Vegan Green Bean Casserole

What is Magic Cauliflower Cream? Cauliflower Cream is our favorite lightened-up (and meal prep friendly!) substitution for thick, dairy-based sauces. Basically, just simmer 1 pound of chopped cauliflower with 1 ½ cups vegetable stock and a pinch of salt for 20-30 minutes until cauliflower is ultra-soft, then blend well to make a smooth "cream".

Prepping ingredients for this recipe: Cut the mushrooms and green beans in this recipe down to whatever size you like! If you love mushrooms, leave them sliced. If you have guests who don't love mushrooms, chop half or all of the mushrooms into smaller pieces. If your pan is big enough, leave the trimmed green beans whole to save prep time! If you're using a smaller pan or want bite-sized pieces, cut the beans into 2- or 3-inch pieces.

Additions and Substitutions. This recipe is very forgiving - feel free to doctor it up! Dial up the heat with a dash of cayenne pepper, paprika, or red pepper flakes. This recipe leaves a light layer of sauce across the green beans - add an extra cup of cauliflower cream or even double the sauce ingredients if you like more sauce! If you aren't vegan, feel free to use chicken stock in place of veggie stock or to add a bit of cream, butter, or cream cheese to the sauce.

Which green beans to use for green bean casserole: Use any green beans you like here! We love our green beans to be crisp and fresh, which is why they have a relatively short cook time in this recipe. If you like your green beans more well-done, simmer the green beans when you first add them to the sauce for 15-20 minutes or until they're just shy of your preferred texture (they'll finish cooking in the oven!) You could also blanch your green beans before adding them to the sauce if you prefer. Canned green beans will also work just fine here - we recommend using 3 (14.5 oz) cans of green beans if you go this route.

French-Fried Onions. We tested this recipe with French's Fried Onions and generic Supermarket Fried Onions (both were vegan - but as always, double-check the ingredients at your store if you stick to a strict vegan diet!) If you'd prefer to stay away from pre-made French Fried Onions, try a quick homemade version like this one in place of store-bought.

To make this green bean casserole in advance, follow steps 1-7 in the instructions above, then let green beans cool completely before covering with an airtight lid and storing in the fridge for up to 3 days. When you're ready to bake, remove casserole from the fridge, top with fried onions, and bake as directed. You will likely need to add at least 5-10 minutes of bake time to the recipe if you're baking straight from the fridge to ensure the casserole is heated through - just keep an eye on it as it cooks and add more time as necessary! Please note: If you choose to bake straight from the refrigerator, make sure you're using a metal or cast-iron skillet. Cold glass or ceramic dishes can break when placed in a hot oven.

Equipment. We love using a deep, oven-safe sauté pan for this recipe so we can go from stovetop to oven with just one pot. You could also use a Dutch Oven or a large cast iron skillet. If you don't have an oven-safe skillet or sauté pan available, prepare the sauce and green beans on the stovetop as directed and transfer to a casserole dish or a sheet pan for baking. As always, please check the care instructions on your equipment.