Like many families in America, the traditional green bean casserole was a staple at my family’s holiday dinner table as I grew up. You know the one — it uses a can of cream of mushroom soup and a container of french fried onions. It’s a classic dish, and it’s clearly as popular as ever, evidenced by grocery store displays October through December featuring the food products used to make this dish. But when you have a dairy issue or gluten intolerance, eating this holiday classic will make you sick. I got tired of passing up this favorite side dish (and I know many others with food allergies are in the same boat), so I created a remake with this Dairy-Free Gluten-Free Classic Green Bean Casserole (it’s also vegan).
Make the Holiday Special with This Green Bean Casserole
Whether you’re hosting or bringing a dish, you can make somebody’s holiday extra special by making this casserole! It’s also egg-free and possibly soy-free (one ingredient’s packaging doesn’t list soy as an ingredient, but it says it “may contain soy”). Always investigate — I have a friend who, like me, will get miserable but won’t need hospitalized if she ingests a little of the food she’s allergic to, yet I know others who have life-threatening food allergies. 🙁
Parents and grandparents who have hosted holiday dinners for years and are unfamiliar with food allergies may suddenly have to contend with new family members (in-laws or grandchildren, for example) who have a dairy allergy, lactose intolerance, gluten intolerance, egg allergy, etc. (or some or all of the above and more). I developed my dairy allergy as an adult, so even my own mom still forgets sometimes. What to do? My suggestion is to openly communicate. Whether you’re the host facing others’ food allergies you don’t normally have to navigate around, the one with the allergy, the parent of a child with a food allergy or the significant other bringing someone home for dinner, speak up. The worst option is silence and being in a position where the host had no idea and feels bad … and the guest can’t eat anything except the turkey. Almost been there, almost did that.
Even having ONE side dish or dessert is appreciated! It’s so much easier for me to host Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner than to go to someone’s house. I either have to speak up and be a pain (in my mind), bring a side dish and/or dessert (if I live close enough) or make something while I’m there (if I can pack the ingredients or have the time/means to go find them at a local store). Talk to each other. If you’re the host, ask questions. If you’re the guest with a food allergy, speak up. That’s sometimes easier said that done for some of us. The very first time I met my former mother-in-law was at Thanksgiving … across the country … at her house. Luckily, my ex (then boyfriend) had mentioned my dairy allergy to her. I was so touched after I arrived to realize that she had gone in search of a dairy-free “butter” for me earlier in the week, reading all kinds of labels. Not only was that sweet and thoughtful, but it made a huge difference for me! I can pull out potatoes, corn and/or sweet potatoes in the kitchen, before any milk or real butter gets added to them, and “doctor them up” with a dairy-free butter substitute. Extra points for her that she found Earth Balance, which is healthier than a traditional margarine … but I would have eaten any dairy-free substitute she would have found me that day!!
Making the Green Bean Casserole Dairy-Free
The main dairy-filled ingredients that need replaced in the classic green bean casserole are the can of soup and the milk. My dairy-free gluten-free classic green bean casserole recipe substitutes these two with one: Imagine brand Creamy Portobello Mushroom Soup. It’s dairy-free, gluten-free, soy-free, vegan, kosher, non-GMO … and it’s delicious! I’ve searched and searched and there’s nothing else like it. The trick can be finding it if you don’t live near a larger city. I can find it at most Kroger stores, some Albertsons, any Whole Foods, Sprouts or Central Market. Luckily, they have a store locator on their website, and you can do a search by product. You can also buy it in a 12-pack online via various sources (just google the name of the soup above).
Making the Green Bean Casserole Gluten-Free
Those french fried onions in a canister or bag are so darn convenient. Unfortunately, they’re filled with gluten. Read the labels – some have other allergens as well. The WalMart brand french fried onions, for example, have no milk or soy products listed, BUT the package notes that it may contain traces of milk or soy.
To make this recipe gluten-free, I made my own pan-fried onion strings. Yes, it takes some extra time. BUT WOW! I think I will ALWAYS make my own from now on, because they are amazing! Luckily, I made a large batch the first time (not knowing exactly how many I would need), and I ate half of them. So save the onion string recipe for any day, any time you’re craving onion rings or strings or need a gluten-free dish that will WOW!
I was surprised to find that Bisquick makes a gluten-free, dairy-free/vegan mix, and I use that for the pan-fried onion strings OR the Simple Truth Kroger brand gluten-free all-purpose baking mix (which is also soy-free). It’s a little pricier (and smaller), of course, than their normal mix, but you don’t need a whole lot of it for this recipe. In fact, I use the rest of the box to make pancakes (using almond milk instead of regular milk) when my daughter comes home from college for a visit.
Dairy-Free and Other Allergen-Free Holiday Recipes
If green bean casserole isn’t a favorite or you’re looking for more, check out some other holiday recipes free of various allergens:
- Dairy-free, soy-free, gluten-free, vegan creamy mashed potatoes
- Dairy-free, soy-free pumpkin pie
- Dairy-free pie crust (can also be made soy-free)
- Dairy-free lemon pecan pie
- Dairy-free, soy-free, egg-free, vegan cherry lime cookies (aka cherry pie cookies)
- Dairy-free, egg-free, soy-free, gluten-free, vegan lemon almond wine cookies (a great, easy dessert for someone with a lot of allergies … or none)
- Dairy-free, gluten-free, soy-free, vegan swiss chard and butternut squash gratin (the colors scream Christmas side dish)!
