Vegan Scalloped Potatoes (All Pantry Staples!)

No nutritional yeast, no cashews, no crazy ingredients and only 10 ingredients at that–all pantry staples. Delicious enough it’s been on the news (true story!) Scalloped potatoes are a creamy side dish that is perfect for Easter, Christmas–or anytime, really! So creamy and flavorful you’ll wonder why you ever used to put cheese in it. With no gluten, dairy or eggs this flavorful side will be great for just about any guest at your Easter gathering. These vegan scalloped potatoes are free of: gluten, dairy, egg, peanut and tree nuts, as well as vegan.

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Why I like this recipe over other dairy free scalloped potatoes

• I like this recipe because vegan butter is expensive, and instead you can use a simple olive oil!
• I like that you’re not making a vegan cheese sauce. I have tried vegan cheese, and honestly, there is not one that I think is worth the money. Dairy free products have come a LONG way, but in the cheese arena, there’s room for a LOT of improvement.
• Uses pantry staples.
• I thought I’d miss that classic cheesy sauce, but the flavorful sauce you make with the garlic, onions and broth make it so I don’t miss it at all! Less calories too!

Why These Scalloped Potatoes are Bomb

I’d only ever had scalloped potatoes one way–with canned cream of something or other and lots of cheese. In the four years we’ve been off dairy, I literally figured that scalloped potatoes couldn’t taste good without it, so I didn’t even try.

Fast forward to this last Christmas dinner. My mom loves scalloped potatoes, and I was sick of mashed potatoes. I knew I wanted a potato side, so I thought–what the heck…I’ll just give it a whirl. I felt she at least deserved a try because my family is awesome. When we do get-togethers, they let me cook and plan whatever works for my family and they will eat whatever…even though they don’t need gluten free or vegan so we can all eat the same thing and my son won’t feel left out. They’re so supportive and awesome like that! She’s gone without them for a few years and I felt it was time she had it back.

I was so stinkin’ happy when these turned out! The onion, garlic, chicken broth and mayo imparted a delicious creamy sauce, and they had the same great soft texture I had remembered from previous years.

Fast forward and we’ve been having these for almost every Christmas, Easter and every holiday meal since then. It’s a family favorite–EVEN among those who are not vegan, dairy free or even have food allergies.

These scalloped potatoes are famous and have been on TV!

The news anchor that made the dish with me asked to snag another bite AFTER the cameras were off. And she’s not vegan or gluten free! You know you’ve got a great recipe if she wants just one more bite of those tender potatoes! If you’d like a video demonstration of this recipe, you can watch my KSL segment by clicking on the photo below:

Here are some frequently asked questions about these vegan scalloped potatoes:

What kind of flour blend do I need for gluten free vegan scalloped potatoes?

I prefer my gluten free flour blend as it’s not too thick. If you’re in a pinch, I’d recommend Walmart’s gluten free flour blend, or Bob’s Red Mill. Basically, you want a flour blend that is mostly: rice flour, potato starch and tapioca starch (or tapioca flour).

What if I don’t need these scalloped potatoes to be gluten free?

If you don’t need these scalloped potatoes to be gluten free, you can use regular all purpose flour. The flour helps thicken the sauce, so don’t skip it!

What kind of vegan vegetable broth do you recommend?

I have been using Orrington Farms boullion for several years. I find them to be an allergy friendly broth base as well. If you’re just needing it to be a dairy-free scalloped potato, instead of a vegan scalloped potato, you can use chicken broth instead. I find the powdered broth + your own water is easier to bring home from the store–weighs less and takes up less room than vegetable stock because you’re storing less water, and it is more flavorful!

Here are the ingredients to Orrington Farms Vegan Chicken Flavored Broth Base:

• Maltodextrin
• Salt (includes Sea Salt)
• Yeast Extract
• Dehydrated Onion
• Spice (includes White Pepper, Celery Seed, Turmeric (Spice & Color), Rosemary)
• Dehydrated Carrot
• Dehydrated Garlic
• Dextrose
• Natural Flavor
• Parsley
• Spice Extract

What kind of vegan mayonnaise do you recommend?

