Green bean casserole is a classic on most Thanksgiving tables now. If you are gluten and dairy free you have had to pass on this dish when the holidays roll around. Not this year! Enjoy this BEST gluten and dairy free green bean casserole.

Try a simple from scratch Thanksgiving dinner this year!
Thanksgiving is a time most of us feast, feast, feast. Last year my family and I stayed home due to the pandemic, so I got the chance to make my very first Thanksgiving dinner!
I had scenes of the TV show Friends playing along in my head. Especially the scene where Monica melts down after burning her first Thanksgiving dinner. I was sure that was going to be me.
However, I found the key to a semi-stress free thanksgiving. Make simple dishes, and only make a few of them.
Last year I made green bean casserole from scratch. It was delicious! However, it had all the gluten and dairy I wasn’t supposed to have.
So this year, I was determined to create a homemade recipe for green bean casserole that was gluten and diary free. And I did it!
This recipe is so tasty. My husband said “it tastes just like the original.” Goal met!

Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you will need:
- 1 lb fresh green beans
- 1 onion
- 1/4 cup and 4 tbsp gluten free flour
- 4 tsp arrowroot powder (divided into 2 tsp each)
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup avocado oil
- 1-8 oz. package of chopped mushrooms
- 4 tbsp butter
- 1 cup of broth
- 1.25 cup water
- 1/4 cup cooking sherry wine
- 1 cup of canned coconut milk (full fat)

Making the crispy onions
This is a essential part of the green bean casserole and what makes this dish so delicious!
- After peeling the onion, cut into thin slices.
- Heat 1/2 cup avocado oil in a cast iron skillet (or a heavy duty skillet)
- In a bowl mix together 1.4 cup gluten free flour, garlic powder, salt, and 2 tsp of arrowroot powder.
- Coat the thinly sliced onions in with the flour by adding a few onions at a time to the bowl with the flour mixture.
- After all the onions are coated and the oil is heated place a handful of onions in the hot oil, and let it fry for about 3-4 minutes until crispy. Take them out with a tongs and place them in a separate bowl. Repeat this until all the onions are fried.

Next
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Next bring a pot of water to a boil and add the pound of fresh green beans. Boil for 5 minutes. Then drain and set aside.
The Cream of Mushroom Soup
- While the beans are boiling and resting, heat up in a seperate skillet the 4 tbsp butter.
- Then add in the package of chopped mushrooms. Saute until soft.
- When they are small and soft, add in 4 tbsp gluten free flour, and 2 tsp of arrowroot powder. Stir with the sauteed mushrooms to make a roux. Let cook for about 1-2 minutes.
- Add in 1 cup of broth to deglaze the pan. Stir.
- Add in 1 cup of water and 1 cup of coconut milk. Stir and allow the sauce to thicken.
- Add in 1/4 cup cooking sherry. Stir.
- Add in a sprinkle of garlic powder and salt.
- Cook until it is all well incorporated and is simmering for a few minutes.
Bringing it all together.
Now that you have all your key pieces made,
- Take a beautiful casserole dish and place the green beans in as the first layer.
- Then pour over the cream of mushroom soup.
- Top with crispy onions.
- Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.
- Done!

Dairy free cooking tips
If you are new to cooking with dairy and gluten free ingredients, there are some things you should know.
There are few things that can replace the creaminess of dairy. Canned coconut milk is a good second. That’s why its in the recipe! However, there is a little extra seasoning you need to do, otherwise the coconut flavor comes though.
This isn’t a bad thing when you are cooking asian dishes, but in a recipe where you just want the creaminess of the coconut and nothing else, extra seasoning is your friend.
I have found using a good chicken broth along with canned coconut milk almost always takes the flavor away, leaving a delicious creaminess you are used too. Making your own homemade bone broth is my favorite way to get good flavor.
Gluten free cooking tips
For gluten free cooking, it will be important to use a thickening agent in the cream of mushroom sauce and in the onion flour mixture. Gluten is a protein in regular flour that helps thicken sauces, and make the breading we like so much. When that protein is gone you need a thickening agent.
That is what the arrowroot powder is for. You can also use cornstarch if you don’t have a problem tolerating corn products.
As you are cooking your green bean casserole, if the cream of mushroom soup isn’t thickening well, add a little more. Or if you have added too much, add a little more water.
Print off this recipe card to have on hand this Thanksgiving season!
The Best Gluten and Dairy Free Green Bean Casserole
Equipment
- Two cast iron skillets (or 2 heavy duty skillets)
- Casserole dish
- Sauce pan
- Cutting boards
- knives
- Tongs
- Measuring spoons and cups
Ingredients
- 1 lb fresh green beans
- 1 onion
- 1/4 cup and 4 tbsp gluten free flour divided
- 4 tsp arrowroot powder divided into 2 tsp each
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup avocado oil
- 1-8 oz. package of chopped mushrooms
- 4 tbsp butter
- 1 cup of broth
- 1.25 cup water
- 1/4 cup cooking sherry wine
- 1 cup of canned coconut milk full fat
Instructions
- After peeling the onion, cut into thin slices.
- Heat 1/2 cup avocado oil in a cast iron skillet (or a heavy duty skillet).
- In a bowl mix together 1.4 cup gluten free flour, garlic powder, salt, and 2 tsp of arrowroot powder.
- Coat the thinly sliced onions in with the flour by adding a few onions at a time to the bowl with the flour mixture.
- After all the onions are coated and the oil is heated place a handful of onions in the hot oil, and let it fry for about 3-4 minutes until crispy. Take them out with a tongs and place them in a separate bowl.
- Repeat this until all the onions are fried.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Next bring a pot of water to a boil and add the pound of fresh green beans. Boil for 5 minutes. Then drain and set aside.
- While the beans are boiling and resting, heat up in a seperate skillet the 4 tbsp butter.
- Then add in the package of chopped mushrooms. Saute until soft.
- When they are small and soft, add in 4 tbsp gluten free flour, and 2 tsp of arrowroot powder.
- Stir with the sauted mushrooms to make a roux. let cook for about 1-2 minutes.
- Add in 1 cup of broth to deglaze the pan. Stir.
- Add in 1 cup of water and 1 cup of coconut milk. Stir and allow the sauce to thicken.
- Add in 1/4 cup cooking sherry. Stir.
- Add in a sprinkle of garlic powder and salt.
- Cook until it is all well incorporated and is simmering for a few minutes.
- Take beautiful casserole dish and place the green beans in as the first layer.
- Then pour over the cream of mushroom soup.
- Then top with crispy onions.
- Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.
- Done!
What type of mushrooms do you use? And do you use a dairy butter alternative? Excited to give this a try!
I used baby bella mushrooms but have also heard portabella are amazing! You can use ghee for the butter alternative. Ghee would probably work better verses a cooking oil when it comes to making the roux.