Today I’m so excited to share a delicious vegan green bean recipe with you that makes for a delicious side dish at any holiday table (yup, so good I used delicious twice in one sentence). You could also serve it year round and I’m sure your family would love it. I’ll show you how to transform fresh green beans and a handful of simple ingredients into a delicious option that’s not another vegan green bean casserole.
In addition to being a vegan recipe (egg and dairy free), this green beans recipe is also gluten free, top 9 free, and top 14 free, making it super inclusive. Let’s get to work.
Related: If you need gluten-free holiday recipes, menus, and ideas that are also dairy-free, top 9 free, and more, these articles should be helpful.
- Dairy Free Thanksgiving Recipes
- 40 Gluten-Free Holiday Recipes (could be used for Thanksgiving or Christmas)
- 100 Gluten Free, Dairy Free Sides
- 25 Gluten Free, Vegan Christmas Cookie Recipes
 |
 |
 |
 |
Allergy Status (Does Not Include Cheese of Choice)
Free From: Wheat/Gluten, Dairy, Egg, Soy, Tree Nuts, Peanut, Fish, Shellfish, Sesame, Top 9 Allergens, Top 14 Allergens, Alliums, Apple, Avocado, Banana, Berries, Buckwheat, Cane/Refined Sugar, Carrot, Celery, Cinnamon, Coconut, Cruciferous, Garlic, Lupin, Mushroom, Mustard, Nightshade, Oat, Onion, Pea & Pea Protein, Potato (Nightshade Variety), Poultry, Red Meat, Rice, Stone Fruits, Strawberry, Sweet Potato & Yam, Tapioca/Cassava/Yuca/Manioc, Tomato, Yeast
Friendly To: EOE, GAPs, Vegan
GAPs: Be sure to use a safe and legal cheese. If you’re dairy free and GAPs, this won’t be the best recipe for you.
Vegan Green Beans Recipe Video
If you’re a video fan, you can watch these tasty green beans come together, and hopefully this easy vegan side dish will be on your plate during the holidays.
Vegan Green Bean Recipe Ingredients
Part 1 Ingredients
- 450g Organic Green Beans, trimmed
Part 2 Ingredients
- 40g Organic Sunflower Seeds, chopped
- 40g Organic Pumpkin Seeds, chopped
- 2 TBSP Oil of Choice for Cooking
- 1/2 tsp Sea Salt
- 110g Dairy Free Shredded Parmesan OR Shredded Cheese of Choice (see notes for brand options)
Optional Ingredients
- Organic Lemon Juice to Taste
- Organic Black Pepper to Taste
Important Green Bean Recipe Notes
Green Beans: I use fresh green beans for this recipe. If needed, you can use frozen green beans or frozen haircot verts (extra fine green beans, these are the ones that I buy and my kids love them)
Seeds: You’ll want to chop your seeds into small pieces. You can also blitz them in a food processor or a small blending container. A bullet style blender would work well. If you have a Vitamix, this small blending cup is great. I have two of the older style and love them.
Oil: I use organic extra virgin olive oil. You can other cooking oils you enjoy. I don’t know if coconut oil is a great choice for this recipe since the flavour can be pretty forward, but if you love it, give it a try. I also don’t work with it much since I have a child with a coconut allergy and couldn’t tell you how much is too much.
Salt: This recipe only calls for a little bit of salt because it’s made with vegan Parmesan cheese, which is naturally very salty. If you use a cheese that has a lower salt content, you can use a little more salt to taste. For extra flavour, use smoked salt.
Vegan Parmesan: This article lists out different options for vegan Parmesan, as well as the ingredients in case you have food allergies. My go-to option is the 112g/4 ounce tub from Follow Your Heart. I’ve heard good things about Vio Life from others, but I have a kid allergic to coconut, and another allergic to milk, so it limits my testing options.
Vegan Green Bean Recipe Directions
- Prep Time: 5 Minutes
- Total Cook Time: 15 Minutes (plus the time it takes your water to boil, my induction stove is FAST but most take a minute or 5)
First, fill a large pot with water and get it on the stove. Heat on high and bring to a boil. Whilst the water heats, you’ll want to wash and trim green beans. Once you have the right amount of green beans and the water is boiling, gently add them to the boiling water. I use a frying spider to ease them into the water to prevent splashing.
Boil until your green beans reach your desired level of doneness. For my kids, it’s 10 minutes. Whilst the green beans boil, chop your seeds.
When the green beans are done, remove them from the water (a great way to do this is to use a colander). Heat a large pan on medium heat, then add your cooking oil.
Add the seeds and cook for 2 – 3 minutes to lightly brown. Finally, add your cooked green beans, salt, and cheese. If you’ll be using the optional ingredients, add those as well.
