eat it by the spoonful.

Crispy onions: to keep things quick and simple I am using already made crispy onions. They are included not only for their incredible flavour but because they are a crunchy topping everyone loves.

Optional Ingredients to Add

Cheese: if you want to make it cheesy (and non-dairy free), you definitely can. Add shredded Parmesan, Emmental or Cheddar to the sauce. Or you can even top the casserole with mozzarella or provolone and broil it until they are melted and slightly golden.

Cream and Milk: another dairy option is adding cream or milk. You can swap half of the broth with either of these to make the sauce richer and more bechamel-like.

Sausage, Bacon or Pancetta:  You can convert this dish to a main by adding some meat. Some cooked sausage or bacon chopped and mixed in would add a very nice touch.

Best Green Bean Casserole Recipe Tips

• Leftover Vegetable broth. You can always make vegetable broth if you keep vegetable tips and peels in a bag in the freezer (I keep the green part of leeks, carrot skins, onion first layer that I always remove, celery leaves…). They can be cooked from frozen in a large pot of boiling water for 20min and you get a delicious and cheap veggie broth.
• Add the onions at the very last moment. To ensure that the onions are very crispy, add them at the very last minute. The heat and sauce soften them.
• Make it ahead. You can make this green bean casserole up to a day in advance. Make the green beans, and the sauce. Mix them and refrigerate in an air-tight container. When you’re ready to eat, reheat the beans and sauce in a pan, transfer to a platter and layer on the crispy onions.

If you make this Dairy-Free Green Bean Casserole recipe, be sure to leave a comment and rate it. Hearing from you is everything! Oh, and don’t forget to tag me on Instagram, I absolutely love seeing your creations. Happy cooking! 

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Dairy-Free Green Bean Casserole

The green bean casserole you'll need in summer! Fresh green beans to make the most of summer produce, dairy-free mushroom sauce, yet creamy and delicious, and a crispy onion top, all made under 20min. Guaranteed side dish hit!

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Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time10 minutes mins

Total Time20 minutes mins

Servings: 4 people

Author: Paula

Ingredients

• 500 g French green beans - tips trimmed and halved
• 250 g chestnut (cremini) mushrooms - sliced
• 2 garlic cloves - finely chopped
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 sprigs fresh oregano
• 50 ml white wine
• 2 tbsp flour
• 350 ml chicken or vegetable broth
• 6 tbsp fried onions
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt
• Black Pepper

Instructions

• In a large pot, bring water to a boil. Season with salt and add the green beans. Once the water starts boiling again, cook the green beans for 5 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process.
• In the meantime prepare the sauce. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté the mushrooms for 5 minutes until golden.
• Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute while stirring.
• Add the herbs, some salt and black pepper and the wine. Continue cooking for a couple of minutes until the alcohol has evaporated.
• Reduce the heat to medium, add 2 more tablespoons of oil, the flour and stir for 1 minute to cook the flour. Add the broth and let it simmer until the sauce thickens (about 10min). Adjust the saltiness.
• Stir in the beans to reheat them and transfer to a platter. Top with the crispy onions and serve. Enjoy!