Vegan Green Bean Casserole for Chasten

So a good friend Chasten is a long time vegan and said that he is having a hard time making a good vegan green bean casserole.  It is that time of year but this one is really easy, just have to have the right ingredients, and for those you do have some options.

Ingredients:

Green Beans: You have to make the decision on what you and your family like the best.  You can use frozen (which is my favorite choice because they have great texture, you can get organic ones out of season, and they are CHEAP), but some people definitely prefer the canned variety, and if you are lucky to have someone that canned their own, that is AWESOME.  And of course, you can always use fresh, but remember to clip the ends and pull of the "thread"  along the pod.  What ever kind you choose the first step is to cook them to al dente.  With some sliced onions and garlic.  Just enough to add some flavor.  When I do this and since I normally use frozen I let the green beans partially thaw while I saute thinly sliced white onion and 3 cloves of garlic over low heat and a tablespoon of vegan butter.

Now you have the green beans cooked to aldente (or still with a slight bite) you need to prepare the sauce.  This is actually way easier than you think.  You just need to find a vegan portabello soup.  My favorite is one made by imagine.  It says it is a "creamy" soup but no cream at all :-)    Ok that part is premade, now you just need to add some texture and thickness and it will be just like that gross campbells stuff out of a can.  In order to do that you will need about a 12 ounce package of whatever kind of mushrooms you like.  I recommend criminis just because they are baby portabellos and have a ton of flavor, but the button mushrooms are cheaper and just as great.  So cut each mushroom in half and then thinly slice and saute in another tablespoon of butter.  Make sure that you have a big enough pan that you can give the mushrooms plenty of room and still add the soup.  After the mushrooms start browning slightly add 2 tablespoons of flour and stir in.  You need to cook the flour into the mushrooms so the flour doesn't taste raw.  Now pour in your soup and it should thicken as it comes to a boil.  If the texture is not thick enough for you add a table spoon of corn starch to a 1/4 a cup of almond milk and stir in and it will thicken even more. At this point I also add a good heaping table spoon of black pepper, a pinch of smoked paprika, a good spoon full of garlic powder, a bit of nutritional yeast, and a squirt around the pan of braggs amino acids. (But as I warned you I put those things in everything so you can season to taste at this point.)  This part of the dish should be OVER seasoned because you are adding it to the green beans which don't have much seasoning at this point.  So if it is too salty that is a good thing! :-)

Ok now you have your green beans, and your mushroom soup.  The only thing left is your french fried onions which...happen to be VEGAN!    Although if you would like you can make your own, by thinly slicing one onion and making a batter with flour, almond milk, garlic powder, and salt.  Then you first let them soak in almond milk and then dip them in the batter before adding them to a pan of vegetable oil at 375 degrees.  But I am telling you, if you really want to full your friends just use the canned stuff this time.

Now just assemble and bake.  Mix the green beans and soup mixture together and place in a 9 by 13 baking dish.  Top with your onions and pour over just a couple teaspoons of melted butter mixed with olive oil to get it to crisp up. Now pop it in a 375 degree oven for about 25 minutes or until it is bubbly and the fried onions are browned.  Take out and Enjoy!  Happy Tofurkey Day!