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Home » Recipes » Easy Vegan Scalloped Potatoes (Dauphinoise)

Easy Vegan Scalloped Potatoes (Dauphinoise)

Jun 2, 2020 by The Pesky Vegan | 18 Comments

507 shares
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These easy vegan scalloped potatoes – also known as dauphinoise potatoes or gratin dauphinois – are delicious, creamy, and indulgent. Cheesy and gluten-free, they've become one of my favourite plant-based side dishes.

Easy Vegan Scalloped Potatoes Dauphinoise

I wanted to make this recipe as simple as possible without compromising on flavour, and I think I've hit a winner. Simply throw all the 'cream' ingredients into a blender, pour this over the thin slices of layered potato, add in some fresh chives, and bake in the oven.

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What are dauphinoise / scalloped potatoes?

Vegan Potato Gratin Slice Close-Up

Dauphinoise potatoes are a classic French side dish from the Dauphiné region. In a traditional recipe, thinly sliced layers of raw potato are baked in milk or cream with ingredients such as garlic.

In many English-speaking countries, these are known as scalloped potatoes and are often topped with cheese.

Is this the same as potato gratin?

'Au gratin' is a cooking method whereby an ingredient – not just potato – is topped with a breadcrumb and/or cheese crust. It is usually cooked under an overhead grill to make the topping golden and crispy.

There are very subtle differences between dauphinoise, scalloped, and au gratin, and the terms are often used interchangeably.

So, how can we confuse this even further? Let's make it vegan.

How do you make scalloped potatoes vegan?

Crispy Vegan Scalloped Potatoes Close-Up

To veganise this classic dish, we need to recreate the creamy liquid in a way that's completely dairy-free. I use a blended mix that includes cashew nuts and plant-based milk (much like my recipes for vegan cheesy pasta sauce, vegan cauliflower cheese soup, and cashew cream).

The cream gets its depth of flavour from the dried herbs, garlic powder, and stock powder, while the nutritional yeast gives it all a nice cheesy note.

Which potatoes to use for dauphinoise?

Close-Up of Thinly Sliced Potatoes

You can make this dish with either waxy potatoes (such as Charlotte or Anya) or floury potatoes (such as Maris Piper or King Edward). Floury potatoes result in a softer final product, and it's what I've used here (they're also best for crispy roast potatoes).

Whatever you go for, just be sure to cut the potatoes into very thin slices so that they cook through. It's up to you whether you leave the skin on – I like to as it gives more texture and packs in more nutrients.

How to make easy vegan scalloped potatoes

Easy Vegan Scalloped Potatoes Dauphinoise Gratin Ingredients

Preheat the oven to 180°C (360°F). To a blender, add the cashews, plant-based milk, water, olive oil, nutritional yeast, stock powder, garlic powder, dried thyme, dried rosemary, salt, and pepper.

Cream for Vegan Scalloped Potatoes Unblended

Blitz thoroughly until the mix is completely smooth. It might look quite thin at first, but it'll thicken in the oven as it bakes together with the starchy sliced potatoes.

Cream for Vegan Scalloped Potatoes Blended

In a greased oven dish, arrange approx. one third of the raw potato slices to create layers. Pour over approx. one third of the blended cream mix and sprinkle with approx. one third of the chives.

Vegan Dauphinoise Potatoes Layered with Chives

Repeat this process until you have used up all of the potato slices. If you have any potato ends or odd pieces, add all these in the first layer.

Press down on the potato slices using the back of a spoon – the creamy mix should come to just below the top layer of potato. If necessary, pour over a little more plant-based milk.

Vegan Scalloped Potatoes Prepared

If using plant-based butter, dab small amounts of this all over the surface of the potatoes. Cover the dish with tin foil and bake in the oven for approx. 45 minutes.

After 45 minutes, remove the foil and continue to bake for another 15-20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender enough to easily pierce with a knife or fork. The cooking time may vary slightly depending on how thinly you sliced the potatoes.

To make the top extra golden and crispy, you can place the dish under the grill for an additional 5-10 minutes (although it should already be a nice golden-brown colour after baking with the foil off).

Baked Vegan Scalloped Potato Gratin

Once cooked, remove the dish from the oven and leave it to sit for 5 minutes before serving. This allows the creamy mix to thicken and set in the potato.

Variations/tips for vegan dauphinoise potatoes

  • Slicing the potatoes: You want the potatoes to be quite thinly sliced – if you have a mandoline or slicer attachment on your food processor then by all means use this.
  • Soak cashews: For extra creaminess, you can soak the cashews for five minutes in boiled water. This is useful if your blender isn’t very powerful, but not really necessary if you have a good blender. 
  • Add fresh veg: I've used garlic powder to keep things simple and cut down on washing up, but you could also fry a few cloves of garlic and sliced onions or leeks and layer these into the potatoes.
  • Use fresh herbs: I've used dried herbs for speed and simplicity, but you could swap these for the fresh equivalent.
  • Make it cheesier: Try adding a spoonful of vegan Dijon mustard and/or extra nutritional yeast to the blender. You could also top the bake off with some vegan cheese (such as this Four-Ingredient Vegan Parmesan). 
  • Plant-based milk: You could swap out some or all of the plant-based milk for water, but it won’t be quite as creamy or tasty.
  • Gluten-free: If you need to ensure that this recipe is 100% gluten-free, use a vegan stock and a plant-based milk that are certified or labelled as such.