- Dairy-free, soy-free cornbread
- Dairy-free, soy-free, egg-free french bread
Dairy-Free Gluten-Free Classic Green Bean Casserole – Try It!
Save it/pin it! If you have any questions (or you make it), let me know!
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people
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- 1 1/2 cup Imagine Creamy Portobello Mushroom Soup
- 1 1/2 tsp corn starch
- 3 cans green beans
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1 large onion
- 1 1/4 cups almond milk (unsweetened, not vanilla)
- 1/2 cup gluten-free Bisquick mix (or Simple Truth gluten-free all purpose baking mix, which is also soy-free)
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- canola oil to generously coat pan
Ingredients
Green Been Caserole
Fried Onion Topping
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- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
- Cut 1 onion in half and then thinly slice; soak onions in almond milk while you mix the green been casserole ingredients
- Mix all the green been casserole ingredients (but not the french onion topping ingredients); put in oven and bake 30 minutes
- While that bakes, mix the Bisquick, salt and pepper - divide into 2 large baggies
- Coat a large skillet with a generous amount of canola oil and heat
- Drain the soaking onions
- Put half of the onions in one baggy and shake; then put the onions into the heated, oiled skillet and pan fry 4-6 minutes until crisp (watch and turn then so they don't burn); pull them out and put on plate with paper towels.
- Repeat with the other half of the onions (add a little more canola oil to the skillet if necessary)
- After the casserole has baked 30 minutes, add the onions and continue baking for 5 minutes. Serve and enjoy! 🙂
Click here to get more tips and recipes to help navigate food allergies/issues during the holidays!
© Kitchen Gone Rogue. www.kitchengonerogue.com
My sister is gluten free and would love this recipe!
The gluten-free french fried onions are amazing! Enjoy and thank you!
The recipe looks and sounds amazing!
Thank you! Enjoy and have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
This was AMAZING! my husband and I recently found out that we have to stay away from gluten, dairy and eggs due to the Epstein Barr virus. So difficult to do especially during the holidays! I stumbled upon this recipe and tried it out befor bringing it for Thanksgiving.
We were soo excited to find that we actually like your recipe BETTER than the original! Yes, it takes longer do to making the fried onions but it is so worth it! Thank you!!!!
Jeannine – thank you so much for taking the time to comment and let me know that you and your husband love this recipe! This is why I started and continue my blog. 🙂 You just made my day! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!!
What size baking dish do you recommend for this recipe?
I use a 9×13 sized dish (that’s what’s in the photos), but I have also used an oval one that is a little smaller.
My 3 1/2 year old grand daughter is gluten, dairy and soy intolerant.
Please tell me this recipe is soy free also….
Hi there – great question! Yes, it’s soy-free if you use a gluten-free baking mix for the homemade fried onions that is soy-free. The Bisquick gluten-free baking mix mentioned in the recipe says it “may contain soy.” I also have used the Simple Truth Organic Gluten-Free All Purpose Baking Mix from Kroger instead, and it is soy-free. I hope that is helpful. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope she is able to eat it (and enjoys it)!
Hello- is this something I can make the day before a heat up the day of? I would imagine the onions might get soggy? Thanks!
Hi Ashely – yes, you can … but yes, the onions can get soggy. I have done it before though – I make the onion topping, store them separate … mix all the other ingredients and put them in the casserole dish, ready to go … then cook the day of following the rest of the instructions (adding some extra time to baking the green bean mixture before adding the onions to the top, since it’s starting out cold). If you try this, I’d love to hear how it turns out! Happy Thanksgiving!
Hi! It says “3 cans of green beans” do you have a size you recommend? 8 oz, 16 oz, etc?
Hi Allison – I buy the 14.5 oz cans (anything close to that will work)!
We decided to try this recipe on Thanksgiving . We enjoyed it so much- that we are making it again for Christmas dinner . Thank You!
Virginia – thank you so much for letting me know this! I make it for both holidays here too — my daughter might revolt if I didn’t! LOL! I really appreciate you taking the time to let me know. 🙂 You just made my day! Have a wonderful Christmas! – Kelly
This was great for Thanksgiving! My husband’s side of the family has 24 people at their gathering; one branch has celiac disease (must be gluten free), one branch is dairy free, and the rest of us are used to gluten-filled, dairy-filled food that tastes good. THIS CASSEROLE SATISFIED EVERYONE. I was sort of worried when I first started because the soup looks a little unappetizing on its own. I made it just as the recipe called for, except I took a shortcut and used the organic French-fried onions (which are also gluten and dairy free) from Aldi that you can find around the holidays. My sister-in-law even said she liked this recipe better than the one that uses cambell’s soups because it tastes less artificial. Well done!
Amazing! Better than original. My daughter has a gluten and dairy intolerance and misses out on the old staples, she loved it! We all did. This is the new staple. Thank you!