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The best vegan green bean casserole is made with fresh green beans, homemade vegan cream of mushroom soup, savory browned onions, and a crispy Panko topping. Even non-vegans love this healthier holiday side! Plus, it includes make-ahead instructions!
Why everyone loves this recipe
My beloved vegan green bean casserole was perfected over 10 years ago with my mom in the test kitchen It's become such as staple for both vegans and non-vegans at Thanksgiving and holiday dinners! The creamy homemade mushroom soup, an essential component, is so rich and delicious that it makes this casserole truly creamy, comforting, and share-worthy. Plus, with make-ahead instructions, you can prepare it in advance and bake whenever you're ready.
Don’t worry—you can still serve this plant-based Thanksgiving side alongside all the classic holiday dishes. It complements any holiday turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, and cranberry sauce, and it never EVER disappoints.
Vegan green bean casserole ingredients
- Olive oil: Olive oil adds a wonderful depth of flavor to sautéed onions, but feel free to use your preferred oil for a more personalized taste.
- Onions: Large yellow, white, or sweet onions work great for this recipe. You can sauté them gently until they’re lightly browned, or cook them longer until they’re deeply caramelized for a richer flavor.
- Garlic: Fresh chopped garlic is recommended, but garlic powder works as a substitute if needed.
- Green beans: I recommend fresh beans for the best texture—cook them to your liking without watering down the casserole.
- Vegan cream of mushroom soup: My easy homemade version is rich, creamy, and made with any plant-based milk. It’s the magic of this recipe—non-vegans love it too!
- Panko bread crumbs: I originally created this recipe with the panko-almond topping shown in the photos. For a more traditional topping, you can use French fried onions.
- Sliced almonds: These add a nice crunch to the Panko topping.
How to make vegan green bean casserole
Get the full instructions in the recipe card below.
First, sauté the onions to your liking. I prefer to caramelize mine to a deep brown color, which requires cooking on low heat for a longer time with occasional stirring—but it’s totally worth the effort!
Next, make my unbelievably vegan cream of mushroom soup recipe while the onions are caramelizing. Trust me, you want this soup in this casserole. The recipe is linked in the card below and can be made up to 2 days ahead and can be added to the casserole warm or cold.
Now it's time to steam the green beans until slightly tender. You can use your stove to steam or boil them, but I like to make hands-free pressure cooker green beans with a silicone colander. After either method, transfer the beans to ice water to cool, which helps retain that beautiful green color. Drain and set aside.
To assemble the casserole, spray the baking dish, layer the onions, followed by the green beans, and spread the mushroom soup on top. Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days. We'll add the topping just before baking.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Make the topping by mixing Panko breadcrumbs, olive oil, and almonds in a bowl, then sprinkle over the casserole and cover with foil.
If baking from room temperature, bake for about 30 minutes until heated and bubbling. If baking from a refrigerated make-ahead casserole, let the casserole rest at room temperature for 30 minutes, then bake it for 40-45 minutes. Uncover and broil on LOW for a few minutes to brown the topping, watching closely to avoid burning. Let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Recipe tips
- Use fresh green beans for the best texture. If using frozen, make sure to thaw and drain them well to avoid excess water in your casserole.
- Don’t overcook the green beans before assembling the casserole. They’ll continue cooking in the oven, and you want them to stay tender, not mushy.
- Make the vegan cream of mushroom soup ahead for easier prep and assembly.
- Taste the soup before using it in the casserole. Adjust seasoning with a pinch of salt or pepper if needed, so the flavor is just right.
- Use a spoon to check the casserole as it bakes—if it’s not bubbling around the edges, it may need a little more time.
Make ahead tips
- Prepare the casserole in advance: Assemble the casserole (without the topping) and refrigerate it for up to 2 days. Add the topping right before baking.
- For even easier make-ahead prep, cook the green beans and make the soup up to 3 days ahead. Store them separately in airtight containers in the fridge until ready to assemble.
More vegan holiday recipes
- Cranberry Orange Sauce
- Garlicky Baked Mushrooms
- Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad
- Fresh Cranberry Relish with Pomegranate
📖 Recipe
The Best Vegan Green Bean Casserole
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Video
When scaling the recipe 2x or 3x, the gray ingredient note stays the same. Adjust quantities accordingly.
Ingredients
This recipe yields 6 (1-cup) servings.
- 1 pound Fresh Green Beans, about 4 cups, trimmed and halved
- 2 tablespoons Olive Oil, or preferred oil
- ½ medium Onion, thinly sliced
- 2 cloves Garlic, minced
- 3 cups (Homemade) Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup, make-ahead recommended
Crispy Panko Topping
- ½ cup Panko Bread Crumbs
- 1 tablespoon Sliced Almonds
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
Instructions
- Prep the green beans: Cook the FRESH GREEN BEANS using your preferred method (steam, boil, or pressure cook) until tender. Once cooked, rinse them with cold water and drain well. Set aside.
- Sauté onions and garlic: Heat 2 tablespoons OLIVE OIL in a skillet over medium heat. Add ONION and GARLIC and sauté until tender (about 5-7 minutes).Pro tip: For extra flavor, sauté the onion on low heat for 20 minutes until golden brown, stirring occasionally.
- Assemble the casserole: Layer the cooked ONION mixture in the bottom of a casserole dish. Top with the cooked GREEN BEANS and spread VEGAN CREAM OF MUSHROOM SOUP evenly over the top.Note: If using my homemade mushroom soup, do not add liquid to it. I promise it will become saucy as it bakes.