Mix everything together very well, and when the cheese has melted, your green beans are ready to enjoy. Overall, the cooking process is pretty easy, and the total cook time is about 15 minutes.
For serving, I like to put the green beans in a pretty baking dish like this one. You can expect 4 – 6 servings of green beans when using this as a side dish.
Tips for Maintaining a Bright Green Color
If you want to maintain a bright green color, you’ll want to boil fresh green beans for a short amount of time. Bright green vegetables can go from a bright green to a dull olive-brownish green when you boil them for too long.
Additionally, when you cook green vegetables, a small amount of acid is released. Those acids also contribute to the reduction of vibrant colors. Don’t add baking soda to the cooking vegetables to neutralize the acid. Doing that can make the vegetables mushy, and they can start to taste soapy.
Also, cooking green vegetables with a lid on isn’t advised, as the acids get captured in the condensation, and come back down on to the green veg.
How to Store & Reheat Leftover Green Beans
If you have any leftovers, store then in an airtight container in your fridge for up to a week. Do not freeze leftovers.
To reheat, place a small pan on your stove on low heat. Add the leftovers along with a Tablespoon of oil. Mix to coat the green beans in the oil, and stir as needed. Gently cook on low until they’re hot again and ready to enjoy.
How to Switch Up Your Green Bean Recipe
There are a lot of easy ways you can change up a simple recipe like this one (one of the perks if you ask me). So, the next time you make this recipe, consider making one of these changes:
Skip the optional lemon juice and add a few drops of liquid smoke instead. If you’re familiar with the smoky flavor ham hock adds to recipes, this will give you a similar vibe. This is the smoke brand I’ve used for over a decade.
Skip the optional lemon juice, as well as the Parmesan. Instead, add a little soy sauce or coconut aminos along with crumbled tofu for a delicious texture.
Before serving, top your green beans with vegan crispy onions (I’ve used this brand before, and also want to try this brand next time, or make my own)
Add fresh garlic and organic red pepper flakes when you add the seeds to the pan. Mix everything together and follow the rest of the instructions as-is.
If you don’t have a tree nut allergy, swap some or all of the sunflower seeds for chopped almonds, walnuts, pine nuts, or a combination of tree nuts. You’ll still have a great crunch, but a different flavor and vibe.
Add a homemade cashew cream dressing on top of this awesome plant-based side dish. Not a lot though, and it should be a simple-leaning sauce.
Make a green bean pasta salad!
You can boil and drain a pasta of choice. After you drain it, return it to the cooking pot. When your green beans are done, slide all of the contents from your skillet on top of the pasta that’s waiting. You’ll want to add a little milk of choice to make sure it’s saucy enough, and maybe a little more Parmesan as well. You could also add fresh quartered cherry tomatoes for a more Mediterranean vibe.
Convert this into a creamy rice or quinoa dish!
OK, you can use cooked rice, lentils, quinoa, buckwheat, sorghum, or cooked millet as the base. Mind you, these are all gluten free grains since I have a kiddo allergic to wheat and I’m also allergic to wheat.
Cook your grain/base of choice, then get started on your green beans. Once the green beans are cooked and the cheese is mixed in and it’s just about ready to be served, don’t.
Wait for your grain. Once that’s cooked, transfer everything to a large pot together (assuming you cooked the grain in a small appropriately sized pot). Add some milk of choice and a bit of dairy free butter. Stir to create a creamy texture, then taste. Add more cheese, spices, black pepper, etc. as needed.
When it tastes good to you, serve up an awesome bowl of your creamy green beans + grain dish. If you happen to have some herbs hanging out in your fridge (or maybe your garden), roughly chop and use as a garnish (parsley, tarragon, and basil would be my top three choices, and in that order).
Take it in an Indian direction
If you’re a fan of Indian food, skip the Parmesan. When you add the green beans to the skillet, also add canned full-fat coconut milk. Sprinkle curry powder all over along with a bit of turmeric and a dash of black pepper. You could even add fresh chopped garlic cloves which add so much flavor.
Get everything well mixed and allow it to simmer for 10 minutes. The end result is like a quick green bean curry with some crunch. Whilst this won’t scream “holidays” is will shout “I’m so freaking tasty, come have a bite”
More Delicious Vegan Recipes
Here are more awesome gluten free, dairy free, egg free, vegan recipes. Each one is also very allergy friendly.
