Au Gratin Dairy Free Scalloped Potatoes

If you or one of your guests for the holidays needs dairy free scalloped potatoes we have a great option for you! In the event that your favorite dish is our au gratin potatoes without cream, but need tips on how to make it lactose free we can help!

Dairy-Free Scalloped Potatoes Recipe

We first made this Slow Cooker Cheesy Potatoes with Frozen Hashbrowns back in the day with shredded potatoes. Once my husband could no longer handle lactose I got to getting creative with our favorite dishes during the holidays. I knew I could come up with a version he could eat with a little experimenting and I did!

It took a while to find a great vegan plant based butter but Country Crock has one. Shredded dairy free cheese was the next one, Daiya has been the best one thus far for us. Over time it has become easier and easier to find alternatives as I think more and more people are in need of it. Lucky for us.

Dairy Free Au Gratin Potatoes

Now there are quite a few vegan cheese brands out there at the market nowadays. Goat cheese is sometimes more easily digested by those with aversions or allergies to cow’s milk cheese. Also look for cheeses labeled chèvre which is the French term for goat. Here are other alternatives you might be able to find.

1. Cheese made from nuts, such as cashews, almonds, or macadamia nuts, are commonly used as dairy free alternatives. Often available in various flavors, including cheddar, mozzarella, and pepper jack.
2. Soy cheese is available and offer a creamy texture and mild flavor. They are typically made from soy milk or tofu and can be found in various forms like slices, shreds, or blocks.
3. Rice cheese are made from rice milk and offer a mild and slightly sweet taste. They are often used as a dairy-free alternative in dishes like pizza and lasagna.
4. Cheese made from coconut milk provide a rich and creamy texture. They can be used in both sweet and savory dishes and offer a slight coconut flavor. Commonly found in flavors such as mozzarella, cheddar, and cream cheese.
5. Potato based cheeses are made from plant based ingredients. They often have a mild and neutral taste, making them versatile for various recipes. Used in dishes like grilled cheese sandwiches or macaroni and cheese.

It’s important to note that the taste and texture of dairy-free cheese alternatives may vary from traditional dairy cheese. It’s recommended to try different brands and types to find the ones that best suit your preferences and dietary needs. I typically use Daiya cashew milk style for this and to make our 5 Ingredient Hash Brown Casserole.

Scalloped Red Potatoes

Yes you could use a variety of taters to make this. We make baked red potatoes vs. russet potatoes many times for dinner. If that is what I have on hand already I’ll use those like we did here.

Keep in mind that red are firmer than others so they are sliced thinner and take a bit longer to get tender. If using Yukon gold potatoes you could check a bit sooner as they are starchier. Below is baked in the oven, another alternative is Slow Cooker Scalloped Potatoes with Ham.

Dairy Free Thanksgiving Sides

• Preheat the oven to 380 degrees F. Cut the peeled potatoes into very thin slices. It is convenient to use a grater-slicer or mandolin so they are all the same thickness.
• Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add all-purpose flour and mix with a spatula.
• Start pouring milk and stir at the same time. When you get a thick sauce, add a pinch of salt, pepper, thyme and nutmeg, mix again.
• Add 1 1/2 cup grated cheddar stir until cheese is melted.
• Put a third of the chopped potatoes in a baking dish, put half of the chopped onion on top. Salt the potatoes a little.
• Pour a third of the cheese sauce over the potatoes. Top with another layer of potatoes and onions, then sauce, another layer of potatoes and remaining sauce. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake in the oven for 50 minutes.

Remove the foil, top with a cup of grated cheddar and bake for another 30 minutes. Remove, keep warm for 10-15 minutes to solidify up. Cut the potato gratin into portions and serve. Now you could add precooked meat into the mix too like we did with our Ground Beef Hash Brown Casserole.

Cheesy Potatoes Dairy Free

When I try it that way I will make a note of it, if you do before I can though please share your experience below. I can’t imagine it would make much of a difference other than the baking time would be significantly less since they are already somewhat tender and quite thin. To get started you’ll need;

• 1.5 cups thinly sliced potatoes peeled and sliced
  • you can read up on Different Types of Potatoes here, we used red
• 4 tbsp vegan butter, Country crock has a great version
• 2.5 c dairy free cheese Daiya has a great shredded cheddar cheese variety that works well, or use half cheddar half another variety
  • nutritional yeast is another choice you could use
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/3 tsp pepper, nutmeg and thyme
• 1 small onion diced
• 3 tbsp all purpose flour to thicken
• 1 c lactose free milk or plain almond milk, cashew or coconut for sweeter flavor as full of fat as possible

I have not made this yet with bagged diced or frozen hashbrowns, though I think it could be done. You would want to spread them on paper towels to absorb the excess moisture before using though.

I’d use the same amount, 1.5 cups of those and follow the rest of the directions as stated. Imagine it would come out similar to our Cheesy Hashbrown Potatoes.

How do you doctor up scalloped potatoes?

The most common thing I will do is to add some diced leftover ham bits into the mix, or bacon bits. I’ll do this when making it fresh or when reheating leftovers. Adds more flavor to your comfort food in a bowl, and makes it more like a meal than a side dish.

Call it what you like, but totally delicious is what comes to mind for us. 😉 Jump to recipe and get started y’all, let us know what you think!