Vegan Scalloped Potatoes (Oil-Free)
It’s been about 6 months since Thanksgiving so it’s time to start planning for this year, right?! The one dish that everyone ooohs and aaahs over, vegan or not, is Vegan Scalloped Potatoes. Who can resist those tender slices of potato, bubbling under a golden layer of cream?
The secret is in the sauce. By blending soaked cashews with plant-based milk, you create dairy-free half & half. This creamy sauce creates rich, mouthwatering, vegan scalloped potatoes that will please every eater at your dinner table.
Why this is my go-to whole food plant-based scalloped potato recipe:
Creamy and delicious, a total crowd-pleaser
Easy to prep ahead of time
Economical but looks fancy
Minimal Ingredients
Serve as a side or main dish
The beauty of cooking with potatoes is that they can be prepped ahead of time. You just need to cover the potatoes with water so that they don’t discolor and store them in the fridge. When you’re ready to get cooking, rinse the potatoes and pat them dry so that they soak up more of that creamy sauce.
A mandolin is a helpful tool for achieving evenly sliced potatoes. I use a mandolin set at 2mm thickness. You can also use a sharp knife and a steady hand. The potatoes need to be the same thickness so that they cook evenly. Otherwise, you may end up with a few crunchy, undercooked potatoes. To see the mandolin I use, click here.
For the cream sauce, pour boiling water over your cashews and let them soak while you peel and slice the potatoes. They need about 20 minutes to become soft. Soft cashews are the key to a smooth, creamy, dairy-free sauce. Drain and rinse the nuts and blend them with the almond milk until completely smooth. Add in your flavorings, give them a quick pulse and you’re good to go. The sauce can be made ahead of time too. But keep the sauce and the potatoes separate until just before cooking.
Ingredients for Vegan Scalloped Potatoes
Ingredients:
o 2 pounds (910 grams) of yellow potatoes, peeled and sliced 2mm thick, using a mandolin or a sharp knife (Yukon gold are my favorite)
o ¾ cup (112 grams) of cashews, hot soaked for 20 min.
o 2¼ cups (18 oz.) of almond milk, unsweetened (*you can also use water)
o 2 garlic cloves, minced
o 1 teaspoon of kosher salt
o ½ teaspoon of thyme (plus fresh thyme for sprinkling on the top)
o ¼ teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
Makes 8 servings (click on the ingredients in bold to see what I use)
Method for making Vegan Scalloped Potatoes
Steps 1-3:
1. Preheat oven to 425 F (218 C)
2. Hot soak the cashews in a small bowl by pouring boiling water over them, enough to cover completely. Set aside for about 20 minutes, while you prepare the potatoes.
3. Peel and slice the potatoes 2mm thick, using a mandolin or a sharp knife. Layer the potatoes in a 2-quart (8” X 11)” baking dish in even layers.
Steps 4-5:
4. Drain and rinse the cashews. Add them to a blender container along with 2¼ cups of almond milk. Blend on medium-high speed for 90 seconds or until the cashew mixture is completely smooth.
5. Add the salt, thyme, pepper and garlic to the blender. Give it one quick pulse to combine.
Step 6:
6. Pour the cream sauce over the potatoes. Use a fork to scooch the potatoes around, making sure they are well coated.
Step 7-8:
7. Bake at 425 F for 45 minutes, removing halfway through cooking, to scooch the potatoes around again so the top layer is coated in cream sauce.
8. Remove from the oven when bubby hot and browned on the top. If additional color is desired, place under the broiler for 2 minutes. Garnish with fresh thyme
Notes:
I find there’s no need to oil the pan before cooking. The browned bits that stick to the bottom add extra flavor.
Be sure to drain and rinse the cashews as the soaking water can taste bitter.
The cream sauce will look runny at first but thicken up significantly during cooking.
* I originally tested this recipe using water instead of almond milk which was still very creamy but less rich tasting. For lighter scalloped potatoes, feel free to use water.
Put that cashew cream into action with these deliciously healthy recipes:
Vegan Scalloped Potatoes (oil-free)
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 F (218 C)
- Hot soak the cashews in a small bowl by pouring boiling water over them, enough to cover completely. Set aside for about 20 minutes, while you prepare the potatoes.
- Peel and slice the potatoes 2mm thick, using a mandolin or a sharp knife. Layer the potatoes in a 2-quart (8” X 11)” baking dish in even layers.
- Drain and rinse the cashews. Add them to a blender container along with 2¼ cups of almond milk. Blend on medium-high speed for 90 seconds or until the cashew mixture is completely smooth.
- Add the salt, thyme, pepper and garlic to the blender. Give it one quick pulse to combine.
- Pour the cream sauce over the potatoes. Use a fork to scooch the potatoes around, making sure they are well coated.
- Bake at 425 F for 45 minutes, removing halfway through cooking, to scooch the potatoes around again so the top layer is coated in cream sauce.
- Remove from the oven when bubby hot and browned on the top. If additional color is desired, place under the broiler for 2 minutes. Garnish with fresh thyme leaves.
Notes
I find there’s no need to oil the pan before cooking. The browned bits that stick to the bottom add extra flavor.
Be sure to drain and rinse the cashews as the soaking water can taste bitter.
The cream sauce will look runny at first but thicken up significantly during cooking.
* I originally tested this recipe using water instead of almond milk which was still very creamy but less rich tasting. For lighter scalloped potatoes, feel free to use water.
For step-by-step instructions and photos, see blog post.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
193.02Fat (grams)
6.11Sat. Fat (grams)
1.22Carbs (grams)
28.36Fiber (grams)
2.91Net carbs
25.45Sugar (grams)
1.98Protein (grams)
4.83Sodium (milligrams)
357.98Cholesterol (grams)
0.00Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators.
Vegan Scalloped Potatoes (oil-free)