The mayo makes it sooo creamy. Don’t leave it out! I love Best Foods (sometimes known as Hellman’s).

• Soybean oil
• Water
• Sugar
• Distilled vinegar
• Salt
• Contains 2% or less of each of the following:
• Modified food starch (corn, potato)
• Lemon juice concentrate
• Natural flavor
• Calcium
• Disodium EDTA (used to protect quality)
• Paprika Oleoresin 

Be sure to read the labels for yourself to see if the recipe has changed since the blog publication and to make sure if works for your individual dietary preferences.

Are these scalloped potatoes or au gratin potatoes?

Most people use the terms interchangeably, but technically au gratin requires cheese, and scalloped potatoes are just baked in cream. These vegan scalloped potatoes are baked in a mixture of mayo (for the creamy factor) olive oil and flour to make a thick and creamy sauce for them to cook in.

What type of potatoes should I use for vegan scalloped potatoes?

I prefer the good ol’ classic Russet. Perhaps it’s because I’m from Idaho, but I feel like these never let you down. You could probably substitute it with other potatoes, like Yukon gold potatoes or red potatoes (though they do have different starch amounts) and probably get similar results.

Don’t you use a vegan milk?

No. You would think you’d need to because these are sooo creamy, but you don’t. So save your almond milk, oat milk, coconut milk, cashew milk…(you catch my drift…there’s so many nowadays!) or whatever plant milk you keep on hand for another recipe another day!

Are these vegan scalloped potatoes soy free and top 8 free?

Unlike most vegan dishes that rely on cashews, or cashew cream these are NUT FREE! These scalloped potatoes can be soy free if you make sure the broth and you find a mayo that is soy free. If they are soy free, then the recipe will be soy and top 8 free.

If you’re ever in doubt, always call the manufacturer if you have any questions. Some may be able to do the Best Foods Mayo since it just has soybean oil, and many who have a soy allergy can have highly refined soy oil, according to the AAAAI. Be sure to talk with your allergist to determine if this works for you.

What tools do you need to make dairy free scalloped potatoes?

You want really thin slices or it will take longer to cook. You can cut them by hand, though it’s tedious and hard to get them all even. Or, you can use a mandoline slicer, but those worry me that I’ll lose a digit, so I cannot stress how invaluable having a food processor is! It’s the best way because it takes seconds to perfectly slice that potatoes into perfectly even slices. If you slice the potatoes by hand, take care to make sure the potatoes are the same thickness, otherwise you’ll run the risk of the thicker slices not being cooked all the way through. My food processor is probably twenty years old and was a hand me down, so remember, you don’t always have to go out and buy the latest and greatest to make good food!

You’ll also need a large mixing bowl, a large spoon to stir it with, a casserole dish.

How do I store the leftover vegan scalloped potatoes?

If you’re lucky enough to have any left that is! To store leftovers keep great 2-3 days in the fridge. Keep them air tight by covering them with plastic wrap, aluminum foil or in a plastic air tight container with a lid.

What if I don’t want a crispy top?

If you don’t want the top layers to be crispy and get a little golden brown (like in my photos) then you can cover the baking dish with aluminum foil, and cook it covered the entire time. Up to you!

What ingredients do you need to make dairy free scalloped potatoes?

• Olive oil
• Gluten free (or regular!) flour
• Vegan chicken broth
• Vegan mayonnaise
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Minced garlic
• Russet potatoes
• Yellow onion
• Green onion, or chives for garnish

What other vegan side dishes do you recommend?

Try another delicious vegan side dish at your next meal:

• gluten free vegan pumpkin cornbread
• instant pot vegan mushroom rice
• gluten free vegan mashed potatoes
• gluten free vegan brown sugar Brussels Sprouts
• vegan sweet potato slow cooker casserole
• gluten free vegan oven roasted garlic balsamic asparagus

If you’d like to try another blogger, check out Clean Eating Kitchen for her tutorial on instant pot boiled potatoes.

Adapted from: Go Dairy Free