These “Cheesy” Scalloped Potatoes Taste So Traditional, You’ll Barely Believe They’re Dairy-Free
This comfort food casserole tastes just like your fave cheese-covered scalloped potatoes, but they're completely dairy-free.
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If there’s one kind of casserole everyone loves, it’s a layered, saucy, creamy and totally cheesy dish of scalloped potatoes. They’re one of the ultimate comfort foods, with decadent layers and plenty of crave-worthy cheese. But if you’ve gone vegan, vegetarian or dairy-free, scalloped potatoes are a no-go. While they don’t contain any meat, this plant-based classic is traditionally filled with a whole lot of dairy, from a milk- or cream-based sauce to handfuls of shredded cheese.
But we’ve created an alternative that’s so delicious, you’d be hard-pressed to tell the difference between our version and the cheesy classic itself. Our “Cheesy” Scalloped Potatoes are made with completely plant-based ingredients, meaning they’re vegan, vegetarian and dairy-free friendly. We got rid of the dairy (and, yes, the cheese) and subbed in nutritional yeast and nondairy Parmesan to achieve a cheese-like flavor in our scalloped potatoes. Anyone can enjoy a forkful of these tender, thin potato slices and the cheese-like taste and texture of this casserole.
Plus, this cheese-free dish is filled with nutrients. The recipe calls for spuds with the skin on, since the nutrients in potatoes are found predominantly in the skins. This gives you a serving of potassium (which is needed for synthesizing protein and metabolizing carbs) and vitamin C (which is best known for improving immune defense, among a long list of other benefits). But the skins also added extra fiber and offer a little eco-friendly perk: By keeping the skins on your potatoes, you’ll cut down on your waste while cooking.
All the “cheese” you could want from a deep casserole dish of scalloped potatoes, but with even more benefits for you? This recipe is going to become a staple for sure, whether you’re serving it for the holidays or a chilly weeknight dinner.
“Cheesy” Scalloped Potatoes
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 yellow onion, cut into ⅛-inch-thick slices
- 3 large cloves garlic, minced
- ½ tsp each sea salt and ground black pepper, divided
- 2 lb yellow-fleshed potatoes, scrubbed, cut into ⅛-inch-thick slices (about 3)
- 5 sprigs thyme, leaves picked
- ¾ tsp smoked paprika
- 1½ cups reduced-sodium vegetable broth, divided
- 2 tbsp arrowroot flour
- ⅓ cup grated nondairy Parmesan
- 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tbsp chopped chives or thyme leaves, for garnish
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Place a 1.5-qt casserole dish on a baking sheet.
- In a large nonstick skillet on medium, heat one-third of oil. Add onion and cook, stirring for 3 minutes; stir in garlic, pinch each salt and pepper and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Push onion mixture to side of skillet and add remaining oil. Scatter potatoes and sprinkle remaining salt, pepper, thyme and paprika and cook, stirring until potatoes are slightly softened, 7 to 9 minutes. Stir in one-half of broth, scraping up bits from bottom of pan.
- In a small bowl, whisk remaining one-half of broth and arrowroot to create a slurry; drizzle over potatoes and bring to a boil. Cook, flipping potato mixture, for 1 to 2 minutes, until sauce is thickened.
- In a small bowl, combine Parmesan and nutritional yeast. Arrange one-third of the potato mixture with liquid in the casserole dish and sprinkle with one-third of the Parmesan mixture; repeat with remaining potato mixture with liquid and Parmesan mixture.
- Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and continue to cook until potatoes are tender when pierced with a paring knife and top is browned, about 25 minutes.
- Broil for 1 to 2 minutes for a crispy top, if desired. Let cool for 10 to 15 minutes then sprinkle with chives or thyme before serving.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size ⅙ of recipe
- Calories 223
- Carbohydrate Content 36 g
- Cholesterol Content 0 mg
- Fat Content 8 g
- Fiber Content 4 g
- Protein Content 6 g
- Saturated Fat Content 1 g
- Sodium Content 358 mg
- Sugar Content 3 g
- Monounsaturated Fat Content 5 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat Content 1 g