Print

Ultimate Green Bean Casserole

Instead of making your own fried shallots or onions, the classic French’s Original french fried onions are delicious and easily found in most grocery stores. Or upgrade to imported crispy onions for a truly gourmet experience.

  • Author: Mary Leir
  • Prep Time: 20
  • Cook Time: 40
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: 8 servings 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 pounds green beans, rinsed
  • Kosher salt
  • 1 3/4 cups unsweetened soy milk
  • 1 cup roasted, unsalted cashew pieces
  • 4 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 8 oz cremini (or button or baby bella) mushrooms, rinsed and spun dry in a salad spinner, roughly chopped
  • 1 red onion, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried chile flakes
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper, or to taste
  • 6 tablespoons vegan butter, divided
  • 4 large sprigs thyme, leaves stripped from woody stems
  • 3 tablespoons white whole-wheat or all-purpose flour
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 1/2 cup crispy onions
  • 1/4 cup whole-wheat panko

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375°. Cook green beans a large pot of boiling salted water until bright green and halfway to tenderness, about 3 minutes. Drain and let cool; trim stem ends and cut in half.
  2. Combine soy milk, cashews, nutritional yeast, soy sauce, and lemon juice in high-speed blender. Blend until completely smooth.
  3. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Cook mushrooms, without stirring, until golden brown underneath, about 2 minutes. Add red onions, chile flakes, black pepper and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
  4. Toss and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are brown on both sides, about 3 minutes more.
  5. Add 2 tablespoons vegan butter and thyme leaves to pan. Cook, tossing occasionally for about 4 more minutes. Reduce heat if needed. When mushrooms are dark brown and very tender, taste and season with salt if needed. Transfer to a bowl or plate.
  6. Melt remaining 4 tablespoons butter in same large saucepan over medium-low. Blend in flour and cook, mixing, until roux is golden brown and smells mildly nutty, about 4 minutes.
  7. Whisk in creamy soy milk mixture. Increase heat and bring to a simmer, whisking often, and cook until sauce is thick and bubbling, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in garlic. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.
  8. Arrange green beans and mushrooms in a 2-qt. baking dish. Pour sauce over. Cover tightly with foil and bake until sauce is bubbling, 15–20 minutes. Uncover and top with crispy fried onions and breadcrumbs.
  9. Continue to bake just until onions are slightly darker and fragrant, about 3 – 6 minutes longer. Let sit 10 minutes to set before serving.

Notes

If you steam the green beans the night before, it really speeds things along. Add five minutes to baking time if you mix them in cold.