I am not crazy about green beans, but every once in a while I create a green bean recipe that is a pleasant – and tasty – surprise. Like these easy garlic green beans, these creamy chipotle green beans, and in this vegan tater tot casserole, where they are delicious and everyone-friendly. They are just as delightful in this vegan version of a classic green bean casserole. This is a really simple recipe, with little hands-on time. I bought beans that were already washed and trimmed, so all I needed to do was cut them in half (I like them that way, but you can just leave them whole, as they usually are in green bean casseroles). You will need cream of mushroom soup for this casserole and I, of course, use my own delicious vegan cream of mushroom soup recipe. I always have a batch of it ready this time of year for this green bean casserole or for my vegan hash brown casserole, which makes an awesome Thanksgiving Day breakfast, or just for slurping out of the bowl with some French Bread. The soup is easy enough to make, and you can do that ahead as well. And that’s the only other big ingredient you need here. The rest of it – nondairy milk, fried onions, and the optional soy sauce or liquid aminos – you don’t have to make. What I love about this green bean casserole is how perfect the green beans cook up. I said I am a fence-sitter on this veggie, but in this recipe – where you first blanch them before baking them in the oven – they cook up with just the right texture: a little toothsome and yet perfectly tender. They’re also flavorful, with all that cream of mushroom soup and golden onion-y goodness they have soaked up.
Expert tips
Blanch the beans – put them in boiling water for a short time, then rinse them off quickly. This barely takes any hands-on time and will ensure the beans have great texture and are not uncooked nor mushy. Use a thicker nondairy milk, if possible, for more creaminess. I like cashew milk, which I make myself, but you can go with soy or even coconut milk. Mix some of the onions in your casserole before baking, and leave some of them out to add at the very end. That way your beans will have some onion deliciousness to soak in during baking, and you’ll get great texture from the crunchy, golden onions on top. Remember to get your beans out of the oven toward the end of cooking, mix well (important!), then add the remaining onions to the top, and bake for another 10 minutes.
Ingredients
Green beans Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup Nondairy milk (like cashew or soy) Tamari or soy sauce or liquid aminos (optional) Fried onions
More vegan vegetable side dishes
Vegan Scalloped Sweet Potatoes with Crunchy Pecan Topping Easy Vegan Butternut Squash Gratin Roasted Delicata Squash with Curry Spices Creamy Vegan Mashed Potatoes Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Garlic and Rosemary
Recipe card
Check to get new recipe updates by email.
