Can i use water instead of milk in green bean casserole

The holidays are approaching! This creamy, dairy free green bean casserole has only 7 ingredients and will have you feeling like you’re missing out on nothing at your holiday celebrations. And nobody else will even notice it’s a cleaned up version of this classic side dish.

And if you love this idea for your holiday table, make sure to check out our loaded mashed cauliflower and garlicky sautéed mushrooms and asparagus. A couple of our favorite holiday sides!

Creamy, dairy free green bean casserole with crumbled bacon bits and crushed up plantain chips on top.

Ingredients for dairy free green bean casserole

This recipe calls for only minimal, real food ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need.

• Bacon
• Mushrooms
• Fresh or frozen green beans
• Garlic, sea salt + pepper
• Arrowroot flour
• Full fat coconut milk – the canned stuff with minimal ingredients
• Plantain chips

Want more?! Check out all of our gluten free side dishes!

Homemade dairy free and gluten free cream of mushroom

This recipe basically has you make dairy free cream of mushroom with coconut milk, garlic and mushrooms. Arrowroot flour thickens it up beautifully and keeps the recipe gluten free.

Can I use water instead of milk in this green bean casserole

We don’t recommend subbing the coconut milk for water in this recipe. It just wouldn’t turn out.

And you don’t even have to worry about the coconut flavor if that’s your hesitation. The garlic masks it really well. We often hear from readers that they couldn’t even taste coconut.

If for some reason you really can’t do coconut milk, you could try another nut milk. It won’t be quite as creamy but should work.

Bacon green bean casserole

Well, it just wouldn’t be total comfort food without bacon, so we added it in to this dairy free version. It gives this green bean casserole the perfect salty, savory flavor that will have everyone coming back for more!

Other holiday side dish ideas

• LOADED MASHED CAULIFLOWER
• GARLICKY SAUTÉED MUSHROOMS AND ASPARAGUS
• PERFECT AIR FRYER BAKED POTATOES
• THANKSGIVING YAMS
• MASHED SWEET POTATO BACON CUPS

Looking for more?! Find all of our healthy side dishes to complete your holiday menu!

Your turn to try our dairy free and gluten free green bean casserole

Complete your holiday table with this healthy side dish that will have everyone feeling like this remake is better than the classic. Leave a comment and rating below to let us know how it goes. And take a pic to share on Instagram. Tag us @realsimplegood so we can check it out! We’d love to see your holiday spread!

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Get the Recipe:

Creamy Dairy Free Green Bean Casserole

Prep: 20 mins

Cook: 30 mins

Total: 50 mins

Servings: 6

This creamy, dairy free green bean casserole has only 7 ingredients and will have you feeling like you're missing out on nothing at your holiday celebrations. And nobody else will even notice it's a cleaned up version of this classic side dish.

• 6 pieces bacon, chopped
• 2 cups mushrooms, thinly sliced and chopped
• 1.5 lbs fresh or frozen green beans, trimmed
• 2 tbsp garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup arrowroot flour
• 2 cups full fat coconut milk
• Sea salt and pepper, to taste
• Plantain chips, crunched up as a topping

• Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit.

• In an oven safe skillet, cook chopped bacon until it just starts to crisp. Remove and place on a paper towel lined plate. Set aside. Reserve bacon grease in pan.

• While the bacon is cooking, prep mushrooms and garlic as noted. Trim green beans if using fresh.

• Add arrowroot flour and coconut milk to a jar or bowl and whisk. Set aside.

• Heat the same pan you cooked the bacon in over medium heat. Once hot, add mushrooms and cook until they begin to soften, about 2 minutes. Add in minced garlic and mix well with the mushrooms, about 1-2 minutes, until fragrant.

• Whisk up the coconut milk mixture again and add to pan, stirring constantly for 2 minutes. The sauce will bubble and thicken, keep stirring to prevent burning. After 2 minutes turn heat off and stir in salt and pepper. 

• Add green beans to skillet and mix to combine with the sauce. Sprinkle bacon on top.

• Transfer to the oven and bake for about 25 minutes, until green beans are tender. Remove, topped with crushed up plantain chips and serve.