Vegan Green Bean Casserole With Crispy Gluten-Free Fried Onions
Thanksgiving is looking a little bit different this year, and in our opinion, it's the perfect opportunity to give a makeover to one of the most highly-processed staples: green bean casserole.
Look, we get it. We all grew up with this creamy, rich dish, and if Aunt Joanie were still bringing hers to dinner, we'd probably sneak a mouthful or two, too. But she's not, which means choosing this gluten-free and vegan green bean casserole is easy. And trust us: once you've tried this version, you won't be going back.
There’s no place for canned ingredients in this healthy green bean casserole recipe. Canned green beans not only contain BPA but also are lacking nutrients. Cooking fresh green beans is far healthier and worth the extra few minutes cook time.
You may notice that this is lacking a very common green bean casserole ingredient: mushrooms. If you're a fan, toss them in, but since mushroom aversions are common, you can feel free to leave them out; it'll be just as tasty.
Either way, we've skipped the canned cream of mushroom soup that’s often used in green bean casserole recipes. Instead, this vegan green bean casserole recipe uses cashew cream. Cashew cream is a great substitute for heavy cream in vegan dishes. It's far less heavy and won't leave you with a stomachache.
The key to making your green bean casserole extra tasty is in the topping. Crispy fried onions add a delicious crunch. In this recipe, the onions get mixed with gluten-free flour and arrowroot to create a crispy coating. Then, they are very lightly fried in safflower oil which makes them golden brown. Even though they are lightened up, they are just as tasty!
Recipe Tips
Image by Karissa Bowers
- Duration
- Cook Time
- Prep Time
- 4-6Servings
Ingredients
For the casserole:
- 1 pound of green beans rinsed and trimmed
- ⅔ cup cashews soaked for 8 hours and drained
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ cup Optional:chopped crimini mushrooms
For the topping:
- 1 slice large yellow onion sliced thinly into half-moon
- 1-2 cups unsweetened almond milk
- ½ cup gluten-free all purpose flour
- ¼ cup brown rice flour
- ⅓ cup safflower oil
- 2 teaspoons arrowroot powder
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
Preparation
- Add the onions to a bowl and add enough almond milk to cover them. Let soak for 15 minutes and then drain.
- Heat the safflower oil over medium heat in a deep skillet like the carbon steel one from Made-In.
- Add the gluten-free all-purpose flour, brown rice flour, arrowroot powder, and sea salt to a medium bowl. Whisk until well combined. Add the onions and stir until onions are completely coated.
- Add the coated onions to the skillet with minimal overlap. Let cook for about three minutes and then gently flip them. Cook for another three minutes, or until the onions are golden brown. Transfer to a paper towel.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease an 9x9-inch baking dish or cast iron skillet with olive oil (the blue ceramic one from Staub makes for a beautiful presentation). Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the green beans and boil for five minutes. Drain into a colander and then transfer to a large bowl filled with ice water. Let sit for about one minute and then return to the colander to drain.
- Meanwhile, add the almond milk, sea salt, and cashews to a high-speed blender like Vitamix. Blend for about two minutes, until completely smooth.
- Add the green beans to the prepared baking dish. Pour the cashew cream over the green beans. Top with crispy onions then bake in the oven for about 20 minutes.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!
