This Dairy-Free Green Bean Casserole is complex in flavor and has a classic green bean casserole taste. It's made with homemade fried onions, which will leave your guests caught up on the wow factor it brings.
These fried onions are even cooked in the air fryer and you would never guess by the looks, taste and texture!
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🔪Equipment
I use this food processor for the mushrooms! It's a great mini food processor, but I do have to process them in a couple different batches!
🍞Substitutions
Flour- If you want to make this a gluten and dairy-free green bean casserole, you can swap out the wheat flour for a gluten-free all-purpose flour.
Mushrooms- there isn't really another flavor you could swap the mushrooms for, so if you don't like them, you can make the green bean casserole without mushrooms.
Chicken broth- if you are vegan or vegetarian, you can swap out the chicken broth for vegetable broth.
Milk- you can also make this recipe with coconut milk (from the carton, not canned) or even oat milk, as long as it's unsweetened/unflavored and you enjoy the taste of it in your cooking.
📝Instructions
In a pot, bring the cashews and chicken broth to a boil, cover and turn down the heat to about medium heat for about 15 minutes.
Once the cashews are finished cooking, let them cool down just a bit before blending.
Preparing the Fried Onions
While the cashews are boiling, grab your onions, peel the skins off and slice off the end of it, not the root end. With a mandolin slicer, slice very thin strips of onion. If you don't have a mandolin, you can use a knife. Just make sure they are very thin rings. If they are too thick they won't be as crispy!
Mix together the almond milk and apple cider vinegar and let sit for a minute. Stir before throwing the onions in.
Mix together the whole wheat flour and spices.
Toss the onions in the milk mixture, then coat well with the flour. Instead of cooking all of the onions at once in the air fryer, I like to separate into three batches, just to make sure the onions get plenty crispy and not overcrowded in the fryer! Spray, or even drizzle, the onions with olive oil and mix it around until they are well coated and no onion pieces remain with dry flour. Air fry at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for about 8 minutes. If you place the second and third batch straight into a HOT air fryer, they may take a little less than 8 minutes. Just check on them that last minute so they don't get too crispy or burn.
Meanwhile, you can optionally slice your fresh green beans in half or leave them whole and then steam them.
The Creamy Mushroom Mixture
Next, process the mushrooms in a food processor until they are chopped into fine pieces. Toss them on a skillet with some oil and let cook for about 5 minutes, until soft and the water starts to come out of them. Cooking them allows the flavors to come out more and makes it take on a new texture. With a spatula, push the mushroom pieces tightly to one side of the pan, and squeeze out the water. Drain the water.
In a high speed blender, add the cashews, broth, spices and lemon juice and blend until smooth. Then toss in the cooked mushrooms and lightly process just to mix it together.
Place the green beans in the bottom of a casserole dish, pour over the creamy mushroom mixture and mix well with some kitchen tongs.
The mixture should be warm from the cashews and green beans, but if its not you can warm it up in the oven.
Add the warm, crispy onions on top and enjoy!
🧊Storing
Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
⏱Make ahead of time
You can prepare the creamy mushroom mixture and green beans in a casserole dish, cover and refrigerate the night before and then prepare the crispy onions the morning of. Warm up the casserole in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 25-30 minutes and then top with onions! I would wait to put the onions on the casserole until ready to serve just so that they stay crispy and don't get soggy!
Of course it will still taste delicious either way, but for best results you can add them last.
🍽Other dairy-free Thanksgiving side dishes
Dairy and Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pie
Creamy Dairy-Free Mashed Potatoe
Dairy-Free New York Cheesecake
If you try this Dairy-Free Green Bean Casserole, please leave a review and let me know if you enjoyed it! Also, snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @thedairyfreemenu
📖 Recipe
The Best Dairy-Free Green Bean Casserole
Ingredients
Creamy Mushroom Mixture
- 1 cup cashews unsalted
- 2 cups reduced sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 8 ounces mushrooms white or baby bella, processed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon coarse kosher salt or to taste, see notes**
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
- 24 ounces fresh green beans
Fried Onions
- 2 medium yellow onions thinly sliced
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt see notes**
- pinch of white pepper
- olive oil for coating the onions in the air fryer
Instructions
- In a pot, bring the cashews and chicken broth to a boil, cover and turn down the heat to about medium heat for about 15 minutes.
- Once the cashews are finished cooking, let them cool down just a bit before blending.
Preparing the Fried Onions
- While the cashews are boiling, grab your onions, peel the skins off and slice off the end of it, not the root end. With a mandolin slicer, slice very thin strips of onion. If you don't have a mandolin, you can use a knife. Just make sure they are very thin rings. If they are too thick they won't be nice and crispy!
- Mix together the almond milk and apple cider vinegar and let sit for a minute. Stir before throwing the onions in.
- Mix together the whole wheat flour and spices.
- Toss the onions in the milk mixture, then coat well with the flour. Instead of cooking all of the onions at once in the air fryer, I like to separate into three batches, just to make sure the onions get plenty crispy and not overcrowded in the fryer! Spray, or even drizzle, the onions with olive oil and mix it around until they are well coated and no onion pieces remain with dry flour. Air fry at 400 degrees for about 8 minutes. If you place the second and third batch straight into a HOT air fryer, they may take a little less than 8 minutes. Just check on them that last minute so they don't get too crispy or burn.
- Meanwhile, steam your green beans. If you prefer bite sized green beans, chop them in half before steaming.
The Creamy Mushroom Mixture
- Next, process the mushrooms in a food processor until they are chopped into fine pieces. Toss them on a skillet with some oil and let cook for about 5 minutes, until soft and the water starts to come out of them. Cooking them allows the flavors to come out more and makes it take on a new texture. With a spatula, push the mushroom pieces tightly to one side of the pan, and squeeze out the water. Drain the water.
- In a high speed blender, add the cashews, broth, spices and lemon juice and blend until smooth. Then toss in the cooked mushrooms and lightly process just to mix it together.
- Place the green beans in the bottom of a casserole dish, pour over the creamy mushroom mixture and mix well with some kitchen tongs.
- The mixture should be warm from the cashews and green beans, but if its not you can warm it up in the oven.
- Add the warm, crispy onions on top and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
**Note: Nutrition label is just an estimate. Amounts may vary.
Nutrition label does not include oil for spraying the onions.
210 calories per serving.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!