This dairy-free potato gratin has a rich béchamel sauce made with cashews and miso, in place of the traditional milk/heavy cream.
Potatoes au gratin (pronounced “oh grah-TAN”, the French way) a.k.a. scalloped potatoes a.k.a. pommes dauphinoise (also French) are the ultimate comfort food for potato lovers. Layers of silky potatoes enveloped in a creamy, savory sauce, with a crisp golden top. It’s a super indulgent, très français way of cooking potatoes and always a crowd-pleaser.
Classic Julia Child-era gratin is made with milk and/or cream, butter, and lots of Gruyere cheese. But those of us who don’t cook with dairy can still make one as rich as the original – thanks to the mighty power of the humble cashew, as well as the combo of nutritional yeast and miso to recreate the “cheesy” flavor.
This dairy-free potato gratin is the perfect potato side dish for Thanksgiving and other holidays, as well as winter potlucks.
What’s In This Dairy-Free Potato Gratin
Key Ingredients + Substitutions
- Cashews: Raw unsalted cashews create the creamiest sauce. (Blanched almonds work too). If you wanna skip making milk, you can experiment with store-bought unsweetened cashew milk or oat milk for the sauce. (Avoid almond milk – it can be overpowering.) However, the success of this dish will really depend on the specific brand, so try it and let me know how it goes! In my experience, cooked down store-bought plant milk can have a chemical aftertaste.
- Flour: For a gluten-free version, use a 1:1 GF flour.
- Nutritional Yeast: A “cheesy”-tasting seasoning sold in most supermarkets. Look for Bragg or Bob’s Red Mill brands. Lasts forever in the pantry so don’t hesitate to buy it if it’s your first time!
- Miso: This Japanese fermented soybean paste lends a savory “cheesy” flavor to this sauce and many other vegan dishes. It lasts forever in the fridge. If avoiding soy, double up on nutritional yeast in the sauce and compensate with an extra pinch of salt.
- Potatoes: Yukon Gold or white/butter potatoes work best here thanks to their waxy texture. Regular Idaho/russet potatoes are a bit too starchy for gratin, but will technically still work. For a fun twist, sub with sweet potatoes.
- Panko Breadcrumbs: Japanese-style, extra-crunchy ‘crumbs. Sold in most supermarkets.
How to Make Vegan Scalloped Potatoes
Find complete instructions with ingredient amounts in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Soak the Cashews.
In a blender, combine cashews with boiling water – but don’t blend yet – and set aside to soak for about 30 minutes. This softens the cashews so they can be blended into a creamy milk.
Step 2: Make Cashew Milk.
Blend until the nuts are completely pulverized, 1 to 2 minutes.
Step 3: Make the Sauce.
Heat a bit of oil in a medium pot and add flour. Cook, whisking almost constantly, until the mixture turns a pale blond color (this is called a roux). Then add the milk and whisk until the roux is fully dissolved. Bring to a simmer and cook gently until it’s thick enough to coat the back of a spoon (similar to the texture of crepe batter), 3 to 5 minutes.
Remember to whisk frequently so the white sauce doesn’t burn on the bottom. Lastly, whisk in miso, nutritional yeast, garlic, rosemary, and a bit of nutmeg if you have it.
Step 4: Assemble the Gratin.
Arrange peeled and sliced potatoes in a baking dish, and pour the sauce on top. Shake the pan a little to distribute the sauce all the way to the bottom layer of potatoes.
Step 5: Bake.
Make-Ahead Tips
These vegan scalloped potatoes are best eaten while still warm from the oven; they’re still delicious after that, but the topping gets a bit soggy. If you want to prep the gratin in advance, cook the sauce (through step 5 below) and refrigerate it for up to 3 days; peel and slice the potatoes, and store them in a container full of water in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Then assemble and bake day-of.
Alternatively, partially bake the assembled gratin (through step 6), cool it, and store covered in the fridge for up to 1 day; before serving, mix up the breadcrumb topping and finish baking.
More Dairy-Free Holiday Recipes…
Let me know if you try this recipe! Give it a rating below and leave a comment, and don’t forget to tag your creation with @thenewbaguette on Instagram.
The Full Recipe
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Dairy-Free Potato Gratin
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 1 hour 15 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: French
- Diet: Vegan
Description
These creamy vegan scalloped potatoes are an indulgent side dish for Thanksgiving and other holidays.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup raw cashews* (see note below)
- 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour*
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast, divided
- 1 tablespoon white miso
- 1 garlic clove, crushed or finely minced
- 1 sprig rosemary, leaves picked and minced*
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (optional)
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 1/4 pounds Yukon Gold or white potatoes (5–6 medium potatoes), peeled and thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup Panko breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Place 3/4 cup cashews in a blender and cover with 3 cups boiling water. Set aside to soak for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375ºF.
- Add 3/4 teaspoon salt to the blender and puree until the mixture turns into milk and the cashews are completely pulverized, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk in 2 tablespoons flour and cook, whisking almost constantly, until the roux is pale blonde, about 1 minute. Then whisk in the cashew milk. Bring to a boil while whisking frequently to prevent burning on the bottom. Then reduce the heat to low and simmer until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, still whisking frequently, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Turn the heat off and add 1 tablespoon each nutritional yeast and miso, 1 crushed garlic clove, 1 sprig minced rosemary, 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg (if using), and lots of pepper. (It’s okay if the sauce tastes too salty at this point because it will flavor the potatoes).
- Arrange the potatoes in an 8×8” baking dish (or similar). Pour the sauce on top and tap the dish on the counter a few times to distribute the sauce to the bottom. Cover with foil. Bake until the potatoes can be pierced easily with a knife, 45 to 60 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup breadcrumbs with 1 tablespoon each nutritional yeast and oil, and a pinch of salt. Rub the mixture together with your fingers to distribute the oil evenly.
- Uncover potatoes and sprinkle with the breadcrumb mixture. Bake uncovered until golden brown, about 15 minutes more. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- If using store-bought milk instead of making your own (see notes above the recipe card), you’ll need 3 1/2 cups.
- For a gluten-free dish, use a 1:1 GF flour blend.
- You can sub the rosemary with fresh or dried thyme.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 of the recipe
- Calories: 244
- Carbohydrates: 35.5 g
- Fiber: 5.3 g
- Protein: 5.5 g
- Cholesterol: 0 g
Lauren says
If I don’t have nutritional yeast (we live about 40 minutes from a store), is there something I can substitute or do you think it will still turn out okay without it?
Alexandra Shytsman says
Hi Lauren! It will probably be okay without it if you double the amount of miso. You can also try compensating with a tiny sprinkle of vegetable bouillon powder.
Leila says
What type of gluten free flour would be a good substitute?
Alexandra says
Hi Leila! I would go for a gluten-free all-purpose blend.
marilynn says
absolutely delicious!!!
Alexandra says
Glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
adina says
It looks amazingly comforting! such a gret vegan option for the holiday season. no thanksgiving here in germany, but christmas is not far away either.