Make the BEST vegan scalloped potatoes for your holiday table! Tender layers of potato are baked in a creamy, 'cheesy' sauce that's 100% dairy-free, with no cashews or tofu, until golden and bubbly on top.
Want to save this recipe?
Enter your email & get this sent to your inbox! Plus you’ll get great new recipes from me every week!
Jump to:
- What Makes These Vegan Scalloped Potatoes So Good
- Vegan Scalloped Potatoes Ingredients
- Recipe Variations
- How to Make Vegan Scalloped Potatoes Step-by-Step
- Toni's Recipe Tips
- Vegan Scalloped Potatoes FAQs
- Make Ahead, Storage, and Reheating
- What to Serve With Vegan Scalloped Potatoes
- More Vegan Side Dishes
- Vegan Scalloped Potatoes
What Makes These Vegan Scalloped Potatoes So Good
As a potato lover, I have yet to meet a potato side dish I didn't add to my rotation, whether I'm in the mood for fluffy Instant Pot garlic mashed potatoes, crispy air fryer potato wedges, or stuffed air fryer Hasselback potatoes. But when I want something creamy, 'cheesy', and melt-in-your-mouth tender, I make these vegan scalloped potatoes.
- No cashews, no tofu: The creamy sauce starts with a simple roux of vegan butter and flour, so it's nut-free as long as your plant milk and vegan cheese are.
- 'Cheesy' and comforting: Nutritional yeast and vegan cheddar make every layer rich and savory.
- Holiday-ready: It's perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, dinner parties, and family dinners, and it's just as good as the dairy version.
- Make-ahead friendly: Bake it ahead and reheat it while everything else finishes (see below).
- For everyone at the table: These are vegetarian scalloped potatoes too, so everyone can dig in.
Not ready to walk away from potato sides? Try my vegan deviled potatoes or easy vegan potato salad! Looking for more 'cheesy' recipes? You'll love this vegan broccoli cheddar soup and vegan manicotti.
Vegan Scalloped Potatoes Ingredients
You'll find the exact amounts in the recipe card below.
- Russet potatoes: Starchy russets turn soft and tender and help thicken the sauce as they bake. Yukon Gold potatoes also work.
- Vegan butter and all-purpose flour: These make the roux that thickens the sauce. Use your favorite vegan butter.
- Plant-based milk: I use Silk unsweetened soy milk, but any unsweetened plain plant-based milk works. Keep it unsweetened and plain so the sauce stays savory.
- Nutritional yeast: Adds savory, 'cheesy' flavor.
- Salt, black pepper, and Italian seasoning: Simple seasonings that let the potatoes shine.
- Vegan cheddar: I use Daiya cheddar shreds. Any vegan cheddar shreds that melt well will work.
Recipe Variations
As delicious as basic scalloped potatoes are, you can boost the flavor even more with:
- Aromatics: Add sautéed onions or slow cooker caramelized onions and 3 to 4 minced garlic cloves. Garlic and onion powder work in a pinch.
- Fresh herbs: Swap the Italian seasoning for fresh sage, thyme, and/or rosemary, or garnish with fresh parsley or chives.
- Flavor boosters: Try a little white miso or Dijon mustard.
- Vegan sausage: Brown it and add it over the first layer of potatoes.
How to Make Vegan Scalloped Potatoes Step-by-Step
Step 1: Preheat and slice the potatoes. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius) and lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish. Wash, peel, and slice the potatoes ¼ inch thick with a knife, slicer, or mandoline, then place them in a large bowl of cold water so they don't brown.
Step 2: Start the roux. Melt the vegan butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, then add the flour.
Step 3: Cook the roux. Whisk continuously until the mixture thickens and turns lightly golden, 2 to 3 minutes.
Step 4: Make the cheesy sauce. Slowly whisk in 3 cups of the plant-based milk until smooth. Stir in the nutritional yeast, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning, and cook, stirring often, until thick and creamy, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the vegan cheddar until melted, then turn off the heat.
Step 5: Layer the potatoes. Drain and rinse the potatoes in a colander and pat them dry. Arrange half of the potato slices in an even layer in the baking dish.
Step 6: Add the sauce and bake. Spread half of the sauce over the potatoes, then repeat with the remaining potatoes and sauce. Pour the remaining ½ cup of plant-based milk around the edges. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 40 to 60 minutes, until the potatoes are fork-tender. Remove the foil and broil for 1 to 2 minutes, until golden brown and bubbly. Let it rest for 10 minutes, then serve. Enjoy!
Toni's Recipe Tips
- For thin, even slices: I highly recommend a food processor slicing disk or a mandoline. Even slices cook at the same rate.
