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Unbelievably Dairy-Free Scalloped Potatoes

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!
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5 from 1 review

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

Units Scale

Sauce

  • 3 tablespoons vegan butter
  • 1 cup yellow onion, diced
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 3 tablespoons Tapioca Starch (or cornstarch)
  • 1/2 cup vegetable or chicken broth
  • 1 cup unsweetened cashew milk

Spices

  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast

Fresh Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 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 1/4-1/3 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 1/3 of the potatoes across the bottom in an uneven pattern with holes to allow the sauce to drip through. Cover with 1/3 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.

Find it online: https://vibrantlygfree.com/dairy-free-scalloped-potatoes/