Dairy-Free Scalloped Potatoes
Tender dairy-free scalloped potatoes baked in a savory garlic-thyme cream sauce made with dairy-free butter, oat milk, broth, and cashew cream, then finished until golden and bubbling.
Recipe by Non Dairy Dude
Scalloped potatoes were one of the first things I tried to remake after cutting dairy. First attempt was watery. Second was weirdly sweet. Third was closer. What finally worked was treating the sauce like a real bechamel: a roux of dairy-free butter and flour, oat milk for the body, and all-purpose dairy-free cashew cream stirred in at the end for richness. Not a workaround. Just a sauce that actually holds up in the oven.
Yukon Golds are the move here. They're sturdy enough to stay in distinct layers but soft enough to absorb the sauce as it bakes. The Dijon, thyme, nutmeg, and garlic give you that savory depth that dairy usually provides. Nutritional yeast and a dairy-free parmesan-style topping are both optional, but I usually add them. They push the flavor closer to the original without making it taste like a health-food project.
This one goes with almost anything you'd put on a holiday table. It's a good call alongside dairy-free mushroom gravy or as the starchy layer next to a dairy-free green bean casserole. Leftovers reheat well with a splash of broth to loosen the sauce back up.
This recipe uses: All-Purpose Dairy-Free Cashew Cream
Ingredients
Potatoes
- 3 lbYukon Gold potatoes, peeled if desired
Sauce
- 3 tbspDairy-free butter
- 1 mediumYellow onion or large shallot, finely diced
- 3 clovesGarlic cloves, minced
- ¼ cupAll-purpose flour
- 1 cupLow-sodium vegetable broth or chicken broth
- 1½ cupsUnsweetened oat milk
- 1 cupAll-purpose dairy-free cashew cream
Seasoning
- 1 tspDijon mustard
- 1½ tspFresh thyme leaves
- 1½ tspFine salt, plus more to taste
- ½ tspFreshly ground black pepper
- pinchGround nutmeg
- 2 tspNutritional yeast, optional
Finish
- ¼ cupDairy-free parmesan-style grated topping, optional
- 2 tbspFresh chives or parsley, chopped, optional
Instructions
- 1
Heat the oven to 375 F. Lightly grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
- 2
Slice the potatoes 1/8 inch thick, preferably with a mandoline for even layers. Keep the slices together and do not rinse them; their starch helps the sauce set.
- 3
Melt the dairy-free butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion or shallot and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until softened but not browned.
- 4
Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Sprinkle in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 to 2 minutes, until the flour is fully coated and smells lightly toasty.
- 5
Slowly whisk in the broth, starting with a small splash and whisking smooth before adding more. Whisk in the oat milk, then simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, until the sauce thickens lightly.
- 6
Reduce the heat to low. Whisk in the cashew cream, Dijon mustard, thyme, salt, black pepper, nutmeg, and nutritional yeast if using. Taste the sauce; it should be savory and a little more seasoned than you would want to eat by itself.
- 7
Arrange about one-third of the potato slices in the baking dish, overlapping them slightly. Spoon over one-third of the sauce. Repeat with two more layers of potatoes and sauce, finishing with sauce on top.
- 8
Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 50 minutes. Carefully remove the foil, sprinkle with dairy-free parmesan-style topping if using, and bake uncovered for 25 to 35 minutes more, until the potatoes are tender and the top is golden in spots.
- 9
Check tenderness by sliding a knife into the center; it should pass through the potato layers with little resistance. If the top browns before the center is tender, cover loosely with foil and continue baking.
- 10
Let the scalloped potatoes rest for at least 15 minutes before serving. Finish with chives or parsley if using.
How we make it dairy-free
- Butter → Dairy-free butter builds the roux. It browns and behaves like regular butter here, so the sauce has the same starting point as the original.
- Milk and cream → Unsweetened oat milk and low-sodium broth replace the dairy liquid. Oat milk has enough body to stay creamy in the oven without curdling or going grainy.
- Heavy cream → All-purpose dairy-free cashew cream adds richness at the end. It's thicker than oat milk, so it gives the sauce the weight the original cream would provide.
Nutritional yeast and a dairy-free parmesan-style grated topping are both optional, but they add savory depth that makes the final dish taste less like something is missing.
Tips & Variations
Slice evenly: Even 1/8-inch slices are the difference between tender layers and random crunchy pockets. A mandoline is the easiest tool, but a sharp knife works if you take your time.
Do not rinse the potatoes: The surface starch helps the sauce cling and thicken as the casserole bakes.
Yukon Golds are ideal: They hold their shape while still turning creamy. Russets work, but they can break down more and make the sauce thicker.
Season the sauce boldly: Potatoes absorb salt and mellow everything. The sauce should taste slightly more seasoned than you would want on its own.
Keep the cashew cream gentle: Once the cashew cream is added, keep the sauce at low heat. Hard boiling can make it thicken too aggressively before it reaches the potatoes.
About nutritional yeast: It is optional and intentionally restrained. Use it for a little savory roundness, not a loud cheese flavor.
Rest before serving: The casserole will look loose straight from the oven. Fifteen minutes of resting lets the starches and sauce settle into clean, creamy layers.
Make ahead: Bake fully, cool, cover, and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Reheat covered at 350 F until hot, then uncover for the last 10 minutes to revive the top.
If making the cashew cream from scratch: Add about 40 minutes for soaking and blending before starting this recipe.
Frequently asked questions
Can I make dairy-free scalloped potatoes ahead of time?⌄
Yes. Assemble the whole dish, cover tightly, and refrigerate up to 24 hours before baking. Add about 10 minutes to the bake time since you're starting from cold. You can also fully bake them, refrigerate, and reheat covered at 325°F with a splash of broth poured over the top.
Why did my sauce break or get grainy in the oven?⌄
The most common cause is oat milk that wasn't fully whisked into the roux before adding more liquid, or a sauce that got too hot too fast. Keep the heat at medium when building the roux, add the oat milk gradually, and make sure the cashew cream goes in last after you pull the pan off the heat.
Do I have to peel the Yukon Gold potatoes?⌄
No. The skins on Yukons are thin enough that most people don't notice them in the finished dish. If you prefer a cleaner look or softer texture, peel them. Either way, slice them thin and evenly, around 1/8 inch, so they cook at the same rate.
Can I add anything on top for a golden crust?⌄
A sprinkle of dairy-free parmesan-style grated topping before the last 15 minutes of baking gets you a golden top. You can also uncover the dish for the final stretch to let the surface brown. Both work well.
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