Homemade vegan scalloped potatoes from scratch, made with cashews, nutritional yeast and a few other spices. Easy, creamy comfort food ready in less than 1 hour, NO Dairy, meatless, oil-free + gluten-free!
I’ve made these creamy, cheesy, vegan scalloped potatoes a few times this week. Each time we ate them before I got a chance to take a decent photo, so here they are finally ready for you to try as well.
A casserole i would normally make during the holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas, but if there was a time when the world needed comfort food is right now, today and tomorrow and next week.
the Vegan Cream Sauce:
It’s made with a handful of cashews, water and spices in my Vitamix or any powerful blender you happen to have. Simple ingredients like onion and garlic powders, nutritional yeast and a pinch of smoked paprika make this sauce insanely delicious and finger licking good. Really, taste it as soon as you blend it, this stuff is legit!
Which Potatoes to Use:
I prefer Yukon gold or red potatoes scrubbed and rinsed well so i don’t need to peel them. In a pinch you could go for Russets but you must peel them first as their skins are very tough. Also their texture doesn’t hold together as nicely as the rest which is why I find them more suitable for mashing or making french fries.
How to make vegan scalloped potatoes:
- Preheat your oven to 375”F.
- Start with yukon gold or red potatoes scrubbed and rinsed well so you don’t need to peel them.
- Use a mandolin slicer and slice the potatoes into 1/8 inch thick slices. It’s important that they aren’t too thin and you should be able to do this with a sharp knife if you don’t have a mandolin. Season with a pinch of sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
- Transfer the potato slices to an 8×10 inch lightly oiled baking dish. (use a seasoned cast iron dish or line with parchment paper to stay Plantricious WFPB compliant).
- Use a powerful blender like a Vitamix and blend the sauce ingredients until smooth and creamy.
- Pour the creamy sauce over the potatoes. At this point you can layer the top with some vegan pepper jack or smoked gouda cheese slices like I did here on one side. We love the Follow Your Heart cheese, it melts amazingly and the flavor is on point. (omit the cheese to stay oil-free or use a Plantricious compliant cheese).
- Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes. Turn the heat up to 400”F and continue baking another 15 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender to your liking. Garnish with fresh dill, thyme or chives and extra red chili flakes.
Scalloped Potatoes Variations:
- Leeks: I’m a leek lover so I love caramelizing one large leek in a drop of olive oil and a pinch of sea salt then adding it in the middle of the potatoes. You add half of the potato slices to the pan, spread the caramelized leeks on top then layer the remaining potatoes. Pour the cream sauce all over and bake according to the instructions.
- Spinach: Make them “Florentine style” by adding about half pound of sautéed spinach in the center. Just make sure to drain it well in a colander and remove as much of the liquid as possible before adding to the casserole.
- Mushrooms: Sautéed wild mushrooms and onions with thyme and a splash of white wine make a fab filling as well. Remember these to die for wild mushroom potatoes ?!
- Plant-based cheese: Top with a few slices of your favorite vegan cheese or shreds for an extra gooey and cheesy top layer.
What to serve with:
Beyond Meat Italian Sausages
FAQ:
- Can I make these potatoes ahead of time ? I would suggest baking this dish before you are ready to serve. You could slice them in advance and keep in a bowl in the refrigerator covered with water until ready to cook.
- Can I make this totally oil-free ? Absolutely, the sauce is naturally oil-free but you can also choose not to oil the baking dish and line with parchment paper instead + omit using the plant-based cheese slices on top.
- What is the difference between scalloped potatoes and au gratin potatoes ? They are both delicious casseroles, the scalloped one being cooked in a cream sauce while the au-gratin is a more indulgent option with cheese being added in between the layers of potatoes.
P.S. If you make this recipe please come back here to rate it in the comment section below, snap a photo and tag me with #VeggieSociety on Instagram. ~ Florentina Xo’s
Best Vegan Scalloped Potatoes
Homemade vegan scalloped potatoes from scratch, made with cashews, nutritional yeast and a few other spices. Easy, creamy comfort food ready in less than 1 hour, NO Dairy, oil-free + It's gluten-free!
Servings 6 people
Calories 193kcal
Ingredients
- 2 lb yukon gold potatoes
- 6-8 slices vegan pepper jack cheese (optional, omit for Plantricious WFPB)
- fresh dill or chives for garnish
the Cream Sauce:
- 1.75 cups water
- 3/4 cup raw cashews
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 3 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375”F.
- Start by scrubbing the potatoes well so you don’t need to peel them. If you are using russet potatoes you’ll have to peel those.
- Use a mandoline slicer and slice the potatoes into 1/8 inch slices. It’s important that they aren’t paper thin, you should be able to do this with a sharp knife if you don’t have a mandolin. Season with a pinch of sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
- Transfer the potato slices to an 8x10 lightly oiled baking dish and give it a good shake to spread evenly (use a spray or a little dab of vegan butter). (To stay Plantricious WFPB compliant use a seasoned cast iron dish or line with parchment paper instead of oil).
- Use a powerful blender like a Vitamix and blend all the sauce ingredients until smooth and creamy. Pour the sauce over the potatoes.
- At this point you can layer the top with some vegan pepper jack or smoked gouda cheese slices like I did on half the dish. We love the Follow Your Heart cheese, it melts amazingly and the flavor is on point.
- Cover the dish with aluminums foil and bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes. Turn the heat up to 400”F and continue baking another 15 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender to your liking. Try not to overcook them, so test them after 10 minutes and if they are fork tender they are done. Alternatively you can bake uncovered for the last 10 minutes or so to crisp up the edges.
- Serve garnished with fresh dill, thyme or chives and extra red chili flakes.
Notes
- To make this recipe WFPB and Plantricious compliant omit the store bought vegan cheese slices or use a Plantricious compliant cheese. Instead of oiling the baking dish you can line it with parchment paper or use a seasoned cast iron baking dish.
- Caramelize one large chopped leek in a drop of olive oil and a pinch of sea salt then add it in the middle of the scalloped potatoes. You add half of the potato slices to the pan, spread the caramelized leeks on top then layer the remaining potatoes. Pour the cream sauce all over and bake according to the instructions.
- Make them Florentine style by adding sautéed spinach in the center. Just make sure to drain it well in a colander and remove as much of the liquid as possible before adding to the casserole.
- Sautéed wild mushrooms and onions with thyme and a splash of white wine make a fab filling as well.
- Top with a few slices of your favorite vegan cheese for an extra gooey and cheesy top layer. We love Follow Your Heart pepper jack and smoked gouda slices.
Nutrition
Calories: 193kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 410mg | Potassium: 799mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 82IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 58mg | Iron: 6mg
Favorite Potato Recipes:
Potato Leek Soup
Vegan Potato Salad
Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes
These potatoes are amazing even without the vegan cheese, cooked uncovered for the last 10 minutes and brushed with a little olive oil. Insanely tasty, I probably could have eaten the entire dish lol. Thank you for this great recipe.
We made these with no extra cheese on top, and they were so delicious, that even my picky 7 year old loved them. Will be making these again soon 😉
We made these without the vegan cheese and they were divine! My kids even asked for seconds so you bet I’ll be making these often and I’m thinking they would be perfect for the holidays too. Thanks for sharing your recipes with us 🙏🏼.