Green Bean and Mushroom Casserole

There's nothing like a dish of thick, creamy, and rich sauce hugging crunchy, tender-crisp green beans. You’ll never believe this rich, creamy green bean casserole is dairy-free, gluten-free, and paleo-friendly! Perfect for any Thanksgiving dinner! A mishmash of non-dairy milks simmers together with tender, golden brown sautéed onions and meaty mushrooms to create a velvety-smooth, uber-thick creamy base that gets slathered on fresh green beans and topped with deep-fried onion rings. You're welcome.

GREEN BEAN AND MUSHROOM CASSEROLE [VEGAN, GLUTEN-FREE, PALEO]

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE CASSEROLE:

• 1 1/2 tablespoons avocado oil
• 2 cups mushrooms, sliced
• 1 cup onion, diced
• 1 cup, plus 1 tablespoon unsweetened almond milk, divided
• 1 cup, plus 1 tablespoon full-fat coconut milk, divided
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons tapioca starch
• 1 pound green beans, trimmed

FOR THE ONIONS:

• 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1/2 a large onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup avocado oil, for frying
• 2 tablespoons tapioca starch
• 2 tablespoons coconut flour
• A pinch of salt and pepper

PREPARATION

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F.
2. Fill a medium bowl with the 1/2 cup of almond milk (from the fried onions) and add in the thinly sliced onion (making sure to separate all the rings) so they can sit while you make the casserole.
3. In a large, high-sided frying pan heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.
4. Add in the mushrooms and onions and cook until lightly golden brown, about 3-4 minutes.
5. While the mushrooms and onions cook, fill a large pot with water, adding a pinch of salt, and bring to a boil.
6. Once boiling, add in the trimmed green beans and cook until fork-tender, about 7-8 minutes. Drain and transfer to a paper towel. Try to lightly press out as much of the water as you can. Set aside
7. Once the mushrooms and onions are cooked, add in 1 cup of the almond milk and 1 cup of the coconut milk (reserving the rest for later) along with the salt and pepper and stir until well combined.
8. Bring the mixture to a boil. While you’re waiting for it boil, whisk together the 2 tablespoons of tapioca starch and the remaining 1 tablespoon of each milk in a small bowl until smooth.
9. Once boiling, stir in the tapioca/milk mixture, whisking constantly so that it doesn’t cook and get chunky. Boil the milk mixture for 4 minutes, stirring constantly so that it doesn’t burn.
10. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, stirring very frequently, until the mixture is really thick and reduced by half, about 10-11 minutes.
11. Once the sauce is thick, add the green beans in and stir until evenly coated.
12. Pour the mixture into an 8×8-inch baking dish and bake until the sides are bubbly and the sauce has further thickened, about 25 minutes.
13. While the casserole cooks, it’s time to make the onions.
14. Heat the avocado oil in a medium saucepan or high-side skillet over medium-high, then reduce to medium. The oil should sizzle when you add the onion, but you don’t want it too hot that it just burns the onion.
15. Place the tapioca starch, coconut flour and salt and pepper into a sealable plastic bag and shake around until well mixed.
16. Drain the excess almond milk out of the onions and add them into the bag and gently shake around to evenly coat each ring.
17. Drop a few rings into the hot oil, making sure not to crowd them, and cook until lightly golden brown and crispy, flipping as necessary.
18. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and gently blot off the excess oil. Repeat until all the rings are done.
19. Once the casserole has cooked, scatter the fried onions on top, lightly pressing them into the casserole. Bake for 5 minutes more.

http://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-recipe/green-bean-and-mushroom-casserole/