- Dairy Free & Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup Recipe (top 9 free)
- Nutrient Dense No-Bake Cookies Recipe (such a delicious healthy vegan recipe)
- Black Bean Pasta Recipe (such a great recipe that shows how versatile vegan foods are)
- Vegan Mashed Sweet Potato Recipe (another tasty side dish for your holiday table)
- White Gravy Recipe (this is almost like a creamy sauce and pairs well with a wide range of foods)
- Delicious Gluten Free + Vegan Pumpkin Bread Recipe (top 9 free)
- Gluten Free Gingerbread Cookie Recipe (top 14 free)
- Chewy Oatmeal Cookie Recipe (top 9 free)
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Answering Your Questions About This Vegan Green Bean Recipe
Can I cook this recipe in a cast iron skillet?
Yes, you absolutely can. I’ll add this: if you plan to serve these vegan green beans at a holiday gathering, make sure your guests don’t have food allergies. If so, read this article on cast iron and the potential for cross-contact.
If you’ve used your cast iron skillet for ingredients someone else can’t have, you’ll need to use a different pan.
Could I bake these green beans in the oven instead?
If you were to pop these into a casserole dish for baking, they would cook through, but the end results won’t be the same. To go this route, place all of the ingredients into a glass baking dish and toss together.
Cover with foil and roast at 400f/205c until the green beans have reached your desired consistency. Your cheese may be more sauce-like due to the cooking time and temperature, so keep that in mind. Technically, you can add the cheese half way thru the cooking process if you’d like it to be a bit more firm.
Can I use frozen string beans instead of fresh green beans?
Yes, you can. You’l want to use two 8 oz bags (225g each) or a 16 oz bag (450g) if you can find it. Cook the green beans according to the package directions until the you reach the desired consistency. Then, move on to the pan cooking portion of the directions.
Will my green beans taste better if I boil them in a veg broth?
You might get a little more flavour into the green beans if you boil them in a veg broth, however, I’d suggest adding a little salt to the water instead. It’s an easier way to go, and will generally have the same outcome.
Don’t add a lot of salt to the water like you’re cooking pasta. Personally, I wouldn’t go over 1/2 teaspoon.
What type of vegan main course would this recipe taste good with?
Honestly, it’s going to come down to personal taste. A lot of people like to think of dinners as a protein + carb/starch + veg. If I were putting together a vegan dinner, here are a few main dish options I’d consider:
- Mushrooms stuffed with seared + seasoned jackfruit
- Veggie Burger
- Big Mountain Foods soy free tofu seared in maple syrup and ginger with red bell pepper and Bragg’s liquid aminos for an Asian flare.
Can I use vegan butter in place of the cooking oil?
Yes, you can absolutely ue dairy free butter (aka vegan butter) in this recipe. Allow it to fully melt first, then add your vegetables to the pan.
Will this recipe work with other veggies?
Conceptually, yes, you could use other veggies in place of the tender green beans in this recipe, however, you need to make sure you manage your expectations because you’re making something completely different at that point.
Veggies to Try:
- Asparagus (be sure to trim a good amount of the ends off so it eats well)
- Broccolini
- Quartered button mushrooms
- Peas (shelled if fresh, but I’d get the freezer bag and just use that for ease)
- Zucchini/courgette, large/somewhat thick quarters (if the zucchini is too thin, they’ll burn, but too thick and it won’t be pleasant to eat)
Veggies That Might Work:
Since this isn’t tested, I can only go on my working knowledge of ingredients in general, yanno?
- Beets (you have to LOVE them, and I’d steam instead of boil for better results)
- Broccoli (I’d only use florets, and the cook time will probably be shorter, or you’ll end up with mush)
- Butternut Squash (really watch the boil time and aim for al dente with some bite, but if it works, it would be EPIC)
- Carrots (they would need a much longer cook time before you sauté in the pan and add cheese to make sure they’re tender)
- Cauliflower (I’d only use florets, and the cook time will probably be shorter, or you’ll end up with mush)
- Chickpeas aka Garbanzo Beans (the boil time will be longer to get them to soften more)
Veggies to Avoid:
- Eggplant/Aubergine
- Leeks
- Onions
- Potatoes
- Sweet Potatoes
- Tomatoes
For some of these veggies, I think you could make *something* kind of like this recipe, but the boiling step won’t be applicable. You’d need to maybe oven roast or braise in a large skillet, then add the chopped seeds and parmesan.
Additionally, for some of these vegetables, you’d want to tweak the seasoning so you have the best outcome.
Can I use this on top of salads rather than as a side dish?
Whilst I love all things side dishes, I’m a sucker for using something in a way it wasn’t designed for. Having said that, yes, you can add this to your salad, but with a tweak.
In the picture, you can see that I’ve only trimmed the ends of the green beans and they’re still rather long. In your case, you need to cut the green beans down considerably so they’re small bite sized pieces and will read as “salad topping” not “converted side dish”.
