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Vegan Scalloped Potatoes – Soft, tender potatoes smothered in a thick, creamy garlic sauce with crispy-edged potatoes on the top are the best! This easy recipe is perfect for sophisticated holiday and casual everyday dining!
The holidays are almost here and who doesn’t love a side of ultra creamy, garlicky, sensationally delicious scalloped potatoes made from scratch!
And a vegan scalloped potatoes recipe to boot, with no dairy and gluten free, they’re just wonderfully easy, healthy and addicting!
I’ve made these over and over the last few weeks, loving every bite, testing and tweaking the final recipe that I know you’re going to love.
And if potatoes are totally your thing, like they’ve been mine lately, you may want to try these:
- creamy Vegan Mashed Potatoes made in an Instant Pot or stovetop.
- crazy-delicious Crispy Smashed Potatoes.
- super Easy Oven-Roasted Red Potatoes.
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What Is The Best Potato For Scalloped Potatoes?
Starchy is best when making scalloped potatoes from scratch. such as Russets or Yukon Golds. During the cooking process, the starch content helps the cashew cream to thicken up, creating a wonderful creamy sauce.
- Russet potatoes– have the most starch and will make the creamiest sauce.
- Yukon Golds– hold their shape a little better through baking, and sauce will be slightly more milky.
How To Make Vegan Scalloped Potatoes Cheese Sauce?
Making vegan cheese sauce for scalloped potatoes is super easy and only takes about 10 minutes. All you have to do is blend raw cashews with almond milk and vegetable broth to make the creamy sauce. It’s similar to a béchamel style white sauce filled with garlic flavors and cheesy nutritional yeast, then poured over and layered in between your sliced potatoes. It’s pure creamy perfection for this vegan scalloped potato side dish.
How To Make Vegan Scalloped Potatoes
- Make the creamy cheese sauce. As mentioned above, start with the cream sauce, blending the cashews, garlic, lemon juice, salt, pepper, nutmeg and non-dairy milk for about 1 minute. Sauce may seem liquidy, but it will thicken as it cooks and rests.
- Prep the potatoes. Either peel the potatoes or leave the skin on. Leaving the skin on does add more nutrition. If leaving the skin on be sure to scrub the potatoes well. Cut the potatoes about 1/8 inch-thick, as uniformly as you can for the best results and even cooking. I used this mandolin (affiliate link) and it was a breeze, if you don’t have a mandolin just do the best you can using a kitchen knife.
- Layer the potatoes and pour sauce overtop. To assemble your vegan scalloped potatoes, lightly grease a 9 x 13 baking dish with oil or vegan butter/margarine. Make 3 rows of potatoes layered at an angle, pour sauce overtop. Alternatively, layer half the potatoes into the bottom of the baking dish, pour half the cream sauce overtop, and repeat.
- Bake covered, then uncovered until potatoes are fork tender. Once assembled, sprinkle with thyme and any optional vegan cheeses, and place, covered, in preheated oven set to 375 degrees for 40 minutes, remove cover and bake another 30 minutes. Cover again if the top browns too quickly.
And there you have it, a creamy and delicious whole food plant based scalloped potatoes made simple and easy!
Top Tips
- Add vegan cheese.Add a handful of your favorite packaged vegan cheeses sprinkled over the scalloped potatoes before baking. It will add a wonderful texture and cheesy top!
- Add sliced onion.For even more flavor, add sliced onion in between the potatoes as you layer.
- Keep the sauce neutral.Use your favorite non-dairy milk. I know some may not care for almond milk, and you may taste it. Use cashew, oat, or soy milk for the most neutral flavor. Vegetable broth or water works great too and will yield a creamy sauce with the mostly neutral flavor. Alternately, use half milk and half vegetable broth for flavorful sauce.
- Make it your own.As with all recipes, feel free to change things up to suit your taste.
Can Scalloped Potatoes Be Made Ahead?
Absolutely! Just prepare this vegan scalloped potatoes recipe in advance as directed, and let them cool completely to room temperature. Then simply cover tightly and refrigerate for up to 2 – 3 days. When ready to reheat, bake, covered with foil, at 350 degrees F. for 30 minutes, or until heated through. FYI – I recommend only making ahead for casual dining, as it may not be quite as pretty reheated!
How To Store Leftovers
Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 – 5 days in a covered container.
Can You Freeze Scalloped Potatoes?
Yes, they freeze beautifully for up to 2 – 3 months if stored properly. To freeze, let the potatoes cool completely and store them in small portions or large portions using freezer friendly containers or bags. Make sure to squeeze out any excess air before sealing. Use a marker to date the baggies or add dated stickers to containers.
