Vegan Scalloped Potatoes

Our vegan scalloped potatoes are cheesy, creamy and luxuriously decadent—so much so that no one will believe they’re completely plant-based.

With so much cream, butter and cheese in the classic recipe, it seems like it would be almost impossible to make a plant-based version of scalloped potatoes. But with a few quick and reliable swaps, we created a creamy, saucy and well-seasoned batch of vegan scalloped potatoes.

The “cheesy” sauce employs traditional French technique—unlike most vegan cheese sauces, which involve cashews or blenders. We’ll start by making a roux with vegan butter and flour, which will then become a Mornay sauce with nondairy milk, vegan cheese, and plenty of thyme, nutmeg and pepper. The sauce is used to smother a bed of thinly sliced potatoes, and everything slowly bakes together for an hour and a half, allowing the potatoes to really soak up the sauce and turning the top golden brown. Use that hands-off time to make the rest of your vegan Christmas recipes!

Ingredients for Vegan Scalloped Potatoes

• Vegan butter: Reach for a quality vegan butter for the best flavor.
• All-purpose flour: The flour will be mixed with the melted vegan butter to create a roux, which serves as the foundation for the vegan Mornay sauce.
• Soy milk: While we suggest soy milk, feel free to use other non-dairy milk alternatives, such as oat milk or almond milk. Just be careful with coconut milk and others like it, which may impart a strong flavor to the cheese sauce.
• Dairy-free cheddar cheese: This is the time to splurge on the best vegan cheese brands. Make sure to use a cheddar-flavored cheese that’s already shredded.
• Nutritional yeast: Nutritional yeast is deactivated, so it doesn’t have the same rising properties as other yeasts. It’s used here as a flavor enhancer, as it naturally tastes nutty and cheesy.
• Thyme: While optional, I highly recommend adding thyme to the dish. It adds an herbaceous, earthy, slightly floral flavor that gives the dish nuance and makes the potatoes that much cozier.
• Pepper and nutmeg: Sharp and woodsy, pepper and nutmeg are small but mighty spices that cut some of the richness from the plant-based butter, milk and cheese.
• Potatoes: Peel 2 pounds of russet potatoes, then thinly slice them to about an 1/8-inch thickness.

Directions

Step 1: Make the sauce

Preheat your oven to 350°F. In a small saucepan, melt the vegan butter over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook it for one minute. Stir in the all-purpose flour until it’s smooth.

Gradually pour in the soy milk while whisking continuously to ensure the mixture is lump-free.

Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Promptly remove the pan from the heat, and stir in 1-1/2 cups of the shredded cheddar-flavored cheese, nutritional yeast, salt, thyme (if desired), pepper and nutmeg until smooth. Let the sauce rest for three minutes or until it’s thickened.

Step 2: Assemble the potatoes

Coat a 9-inch square baking dish with cooking spray. Place half the potatoes in the dish, then layer them with half of the cheese sauce. Spread it evenly over the potatoes. Repeat the layers once more.

Step 3: Bake the potatoes

Cover the potatoes and bake them for one hour. Uncover the potatoes and top them with the remaining 1/2 cup of cheddar-flavored cheese. Bake the dish until the potatoes are tender, 30 minutes longer. Let the vegan scalloped potatoes stand for 15 minutes before serving them.

Editor’s Tip: Improve the presentation by sprinkling minced chives or flat-leaf parsley on top before serving.

Recipe Variations

• Add caramelized onions: I love the sweet, pungent flavor caramelized onions add to scalloped potatoes. To include them here, slice half an onion and cook it in the pan with the vegan butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil until it’s caramelized, about 20 minutes. Then add the garlic and continue with the vegan scalloped potatoes recipe as described.
• Deepen the flavor: Zippy Dijon mustard and funky white miso paste are powerful, deeply flavorful ingredients that can add a lot of nuance to the vegan scalloped potatoes. If desired, add up to 1 teaspoon of each to the sauce.
• Infuse more herbs: Herbs like sage, rosemary and thyme are wonderful flavorings for holiday dishes. To add their floral earthiness to your vegan scalloped potatoes, take a few sprigs of each herb and put them together to make a bouquet garni. Tie it up with butcher’s twine. Pour the soy milk into a pot, bring it to a simmer, then immediately cut the heat so it doesn’t boil over. Add the bouquet garni, cover the pot with the lid and allow the herbs to infuse for 15 minutes. Strain the milk to remove the herbs, then use the soy milk as directed in the recipe.

How to Store Vegan Scalloped Potatoes

Allow leftover vegan scalloped potatoes to cool completely to room temperature. Depending on how much is left, either transfer the potatoes to an airtight container or keep the potatoes in the pan and cover them with the lid or with storage wrap. They can be kept in the fridge for up to four days.

Can you make vegan scalloped potatoes ahead of time?

Yes, you can make vegan scalloped potatoes ahead of time. Assemble the dish, then, instead of baking it in the oven, allow the assembled dish to cool completely to room temperature (since the sauce will be warm). Cover the dish tightly with storage wrap or with the dish’s lid. Chill it in the fridge overnight.

To finish the prepped vegan scalloped potatoes, take the dish out of the fridge for 30 minutes. (Never put a cold dish in a hot oven; the dish can crack!) Meanwhile, preheat the oven. After 30 minutes, bake the potatoes as directed in this recipe, adding extra time as needed to cook them through.

Vegan Scalloped Potatoes Tips

What should you serve with vegan scalloped potatoes?

Serve other impressive vegan dinner recipes with vegan scalloped potatoes. Try tomato zucchini pasta, a hearty Tuscan portobello soup, this genius vegan eggplant parmesan or a light panzanella salad to offset the richness of the scalloped potatoes. Or you can even serve vegan French onion soup to complement the French theme.

Can you make vegan scalloped potatoes gluten-free?

Yes, you can make vegan scalloped potatoes gluten-free by using one of the best gluten-free flour blends in place of the all-purpose flour. For anyone particularly sensitive to gluten, double-check that the other packaged goods were not processed in a facility that handles wheat. Then, use the rest of your gluten-free flour to make this gorgeous gluten-free chocolate cake (it’s vegan, too!).

Can you use a mandolin to cut the potatoes?

Yes, you can use a mandolin to cut the potatoes, but please be careful. It’s very easy to accidentally hurt yourself with a mandolin. Even if you have the best mandolin slicer, always practice mandolin slicer safety and wear cut-resistant gloves.