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Ingredients
Potatoes. Yukon Gold are my preferred potatoes for this dish! They’re waxy enough to hold their shape when cooked, and they also have enough starch to help thicken the cream mixture. You can also use russet potatoes. It’s your choice whether or not to peel them before slicing; personally I am not a fan of potato skins.
Onion. Sliced and layered between the potatoes, onions cook up super buttery-soft in this dish and also add extra flavor.
Raw cashews. The base of the cream sauce we’ll be cooking our potatoes in. Soak them for 4+ hours (overnight is okay), and blend them till they’re as smooth as can be.
Garlic. These are blended into the cream sauce to add extra flavor. Add as many cloves as you like!
Nutritional yeast. (Optional.) A few tablespoons of this will add a cheesy flavor to this dish. Typically I don’t add it, because I love the simplicity of the dish without, but it’s an option!
Vegan butter. Soften it to generously grease your casserole pan or cast iron skillet. This will help to keep the potatoes from sticking and it will also contribute extra flavor to the dish.
Fresh herbs. Optionally, add a sprig or two of fresh thyme, rosemary, or sage to the top of the dish. It will perfume the potatoes without overwhelming the delicate flavors. Then you can simply discard before serving. If you don’t have any fresh herbs, that’s fine! Skip this ingredient.
Salt and pepper. Very important — you’ll want to liberally salt and pepper between each layer of potatoes so the dish is properly seasoned.
Cashew Cream Substitutions
Cashew cream is my favorite liquid to use in this recipe because it’s creamy and the cashews have a very neutral flavor. Here are a few alternatives you can try in case you don’t like or can’t eat cashews.
- Use blanched, slivered almonds (soaked 4+ hours) or raw sunflower seeds (soaked 30 minutes) in place of cashews when preparing the cream. Texture and flavor will vary slightly with substitution.
- Substitute in 2 1/2 cups vegan heavy cream substitute, such as the Silk Heavy Whipping Cream Alternative or Country Crock Plant Cream. The flavor is not quite as neutral as cashew cream in my opinion, so make sure to taste it before using.
- Substitute in 2 1/2 cups unsweetened plain plant milk blended, blended with 2 tablespoons cornstarch or arrowroot powder to help thicken. Make sure the plant milk is one that you know will taste good in a savory dish. Some varieties taste good in smoothies or in coffee but taste a little “off” in savory recipes.
Need More Vegan Thanksgiving & Holiday Recipes?
- Vegan Green Bean Casserole (Gluten-Free Optional)
- Classic Vegan Stuffing
- Vegan Chicken Pot Pie
- Roasted Beet and Feta Salad
- Fall Harvest Stuffing
Vegan Scalloped Potatoes
Equipment
- mandoline slicer or knife
- cutting board
- high powered blender if making homemade cashew cream
- 2 quart casserole dish or 10" cast iron skillet
- aluminum foil
Ingredients
Cream Sauce
- 1 cup raw cashews soaked 4+ hours
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 2-4 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast (optional, for a slightly cheesy flavor)
Vegan Scalloped Potatoes
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter softened, to grease the pan
- 2 lbs Yukon gold or russet potatoes peeled and sliced between 1/8" and 1/4" thickness
- 1 small white or yellow onion or 2 shallots, very thinly sliced
- 1-2 sprigs fresh herbs of choice such as thyme, rosemary, or sage
- salt and pepper to preference
Instructions
Prepare the Cream Sauce
- Drain the soaked cashews and add to a high-powered blender with water and garlic cloves (and nutritional yeast, optionally). Blend until as smooth as possible.
Assemble the Vegan Scalloped Potatoes
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 2 quart casserole dish or 10" cast iron skillet with 2 tablespoons softened vegan butter.
- Layer about a third of the sliced potatoes on the bottom of the pan. Scatter half of the sliced onions over top. Season generously with salt and pepper.
- Create a second layer with another third of the potatoes and the remaining onions. Again, generously season with salt and pepper. Top with the remaining potatoes.
- Pour the cream mixture over the potatoes. It should almost come up to the top, but the potatoes will not be entirely submerged. Season the top with salt and pepper.
- Optionally, place a spring or two of fresh herbs of choice on top. This will perfume the scalloped potatoes as they cook without overpowering the dish.
- Cover the casserole dish or skillet with foil and seal edges tightly in order to trap the steam to help the potatoes cook through evenly.
- Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes, covered. Remove the foil and bake, uncovered, for an additional 30-35 minutes, until the top is golden and the dish is beginning to brown around the edges.
Video
Notes
- Use blanched, slivered almonds (soaked 4+ hours) or raw sunflower seeds (soaked 30 minutes) in place of cashews when preparing the cream. Texture and flavor will vary slightly with substitution.
- Substitute in 2 1/2 cups vegan heavy cream substitute, such as the Silk Heavy Whipping Cream Alternative or Country Crock Plant Cream. The flavor is not quite as neutral as cashew cream in my opinion, so make sure to taste it before using.
- Substitute in 2 1/2 cups unsweetened plain plant milk blended, blended with 2 tablespoons cornstarch or arrowroot powder to help thicken.
