Fresh Green Bean Casserole

Vegan Fresh Green Bean Casserole! This is the PERFECT Thanksgiving side dish! Fresh green beans in a homemade mushroom sauce with faux-fried onions. 

For the past few Thanksgivings, I’ve been experimenting with creating my own green bean casserole from scratch. It’s one of those dishes that BL isn’t a big fan of, but I can’t get enough of it. My mom made it every year growing up with the usual suspects– cream of mushroom soup, canned green beans and French’s crispy onions.

Yum! I’d eat a giant serving of these along with enough stuffing to keep me satisfied for an entire year. Even back then I couldn’t care less about the turkey- give me all the sides and Thanksgiving was considered a success.

This version is an elevated take, with fresh green beans, homemade mushroom gravy and crispy faux-fried onions. While purest (and my family) may scoff at the lack of anything canned, this version not only tastes better- it’s healthier too.

How to Make Homemade Mushroom Soup 

For starters, this homemade mushroom soup is so, so good. Save it for just about any place you would typically use the canned stuff. Then saute shallots, thyme and mushrooms until browned, and add in flour until cooked through.  Lastly, stir in soy milk and you’ve got a creamy, thick mushroom soup that’s packed with flavor.

I prefer soy milk over other non-dairy milks in these kind of dishes as it has more body and less defined flavor.

How to Make Homemade Crispy Onions

To take this casserole over the top, I added in homemade crispy onions on top. Of course, if you can’t imagine parting ways with the French’s stuff, I won’t stop you from swapping those in instead. But if you’re like me and love the idea of a fresh casserole, try these.

For ease, I recommend using a non-stick baking mat (like a silpat) for the onions. This way they will crisp up in the oven without sticking to the baking sheet. You can also use parchment paper if you don’t have a silpat. The other trick is making sure your onions are very thin so they crisp up and brown instead of steaming. 

Our Thanksgivings have been in BL’s hometown for the last few years, a welcome retreat from life in St. Louis. I love packing up the car and road-tripping to Northern Wisconsin, settling into B’s tiny town, one without a single stoplight or grocery store. We don’t get cell service up there and it always feels like the perfect place to spend the holidays; away from social media, emails and the constant day-to-day.

This year though, we’ve decided to head south as a family of three. Trading a traditional Thanksgiving feast with days in the Mexican sun. Since we won’t be eating a usual Thanksgiving dinner, we hosted friends last weekend for the best kind of holiday- a friendsgiving.

And you better believe that this fresh green bean casserole was on the menu. To round out the feast, I recommend my vegan stuffing, the best mushroom gravy, slow cooker rosemary potatoes, and my vegan mini wellingtons. 

If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, and tag your Instagram photos with #delishknowledge . I absolutely love seeing your creations. Happy cooking! 

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