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    Home » Sides

    Unbelievably Dairy-Free Scalloped Potatoes

    October 28, 2021 by Jamie · 2 Comments

    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe
    Side view of a portion of creamy Dairy-Free Scalloped potatoes on a plate to show the tender potatoes in a rich sauce with an oven-baked crust.
    Overhead view of Dairy-Free Scalloped Potatoes freshly baked with a golden crust and parsley to garnish.
    Side view of a glass dish of Dairy-Free Scalloped Potatoes with a spoon removing a bite to show the tender potatoes, smooth gravy, and oven-baked crust!

    Finally a Dairy-Free Scalloped Potatoes recipe that’s more than “just use dairy-free milk”! This one is made for full-time dairy-free eaters and is meant for repeat makes and sharing with friends and family. There’s no sacrificing on flavor with tender potato slices and a rich gravy-like sauce amidst key spices and herbs.

    This recipe is naturally gluten-free, vegan, and nut-free with the right plant-based milk of your choice. In the end, you’ll get an old classic that’s inclusive of everyone at the table!

    Side view of a glass dish of dairy-free scalloped potatoes with a spoon scooping out a corner to show the gooey gravy and tender potatoes.
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    Scalloped Potatoes are a classic holiday and potluck dish! It’s most friendly to winter since there is a 1 hour baking time that can keep your home nice and toasty. We serve them most for potlucks, Christmas Dinner, Thanksgiving, or with a Sunday Roast.

    It pairs well with my Crispy Roasted Brussel Sprouts recipe, meat roasts, and my Northwest Beef Stew recipe. And if you're making this for the holidays, don't forget a smashing dessert to finish it off! Our top picks are the BEST Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cake, Dairy-Free Tiramisu, Gluten-Free Monster Cookies, or Unforgettable Christmas Rocky Road.

    Jump to:
    • What are Scalloped Potatoes?
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Equipment
    • Storage
    • Tips before you start
    • FAQs
    • Unbelievably Dairy-Free Scalloped Potatoes

    Why you'll love this recipe:

    • a dairy-free version of a classic
    • creamy melt-in-your mouth comfort food
    • 8 ingredients
    • savory gravy
    • buttery without the stomachache

    It also has cozy holiday meal written all over it!

    What are Scalloped Potatoes?

    Scalloped potatoes are a simple potato casserole dish where thinly sliced potatoes are baked in a simple roux. A roux is a combination of butter and flour cooked together and then combined with broth or cream. This creates a savory, buttery deep-dish potato side dish.

    It's commonly served for holiday meals or with a Sunday roast.

    Side view of a portion of Dairy-Free Scalloped potatoes served on a plate to show the tender potatoes, gravy, and oven-baked crust.

    What can you substitute for milk in scalloped potatoes?

    While many recipes suggest substituting any dairy-free milk for the milk in scalloped potatoes, this creates a very bland dairy-free scalloped potato recipe. Dairy milk contains sugar and cream. Without added flavors, a dairy-free version is simply lacking depth. 

    A better substitution for milk in scalloped potatoes is a combination of dairy-free milk with nutritional yeast. When paired with vegan butter, this makes a rich and flavorful dairy-free and vegan scalloped potato recipe! 

    Ingredients

    While I tend to be the type to throw in an extra clove of garlic (or two!), I recommend that you make this recipe exactly as listed the first time. The flavors are delicate and throwing one out of balance can easily overpower this savory treat.

    Overhead view of all the ingredients you need to make this recipe with labels.
    The 8 ingredients you need to make tasty Dairy-Free Scalloped Potatoes.

    Sauce Base

    • vegan butter
    • yellow onion
    • garlic
    • tapioca starch (or cornstarch)
    • vegetable or chicken broth
    • unsweetened cashew milk

    Spices

    • salt
    • ground black pepper
    • nutritional yeast

    Fresh Ingredients

    • russett or gold potatoes

    See the recipe card for quantities.

    Instructions

    These instructions are split into two parts: making the sauce and assembly and baking. The list may seem long, but this recipe is definitely beginner-friendly. Just take it step-by-step and have your ingredients measured and in place ahead of time.

    Sauce

    Oven and Onions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 C). Add vegan butter and onions to a medium frying pan on medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until onions soften (about 5 minutes).

    Overhead view of diced onions cooking in a skillet.

    Garlic and Starch: Add garlic and sprinkle the starch over the onions. Cook for another 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

    Overhead view of onions cooking in a skillet with flour, oil, and garlic.

    Add Liquids: Combine milk and broth. Add in ¼-1/3 cup increments, whisking between additions to prevent clumping. Continue whisking until smooth.

