Green Beans with Vegan Bacon

Your new favorite Thanksgiving side dish: vegan green beans with tofu bacon, mushrooms and caramelized onions! A much needed upgrade on traditional green bean casserole with way more flavor and texture. Can be easily made gluten free and nut free, too.

Not sure about you, but I've never been a huge fan of classic American green bean casserole.

Just the look of it alone...*shudder*.

That being said, I can totally get on board with the combination of green beans, mushrooms and onions, so we set out to combine those flavors in a slightly more contemporary way.

These vegan green beans are SO good tossed with sweet, umami caramelized onions, crispy, salty tofu "bacon" and meaty mushrooms. Each time we tested this recipe, it was absolutely devoured by our family members!

The recipe can easily be gluten free (swap soy sauce with tamari) and nut free (swap slivered almonds with pumpkin or sesame seeds). The tofu bacon and caramelized onions can also be made ahead of time for quick assembly.

Serve it a this year's Thanksgiving feast alongside other classics made vegan like cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, stuffing and shaved brussels sprout salad!

Ingredients

There are a few components to this recipe. First, the vegan tofu "bacon", which is marinated and sautéed until crispy with the mushrooms, which soak up all of that delicious smoky flavor.

Next are the caramelized onions, which cook on their own in a separate pan until melty, sweet and soft. Lastly, the green beans, which are first blanched and then sautéed until crispy.

Here's what you'll need for all of the components:

Green beans

• Green beans: be sure to trim the tough stem. If using French green beans, the cook time may be slightly shorter as they are smaller and more delicate than regular green beans.
• Yellow onion
• Soy sauce: or tamari if gluten free. We used low sodium.
• Mushrooms: we used cremini, but you can also use shiitake or button.
• Seasoning: olive oil, salt, pepper, fresh parsley

Tofu Bacon

• Extra firm tofu: be sure to follow instructions on pressing to remove as much moisture as possible. This allows the tofu to soak up the flavor of the marinade and get crispy.
• Soy sauce: or tamari if gluten free. We used low sodium.
• Maple syrup
• Neutral high heat oil: like sunflower, grapeseed or vegetable oil.
• Liquid smoke: an essential ingredient. It adds a smoky flavor and is often found near bbq sauce in the grocery store.
• Apple cider vinegar
• Seasoning: onion powder and black pepper

P.S. you can also make these into tofu bacon strips for sandwiches, brunch & more!

Instructions

Prep tofu

Remove tofu from packaging and drain well. Slice into thirds (lengthwise), then wrap slabs in a clean tea towel or paper towel and set something heavy on top, like a cast iron pan.

Let press for 30 minutes to remove as much moisture as possible. This will allow the tofu to get crispy. If there's too much water, it won't crisp up or soak up the marinade.

Once tofu is pressed, dice finely into ¼" cubes. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together all other ingredients for tofu bacon. Toss tofu in marinade and let sit for 10 minutes. 

Make caramelized onions

Meanwhile, heat a large skillet to medium and add sliced onions along with ½ tablespoon of olive oil and ½ tablespoon of soy sauce/tamari. Sauté for about 25 minutes, stirring often, until onions soft and caramelized.

If the onions start to burn, deglaze the pan with a small amount of liquid (white wine, broth, water, etc) and scrape up the browned bits.

Make tofu bacon + mushrooms

Heat a separate pan oven medium and add tofu bacon bits + all of the marinade. Add mushrooms and sauté until tofu bacon bits are crispy and mushrooms have cooked down and soaked up the marinade. Remove from heat and set aside.

Make green beans

Bring 8-10 cups of salted water to a boil. (We generally add 1 teaspoon of salt for every 4 cups of water.) Fill a bowl with ice water and set aside. Add green beans to simmering water and blanch for 3 minutes. After 3 minutes, immediately transfer to the ice water and let sit for 2 minutes, then drain. 

Heat a large sauté pan and add remaining oil, green beans, 1 tablespoon soy sauce/tamari, salt, pepper and parsley. Sauté, tossing frequently, until the green beans are slightly browned and crispy (about 10 minutes).  

Assembly

Assemble the dish by tossing together green beans and caramelized onions. Top with tofu bacon and mushroom mixture and slivered almonds. Enjoy warm!

More vegan Thanksgiving side dish recipes:

• Crispy Maple Mustard Brussels Sprouts
• Vegan Scalloped Potatoes
• Vegan Broccoli Casserole
• Hasselback Butternut Squash with Maple Herb Glaze
• Waldorf Salad
• Best Vegan Mashed Potatoes

If you make these vegan green beans with tofu bacon and mushrooms, we’d love for you to leave a comment and rating below! We also love to see your creations on Instagram – tag us at @crowded_kitchen so we can see what you’ve been cooking.

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