Vegan Green Bean Casserole
The fall time casserole we know and love gets dairy-free makeover, and a grown-up upgrade with homemade crispy shallots. The number of pans required to make it? Just one.
Serves6 to 8
Prep10 minutes
Cook45 minutes
What Makes Vegan Green Bean Casserole Creamy?
How can you make vegan green bean casserole super creamy? Thanks to the litany of dairy-free milk alternatives in stores these days, it’s easier than ever to make your favorite creamy dishes vegan-friendly. Almond milk has a mild flavor profile, but depending on which brand you buy, a hint of nuttiness actually complements the green beans and is the perfect choice.
Making Homemade Crispy Shallots
There’s nothing quite like the store-bought crispy onions, and you’re welcome to use those instead if you’d like. However, crisping up shallots yourself is not only an endlessly useful tool to have in your back pocket, but the byproduct of crispy shallots is also deeply flavored shallot oil that has endless uses.
In this vegan green bean casserole recipe, you use the shallot oil throughout the rest of the dish (as opposed to a fat like vegan butter, for example). It comes back when sautéing mushrooms, and as the base of the creamy sauce. Two beautiful components from the work of one!
A One-Pan Wonder
The fewer dishes, the better — especially on a holiday. Using just one large ovenproof skillet, you can blanch your green beans, make your crispy shallots, and tie the whole dish together. If, before it goes into the oven, you’d like to transfer the casserole to a prettier serving dish, go for it! But in all other instances, this is a one-and-done situation.
Vegan Green Bean Casserole Recipe
The fall time casserole we know and love gets dairy-free makeover, and a grown-up upgrade with homemade crispy shallots. The number of pans required to make it? Just one.
Prep time 10 minutes
Cook time 45 minutes
Serves 6 to 8
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds
green beans
- 4
large shallots
- 1 pound
cremini mushrooms
- 3 cloves
garlic
- 3/4 cup
neutral oil, such as canola
- 3 teaspoons
kosher salt, divided, plus more for seasoning
- 1/4 cup
all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup
dry white wine
- 2 1/2 cups
unsweetened almond milk
- 1/2 teaspoon
freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon
freshly grated nutmeg (optional)
Instructions
Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 425ºF. Trim the stem ends from 1 pound green beans.
Fill a large, high-sided skillet with salted water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the green beans and cook until crisp-tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water.
Peel and thinly slice 4 large shallots. Thinly slice 1 pound cremini mushrooms. Thinly slice 3 garlic cloves. Line a plate with paper towels. Wipe the skillet dry if needed. Fit a fine-mesh strainer over a small heatproof bowl.
Place 3/4 of the shallots and 3/4 cup neutral oil in the skillet. Cook over medium, stirring frequently, until golden and crisp, about 12 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the shallots to the plate and season with kosher salt. Strain the oil through the strainer. Wipe out the skillet with paper towels.
Return 2 tablespoons of the shallot oil to the skillet and heat over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the mushrooms and 2 teaspoons of the kosher salt. Cook, stirring occasionally until deeply browned, 7 to 9 minutes. Add the remaining uncooked shallots and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add 1/4 cup all-purpose flour and cook until the flour is slightly toasted, about 1 minute. Add 1/2 cup dry white wine and cook, stirring often, until the wine is mostly evaporated, about 30 seconds. While stirring constantly, slowly add 2 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce is thickened, 2 to 4 minutes. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg if using, and stir to combine.
Add the green beans and toss to coat in the sauce. Transfer the mixture to a 3-quart baking dish, such as a 9x13-inch, and spread into an even layer (Alternatively, leave the mixture in the skillet if it's ovenproof, spread it into an even layer, and bake directly in the skillet.) Bake until the sauce is bubbling and the green beans are tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Sprinkle with the crispy shallots.
Recipe Notes
Almond milk substitute: Any unsweetened plant-based milk, such as oat or cashew, can be substituted for the almond milk.
Make ahead: The crispy shallots can be made ahead up to 1 day in advance. Cool completely before storing in an airtight container at room temperature.
Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days.