    Overhead view showing a hand pouring an increment of broth-milk mixture into the onion and starch mixture for a savory scalloped potato sauce.

    Boil and Spice: Bring the mixture to a low boil, adjusting heat as needed. Add salt, pepper, and nutritional yeast. Mix thoroughly and and return to a low boil for 2-3 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Then remove from heat and set aside.

    Side view of a thickened sauce with spices distributed on top, ready to be stirred in.

    Assembly

    First Layer: Grease an 8 inch square baking dish with vegan butter. Layer ⅓ of the potatoes across the bottom in an uneven pattern with holes to allow the sauce to drip through. Cover with ⅓ of the sauce.

    Overhead view of a layer of unevenly stacked potato slices with a hand spreading the first layer of sauce with a spoon.

    Two more layers: Repeat the previous step for two more layers.

    Overhead view of a fully prepared Dairy-Free Scalloped potato dish with 3 layers of potatoes and creamy sauce.

    Bake while covered: Cover with foil or a Silpat sheet. Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees F (175 C).

    Overhead view of an 8 inch square dish covered with foil, and ready for baking.

    Bake uncovered: Uncover and bake for an additional 30 minutes or until the potatoes are golden brown and tender.

    Broil: Broil on high for 3-4 minutes to create a golden crust on top. Then remove from the oven and let cool for 10-15 minutes before serving.

    Overhead view of finished Baked Vegan and Dairy-Free Scalloped Potatoes with a golden oven-baked crust.

    Substitutions

    • Vegan - make sure to use vegetable broth
    • Flour - instead of tapioca or cornstarch, you can use gluten-free 1-to-1 style flour or regular wheat flour. With starch, the sauce texture is more gooey. With flour, the texture is smooth like a traditional gravy. Most of my taste testers and I preferred starch. One taste tester preferred gluten-free flour.

    This recipe is naturally gluten-free and dairy-free as written.

    Equipment

    • whisk*
    • medium fry pan
    • 8-inch (20 cm) square baking dish

    *Important: Use a silicone-coated whisk for pans with non-stick coating. Cooks Illustrated wrote a nice comparison article on how to pick a good whisk.

    Storage

    Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

    Reheat in an oven-safe baking dish at 350 degrees F (175 C) until heated through.

    Side view of a tender bite of healthy dairy-free scalloped potatoes on a fork.

    Tips before you start

    It's really easy!

    Don't fret about the number of steps -- this recipe could not be easier. It's perfect for beginners and a great way to try making your first roux sauce.

    Watch your whisk...

    I used a metal whisk with my Granitestone unscratchable non-stick surface. If you have a regular coated nonstick pan, make sure to use a silicone-coated whisk or stir vigorously with a spatula.

    You can watch me make a roux sauce with a spatula in the Dairy-Free Swedish Meatballs recipe video (located in the recipe card on that page).

    Use flour instead of starch for a smoother sauce.

    Most of my taste testers and I preferred the sauce made with starch for a gooey buttery texture. One reader preferred the version with flour because the gravy was a bit smoother (I used gluten-free 1-to-1 flour but you could use wheat flour if not gluten-free).

    Leftovers are best reheated in the oven.

    For best taste, reheat leftovers in an oven-safe baking dish at 350 degrees F (175 C) until heated through. Then broil on high for 1-4 minutes (depending on the reheated portion, and I recommend babysitting it while you broil so it doesn't burn) to recreate the golden crust from the first time you served it.

    FAQs

    Can I use any plant-based milk?

    I chose unsweetened cashew milk because it is rich with a neutral flavor. I believe this recipe would work well with unsweetened almond milk or unsweetened lite coconut milk, but I haven't tried it yet. If you try another plant-based milk, please let me know in the comments so I can update this post for future readers.

    Other Classic Dairy-Free Recipes you'll love:

    • Dairy Free Swedish Meatballs
    • Impossibly Authentic Dairy Free Tiramisu
    • Classy Dairy-Free Zuppa Toscana in one pot with clean ingredients
    • Essential Dairy-Free Whipped Cream in 5 minutes
    • Fall Favorite Pumpkin Spice Coconut Whipped Cream
    Print
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    Side view of a glass dish of Dairy-Free Scalloped Potatoes with a spoon removing a bite to show the tender potatoes, smooth gravy, and oven-baked crust!