- Pat the potatoes dry: Extra water on the slices thins out the sauce.
- Let it rest: Just 10 minutes lets the flavors meld and the sauce set, so it's easier to serve.
- For a crispier top: Broil it for a few extra minutes at the end, watching closely.
Vegan Scalloped Potatoes FAQs
I use russet potatoes. They're starchy, so they bake up soft and tender and help thicken the sauce. Yukon Gold potatoes also work well and hold their shape a little more.
Not unless you'd prefer to! The peels are packed with fiber and nutrients.
Yes. Use a gluten-free all-purpose flour, or swap the flour for about half the amount of cornstarch (mixed into a slurry instead of a roux) to thicken. Adjust the amount as needed.
Yes! I prefer to assemble and bake the dish, slightly underbaking it, so it won't overcook when you reheat it. Reheat at 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius) for 30 minutes, covered for the first 20.
Yes. Let them cool completely, then freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Traditional scalloped potatoes are made with a simple cream sauce, while potatoes au gratin and potatoes dauphinoise usually include cheese, though the names are often used interchangeably. Most vegan scalloped potato recipes (this vegetarian-friendly one included) use vegan cheese, so who am I to argue?!
Make Ahead, Storage, and Reheating
Make ahead: Assemble and bake the dish, slightly underbaking it so it won't overcook when you reheat it. Cool, cover, and refrigerate until you're ready.
Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
Freeze: Let it cool, then store it in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
Reheat: Microwave single servings for 1 to 2 minutes, or bake covered with foil at 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius) for about 30 minutes, removing the foil after 20 minutes.
What to Serve With Vegan Scalloped Potatoes
Creamy scalloped potatoes go with just about everything on a holiday plate. Here's how I'd build the menu:
- Main: My Beyond Meat meatloaf or a vegan chicken pot pie casserole.
- Green sides: Brown sugar green beans, maple glazed Brussels sprouts, or garlic herb roasted vegetables.
- Holiday classics: Dairy-free green bean casserole and easy cranberry pear sauce.
- Bread: A basket of fluffy vegan dinner rolls.
- Dessert: A slice of vegan pecan pie.
If you tried these vegan scalloped potatoes or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks!
More Vegan Side Dishes
Vegan Scalloped Potatoes
Want to save this recipe?
Enter your email & get this sent to your inbox! Plus you'll get great new recipes from me every week!
Equipment
- Medium Saucepan
- Colander
- 9x13 Baking Dish
- Mandoline optional
Ingredients
- 5 large russet potatoes peeled and thinly sliced, about ¼ inch thick
- ¼ cup vegan butter
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 3 ½ cups unsweetened plain plant-based milk, such as Silk soy milk divided
- ⅓ cup nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 cups vegan cheddar shreds, such as Daiya
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius) and lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- Wash, peel, and slice the potatoes ¼ inch thick. Place them in a large bowl and cover with cold water to prevent browning.
- In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the vegan butter. Add the flour and whisk continuously until the mixture thickens and turns lightly golden, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Slowly add 3 cups of the plant-based milk to the roux, whisking constantly until smooth.
- Stir in the nutritional yeast, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Cook, stirring often, until the sauce is thick and creamy, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Add the vegan cheddar cheese to the sauce and stir until fully melted. Turn off the heat and set aside.
- Drain and rinse the sliced potatoes in a colander, then pat them dry.
- Layer half of the potatoes evenly in the prepared baking dish. Pour half of the vegan cheese sauce over the potatoes and spread it evenly.
- Repeat with the remaining potatoes and sauce. Pour the remaining ½ cup of plant-based milk around the edges of the dish.
- Cover the dish tightly with foil or a large baking sheet and bake for 40 to 60 minutes, until the potatoes are fork-tender.
- Remove the foil and broil for 1 to 2 minutes, until the top is golden brown and bubbling.
- Let the dish cool for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve warm and enjoy!
Notes
- Makes 8 servings (one 9x13-inch dish). I use Silk unsweetened soy milk and Daiya cheddar shreds, but any unsweetened plain plant-based milk and meltable vegan cheddar shreds work.
- For thin, even slices, I highly recommend a food processor slicing disk or a mandoline.
- Pat the potato slices dry after rinsing so extra water doesn't thin out the sauce.
- Let it rest for 10 minutes so the flavors meld and the sauce sets for easier serving.
- For a crispier top, broil for a few extra minutes at the end and watch closely.
- To make it gluten-free, use a gluten-free all-purpose flour, or thicken the sauce with about half the amount of cornstarch as a slurry.
- Leftovers keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Andrea says
Love how these potatoes turned out!