Serving Suggestions
Need a little inspiration for a complete vegan meal? Here are a few of my favorite main dishes and sides that pair well with scalloped potatoes.
- Main dish: Try pairing your vegan scalloped potatoes with this Lentil Loaf or Lentil Walnut Loaf from the recipe collection, or how about with one of these Field Roast Roasts & Loaves, seriously delicious!
- Veggie side: Another side dish that would pair well with scalloped potatoes are these Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Roasted Brussels Sprouts + Butternut Squash, or Green Beans Almondine.
More Easy Potato Recipes
Potatoes are one of my favorite comfort foods. When you’re craving this wonderous tuber, here’s a few different ways to enjoy them!
- Herbed Potato, Asparagus + Chickpea Sheet Pan Dinner
- Vegan Potato Salad
- Fresh Herb Potato Salad
If you try this scalloped potato recipe or have a question, please let me know!Leave a comment and rate it below. I love to hear what you think, or any changes you make.
Vegan Scalloped Potatoes
Vegan Scalloped Potatoes feature soft, tender potatoes smothered in a creamy cashew garlic sauce with crispy edged potatoes on the top, and are perfect for casual holiday and everyday dining!
- Author: Julie | The Simple Veganista
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 70
- Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
- Yield: Serves 8 – 10 1x
- Category: Side
- Method: bake
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
Units Scale
- 3 pounds potatoes, sliced 1/8 inch thick
- 1 cup raw cashews*
- 2 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk or vegetable broth (or combo)
- 1/4 – 1/3 cup nutritional yeast, optional
- 2 – 3 garlic cloves or 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder***
- 1 teaspoon mineral salt
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- juice of 1/2 lemon or 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg, optional
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, to garnish
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Potatoes: If leaving the skins on, scrub the potatoes, and remove any unsightly blemishes. Alternately, peel the potatoes. Slice the potatoes into 1/8 inch slices using a mandolin, or manually with a knife. If manually slicing, do try to cut evenly as possible so potatoes will cook uniformly.
Cream Sauce: Add the cashews, milk and/or veg broth, nutritional yeast, garlic, onion powder, salt, pepper and lemon juice/vinegar to a high speed blender and blend until creamy, about 45 seconds to 1 minute. Taste for flavor, adding more of anything you like. Makes about 3 cups.
Assemble: In a 9 x 13 baking dish, pour a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of the dish, layer 1/2 of the potatoes, top with 1/2 cream sauce, and repeat. Top with a sprinkle of thyme, and any additional vegan cheese. Alternatively, after adding sauce to the bottom of the dish, make three rows of potatoes, layering them at an angle, pour sauce evenly overtop.
Bake: Place in oven, cover with lid, foil or silpat(see notes), and bake for 40 minutes. Remove cover and bake another 30 minutes, potatoes should be fork tender. Once done, sprinkle with a little more thyme, and let cool 5 – 10 minutes before serving.
Serve topped with optional chopped chives, parsley, or more fresh thyme and/or freshly ground pepper.
Store leftovers in an air container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in oven at 350, covered with foil, for 20 – 30 minutes, until warmed through.
Notes
*You can opt to soak your cashews, as is recommended if you are sensitive or want better nutrient intake. Both of the following methods will help break the cashews down. Be sure to drain and rinse before using.
Soak cashews in 1 of 2 ways:
- Cover with cold water and soak for 2 – 3 hours.
- Soak in hot water for 5 – 15 minutes.
**Use your favorite non-dairy milk. I know some may not care for almond milk, and you will taste it. Water works just as well and will yield a creamy sauce with the most neutral flavor. Alternately, do half milk and half water. You may even opt to use 1 cup vegetable broth, just know that your sauce may be a little darker.
***You may opt to use 1/2 of a fresh sliced onion with the potatoes in place of the onion powder used in the cream sauce. Simply thinly slice the onion, or finely dice, and sprinkle in, towards the middle and bottom, when layering the potatoes.
As of yet, I don’t use any packaged vegan cheeses, but I would suggest if you do, feel free to add a handful sprinkled overtop the scalloped potatoes before baking. It will a wonderful texture and cheesy top!
To make ahead:Prepare this scalloped potatoes recipe in advance as directed, and let them cool completely to room temperature. Then simply cover tightly and refrigerate for up to 2 – 3 days. When ready, bake covered, with foil, at 350 degrees F. for 30 minutes, or until heated through. Keep in mind, it may not be as pretty reheated.
For the silpat as a baking dish cover, they are stiff enough to use as a cover in the oven without them bowing in the center while baking, as long as your food is below the baking dish line, it works well and is handy if you don’t have foil or a lid.
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