Gluten Free Green Bean Casserole {Whole30 + Vegan + Paleo}

This gluten free green bean casserole is a healthier take on a Thanksgiving classic! Made with fresh green beans, mushrooms, crispy fried shallots, and an ultra creamy sauce that you’d never guess is dairy free. Gluten free, Whole30, vegan, and paleo.

A quick note on this recipe! The original version of this post was published back in 2017. Since then I’ve re-tested the recipe, updated the photographs, and added some helpful tips. I’m republishing it for you today to enjoy! I hope you continue to make and love this healthy gluten free casserole. xo

The best healthy green bean casserole

Being from the midwest, green bean casserole was always a very big part of our Thanksgiving spread. Right up there with my grandma’s famous layered raspberry jello whipped cream dessert 😉 And while it’s true that what fills our plates on Thanksgiving has changed, there are some dishes that I will never say goodbye to.

And so, healthier versions are made! Top of that list? This gluten free green bean casserole. It’s insanely delicious, vegan friendly, and made entirely from scratch.

(The creamy sauce is a riff on this recipe for homemade cream of mushroom soup – another must try if you love mushrooms!)

Why you’ll love this green bean casserole

It is:

• Nostalgic
• True comfort food
• Satisfying
• Flavorful
• Dairy free
• Whole30 compatible
• Made without processed ingredients
• Perfect for Thanksgiving
• SO delicious!

Ingredients & substitutions

Green bean casserole can be a challenge to make gluten free / dairy free, but with the help of some of my favorite healthy ingredients you can get the same cozy vibe without the dairy or gluten!

Here’s what you need:

• Raw cashews – Raw cashews are what makes the creamy base of this casserole. They offer a silky smooth texture and an unbeatable richness.
• Fresh green beans – I love using fresh green beans for green bean casserole. I think it elevates the side dish to something really special! That said, you can substitute with an equal amount of thawed, frozen green beans. Just make sure you pat them dry before adding to the sauce so they don’t water it down.
• Avocado oil – Avocado oil is used for frying the shallots. It’s an excellent high heat stable fat with a neutral flavor.
• Shallots – Instead of crispy breaded onions, shallots are fried until crispy to top this casserole!
• Onion + garlic – Onion and garlic help create the flavorful base of the sauce.
• Mushrooms – Crimini or button mushrooms are my first picks, but you could substitute with another type of mushroom. And if you want to make this casserole without mushrooms, simply omit them from the recipe!
• Thyme – Fresh thyme is also added to the sauce for another layer of flavor.
• Dijon mustard – Just a bit of dijon mustard adds a welcome lift to the creamy sauce. Make sure your mustard is Whole30 compatible if you’re making a Whole30 version of this recipe!
• Broth – Any type of good tasting broth will work. To keep the recipe vegan make sure to choose a vegan broth like mushroom broth or veggie broth.
• Nutritional yeast – Nutritional yeast is commonly used in vegan recipes for its flavor-boosting superpowers. It has a savory, nutty, flavor profile that adds nice depth of flavor.
• Salt + pepper – The recipe calls for salt and pepper, but I encourage you to season again to your taste before transferring the green beans to the casserole dish.

Where I like to shop for pantry staples

You can find all of the pantry staples for this recipe on Thrive Market – a membership based natural products store that is like the Whole Foods of Costco but entirely based online and with the BEST wholesale prices.

I’ve been a Thrive Market member for 5 years and over that period of time have saved $4,283.42 on natural groceries! That is some serious savings.

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How to make this gluten free green bean casserole

Like all proper green bean casseroles, this one starts with a super creamy homemade sauce situation. Once ready, you will fold the sauce into some blanched green beans and top with everyone’s favorite part of the dish – the crispy shallots!

Here’s the step-by-step

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Soak cashews. In a small heat proof bowl, cover cashews with just boiled water and set aside.
• Blanch green beans. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and prepare a bowl of ice water. Cook until tender but still crisp. Drain and immediately transfer to ice water to stop them from cooking more. Once cool, drain again and set aside.
• Cook shallots. In a large skillet, heat avocado oil over medium heat. When oil is shimmering, add the thinly sliced shallots and cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown and crispy. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a paper towel lined plate, leaving the oil in the pan. Season generously with salt.
• Saute onions. Add diced onion to the same skillet. Sauté until soft and translucent – about 3 minutes.
• Add mushrooms and cook until tender and caramelized. Add garlic, thyme sprigs, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper, and sauté for another minute or so.
• Pour in 1 cup of broth and scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Reduce heat to low and simmer until broth has reduced slightly.
• Make cashew cream. Drain cashews and add to the blender with 1/2 cup hot water. Blend on high until smooth and creamy.
• Finish the sauce. Add cashew cream to the sauce along with the additional broth and nutritional yeast. Bring back to a simmer and cook, stirring frequently to keep from sticking until thickened slightly.
• Add green beans to the pan and toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Transfer green bean mixture to a 9X13 baking dish. Move to the oven and bake until hot and bubbling – do not cover while baking! Take out and top with the fried shallots and bake for another 5 minutes to crisp them up.
• Serve and enjoy!

Can you make this green bean casserole ahead of time?

To make this casserole in advance, I suggest preparing the green beans, sauce, and shallots, and keeping them all separate until you’re ready to warm and serve.

Here’s how I would make it the night before:

1. Blanch the green beans. Pat them dry and store in a tupperware in the refrigerator.
2. Make the sauce. Allow it to cool and store in a tupperware in the refrigerator.
3. Make the crispy shallots. Allow them to cool and transfer to an airtight container and store at room temperature.
4. When ready to serve, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Toss the green beans with the sauce and season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a baking dish and continue with the recipe from step 11 on. You might have to bake it a little bit longer than the recipe calls for because your ingredients are cold when starting – I would suggest 25 minutes.

How long does green bean casserole keep in the refrigerator?

If you have leftovers they will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, but are best enjoyed within a day or two.

Can you freeze green bean casserole?

I do not recommend freezing green bean casserole. Because the recipe involves green beans are already cooked twice, a creamy sauce that could separate, and the crispy onions, it’s best enjoyed fresh.

Yummy additions

If you want to spice up this homemade casserole even more here’s a few ideas.

• Whole30 / paleo – Add some cooked and crumbled bacon to the top of the casserole with the crispy shallots.
• Vegan – Add some chopped up walnuts or pecans with the crispy shallots.
• Whole30 / paleo / vegan – Add some hot sauce or a pinch of cayenne to the creamy sauce for some heat!

If you enjoyed this recipe we’d love it if you take 5 seconds to rate and review it below. It’s also super helpful to me and other readers if you share any changes you made to the recipe. Thank you for sharing your kitchen with NK 🙏🏼 We are so grateful you’re here!

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