    Unbelievably Dairy-Free Scalloped Potatoes


    ★★★★★

    5 from 1 reviews

    • Author: Jamie
    • Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
    • Yield: 6 1x
    • Diet: Vegan
    Print Recipe
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    Description

    A classic Dairy-Free Scalloped Potatoes recipe made with a rich gravy. This shareworthy dinner and holiday side uses only 8 ingredients and is gluten-free and vegan.


    Ingredients

    Scale

    Sauce

    • 3 tablespoons vegan butter
    • 1 cup yellow onion, diced
    • 1 clove garlic, minced
    • 3 tablespoons Tapioca Starch (or cornstarch)
    • ½ cup vegetable or chicken broth
    • 1 cup unsweetened cashew milk

    Spices

    • ¾ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
    • 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast

    Fresh Ingredients

    • 1 ½ pounds (0.7 kilograms) russet or gold potatoes

    Instructions

    Sauce

    1. Oven and Onions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Add vegan butter and onions to a medium frying pan on medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until onions soften (about 5 minutes).
      Overhead view of diced onions cooking in a skillet.
    2. Garlic and Starch: Add garlic and sprinkle the starch over the onions. Cook for another 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
      Overhead view of onions cooking in a skillet with flour, oil, and garlic.
    3. Add Liquids: Combine milk and broth. Add in ¼-1/3 cup increments, whisking between additions to prevent clumping. Continue whisking until smooth.
      Overhead view showing a hand pouring an increment of broth-milk mixture into the onion and starch mixture for a savory scalloped potato sauce.
    4. Boil and Spice: Bring the mixture to a low boil, adjusting heat as needed. Add salt, pepper, and nutritional yeast. Mix thoroughly and and return to a low boil for 2-3 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Then remove from heat and set aside.
      Side view of a thickened sauce with spices distributed on top, ready to be stirred in.

    Assembly and Baking

    1. First Layer: Grease an 8-inch (20 cm) square baking dish with vegan butter. Layer ⅓ of the potatoes across the bottom in an uneven pattern with holes to allow the sauce to drip through. Cover with ⅓ of the sauce.
      Overhead view of a layer of unevenly stacked potato slices with a hand spreading the first layer of sauce with a spoon.
    2. Two more layers: Repeat the previous step for two more layers.
      Overhead view of a fully prepared Dairy-Free Scalloped potato dish with 3 layers of potatoes and creamy sauce.
    3. Bake while covered: Cover loosely with foil or a Silpat sheet. Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees F (175 C).
      Overhead view of an 8 inch square dish covered with foil, and ready for baking.
    4. Bake uncovered: Uncover and bake for an additional 30 minutes or until potatoes are golden brown and tender.
    5. Broil: Broil on high for 3-4 minutes to form a golden crust on top. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10-15 minutes before serving.
      Overhead view of finished Baked Vegan and Dairy-Free Scalloped Potatoes with a golden oven-baked crust.

    Notes

    While it can be tempting to add extra onion or garlic to this recipe, the flavors are very delicate and can easily overpower when added in excess. I recommend making this recipe as written the first time.

    *Important: Use a silicone-coated whisk for pans with non-stick coating to prevent scratching the pan.

    Storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in an oven-safe baking dish at 350 degrees F ( 175 C) until heated through.

    Double this recipe if using a 13 x 9 inch baking dish. You can use the "2x" button in the top right of the recipe card to convert the measurements for you!

    Substitutions

    • Vegan - make sure to use vegetable broth
    • Flour - instead of tapioca or cornstarch, you can use gluten-free 1-to-1 style flour or regular wheat flour. With starch, the sauce texture is more gooey. With flour, the texture is smooth like a traditional gravy. Most of my taste testers and I preferred starch. One taste tester preferred gluten-free flour.

    This recipe is naturally gluten-free and dairy-free as written.

    • Prep Time: 15
    • Cook Time: 135
    • Category: Dinner, Side
    • Method: Bake
    • Cuisine: American, Comfort Food

    Keywords: scalloped potatoes no cheese no flour, dairy-free potato side dishes, dairy free potato recipes, healthy scalloped potatoes

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @vibrantlygfree on Instagram and hashtag it #vibrantlygfree

    This recipe feels like welcoming back a long-lost favorite after many years of eating dairy-free! I hope it can do the same for you.

    xo, Jamie

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    Comments

    1. Jessica Paul

      November 03, 2021 at 12:58 pm

      I tried this recipe and it was amazing! My family loved it so much, there was nothing left! I blended the onions after they softened. My kids are not a fan of onions. It worked out so good. Im going to have to make this a popular side to more meals and gatherings!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Jamie

        November 03, 2021 at 9:18 pm

        I am so glad your family enjoyed it so much! Thank you for the review Jessica!

        Reply

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