- Add the topping: In a small bowl, combine PANKO BREAD CRUMBS, SLICED ALMONDS, and 1 tablespoon OLIVE OIL. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the casserole.
- Bake: Preheat oven to 375°F.If baking from room temperature: Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes until the sauce is bubbling and the top is golden brown.If baking from the refrigerator (make-ahead): Let the casserole rest at room temperature for 30 minutes, then bake for 40-45 minutes.
- Rest and serve: Let the casserole rest for 5 minutes before serving.
- Make-ahead tip: Assemble the casserole (without the topping), cover, and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Add the topping before baking.
- Storage: Cool completely and refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Recipe Notes
Equipment
- 12 inch skillet
- cooking spray
- casserole dish 10 x 7 or 8 x 8
JB says
We make this every year and I can’t wait to have it again next week!! I’m not even vegan and I love this green bean casserole 🙌🏼
Mamie says
Can you double the recipe and make it in a 9 x 13 pan?
Would you also need to use double the amount of soup?
Traci says
Yes!! Thanks for asking. Doubling the recipe will require a 9 x 13 pan. Yes, you will need to double the vegan mushroom soup. Let me know if you have any more questions and enjoy the recipe. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!
R Thomas says
I forget how good this recipe is until I make it again and am blown away. So creamy and comforting. Bravo KG!
JB says
Wowwww! I'm not at all vegan but your vegan green bean casserole is shockingly delicious! I'm amazed that a dairy free version is as good as any GBC I've ever had. Your vegan cream of mushroom soup is a MUST for this recipe. Love the crispy topping too. I'm all in KG!
The Kitchen Girl says
How did I miss this thoughtful review?! Thank you and I'm glad you love this one as much as I do 🙂
Em says
This green bean casserole is DELICIOUS. I am not vegan, but I often eat vegan foods. This is so much better than any other gb casserole I’ve tried or made before. This is the 2nd year I’ll make it for Thanksgiving, my family is demanding it, and the 1 vegan is appreciative. Anyone who makes this REALLY must make the vegan cream of mushroom from scratch from the suggested recipe; it’s also delicious on its own. This recipe doubles well.
The Kitchen Girl says
Wow! This is such a lovely review and I truly appreciate you taking the time to be so detailed. This is one of my oldest recipes on the blog and, like you, I'm not vegan but I LOVE this recipe lol AND the mushroom soup. Thank you and here's to the best holiday of the year!
M.V. says
Delicious. Second year making this recipe. I omit the sherry (only because I don't have it), and add apple cider vinegar, dry dill, and a bit of agave to give the soup a more sour cream taste.
The Kitchen Girl says
So glad to hear it, M.V. 🙂 Yeah, sherry's not required and I love the ACV substitute! Great idea 🙂 Thanks so much for the feedback...much appreciated
Stef says
So freaking goooood! I make the vegan cream of mushroom soup and caramelized onions a day or two ahead. On Tgiving, I steam the green beans, assemble and bake. Couldn't be easier! I do add a splash of liquid to the cold mushroom soup to help coat the beans easier. Best vegan green bean casserole recipe around!
TD says
WOW WOW!!! Who knew a vegan green bean casserole could be so undetectably vegan. It's SO rich and creamy, it literally fools people when they eat it. This one's a keeper for Thanksgiving dinner!
The Kitchen Girl says
So glad to hear it! Yep, this dish makes you CEO of secretly vegan deliciousness LOL.
Ryan says
All I can say is I don’t know much about making vegan food but I made this for Friendsgiving and friends were asking me for the recipe....haha! Well I had to give up my secret and point them to you. I know you're not vegan, but you sure know how to create vegan recipes that anyone can enjoy. Thanks for making me a potluck hero with this green bean casserole!
The Kitchen Girl says
You're so welcome, Ryan Potluck hero...I love it! This vegan green bean casserole really is a good one to sneak past a group dinner because by time you get around to telling them it's dairy-free, they're already hooked LOL. Thanks for the kind words 🙂
@roicotestkitchens says
Girl! This is so tasty! It’s rich, it’s easy, and best of all my toddler loved it! Thanks for the vegan recipe - we are always in search of something new!
The Kitchen Girl says
What a compliment and you are SO welcome! I'm glad you (AND your little!) loved this and I'm so happy to inspire
Jeff says
Wow! You really can't tell this is vegan. The mushroom soup makes it so creamy and delicious and those onions are a must. Just superb!
The Kitchen Girl says
Yay!! So glad to hear it, Jeff! I'm with you about the mushroom soup AND the caramelized onions. They make it divine!
Jess says
Amazing!!! Was the favorite side at my vegan Thanksgiving, so much better than the standard canned soup version
Traci Antonovich says
Jess, awesome!!! I'm honored that you put my dish on your holiday table ☺️ Thanks so much for letting me know...glad you enjoyed!
Bnewberry says
Quick question. Can this be made ahead and frozen? If so, advice on best way would be appreciated. Wanted to get some Thanksgiving pre-cooking done.
Traci Antonovich says
Hiya! I would not freeze this dish because I think the texture would be disappointing. I suggest making each component up to a few days ahead and store them separately. Then assemble the dish the day before you're going to bake-and-serve. Did you watch the video for this? Check it out...and let me know if you have more questions 🙂