How to store vegan scalloped potatoes

Refrigerate: You can refrigerate these potatoes for up to four days. Reheat in the microwave or in an oven on low heat.

Freeze: Freeze these potatoes in sealed containers or resealable bags for up to six months. Defrost thoroughly before reheating in the microwave. You could also reheat from frozen in the oven for around 30 minutes or until piping hot.

Hey you – let me know what you think

If you made this recipe and enjoyed it – or did anything differently – I'd love to hear from you down below in the comments 👇

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More vegan recipe ideas

If you liked this recipe, you may also enjoy:

  • Crispy Roast Potatoes
  • Ultimate Vegan Haggis
  • Ultimate Vegan Mashed Potatoes
  • Cajun-Spiced Baked Potato Wedges
  • Creamy Vegan Cauliflower Cheese
  • Vegan Cottage Pie
  • Mashed Potato Pancakes
  • Vegan Stovies (Scottish Potato Stew)
Easy Vegan Scalloped Potatoes Dauphinoise

Easy Vegan Scalloped Potatoes (Dauphinoise)

The Pesky Vegan
These easy vegan scalloped potatoes are delicious, creamy, and indulgent. Cheesy and gluten-free, they're one of my favourite plant-based side dishes.
4.86 from 7 votes
Rate this Recipe Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 1 hr 10 mins
Total Time 1 hr 25 mins
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Gluten-free, Vegan
Servings 6
Calories 307 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1.2 kg potatoes, scrubbed or peeled and very thinly sliced (see notes)
  • 75-100 g unsalted cashew nuts
  • 400 ml plant-based milk
  • 300 ml water
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 4 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • 2 teaspoons dried vegan stock powder (or 2 crumbled stock cubes)
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Small handful of fresh chives, finely chopped (optional)
  • Plant-based butter, to dot over the surface before baking (optional)
Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 180°C (360°F).
  • To a blender, add the cashews, plant-based milk, water, olive oil, nutritional yeast, stock powder, garlic powder, dried thyme, dried rosemary, salt, and pepper. Blitz thoroughly until the mix is completely smooth. It might look quite thin at first, but it'll thicken in the oven as it bakes together with the starchy sliced potatoes.
  • In a greased oven dish, arrange approx. one third of the raw potato slices to create layers. Pour over approx. one third of the blended cream mix and sprinkle with approx. one third of the chives. Repeat this process until you have used up all of the potato slices. If you have any potato ends or odd pieces, add all these in the first layer.
  • Press down on the potato slices using the back of a spoon – the creamy mix should come to just below the top layer of potato. If necessary, pour over a little more plant-based milk.
  • If using plant-based butter, dot small amounts of this all over the surface of the potatoes. Cover the dish with tin foil and bake in the oven for approx. 45 minutes.
  • After 45 minutes, remove the foil and continue to bake for another 15-20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender enough to easily pierce with a knife or fork. The cooking time may vary slightly depending on how thinly you sliced the potatoes.
  • To make the top extra golden and crispy, you can place the dish under the grill for an additional 5-10 minutes (although it should already be a nice golden-brown colour after baking with the foil off).
  • Once cooked, remove the dish from the oven and leave it to sit for 5 minutes before serving. This allows the creamy mix to thicken and set in the potato.
Rate this recipe 👇

Notes

Oven dish: The dish I used was 12" (L) x 9" (W) x 2" (D) (approx. 30cm x 23cm x 5cm).
Slicing the potatoes: You want the potatoes to be quite thinly sliced – if you have a mandoline or slicer attachment on your food processor then by all means use this to slice the potatoes. It’s up to you whether you leave the skin on – I like to as it gives more texture and packs in more nutrients.
Potato variety: You can make this dish with either waxy potatoes (such as Charlotte or Anya) or floury potatoes (such as Maris Piper or King Edward). Floury potatoes result in a softer final product, and it’s what I’ve used here.
Soak cashews: For extra creaminess, you can soak the cashews for five minutes in boiled water. This is useful if your blender isn’t very powerful, but not really necessary if you have a good blender. 
Add fresh veg: I've used garlic powder to keep things simple and cut down on washing up, but you could also fry a few cloves of garlic and sliced onions or leeks and layer these into the potatoes. If doing so, remember that you won't need the garlic powder.
Use fresh herbs: I've used dried herbs for speed and simplicity, but you could swap these for the fresh equivalent. You could either add these to the blender or add them into the layers of potato.
Make it cheesier: To give these potatoes more of a cheesy kick, try adding a spoonful of vegan Dijon mustard and/or extra nutritional yeast to the blender. You could also add some vegan cheese (such as this Four-Ingredient Vegan Parmesan) – sprinkle this over with 10 minutes to go and switch to the grill. 
Plant-based milk: You could swap out some or all of the plant-based milk for water, but it won’t be quite as creamy or tasty.
Gluten-free: If you need to ensure that this recipe is 100% gluten-free, use a vegan stock and a plant-based milk that are certified or labelled as such.
Storage: You can store these potatoes in the fridge for up to four days or in the freezer for up to six months.
If you liked this recipe, you might also enjoy:
  • Ultimate Vegan Haggis
  • Ultimate Vegan Mashed Potatoes
  • Cajun-Spiced Baked Potato Wedges
  • Creamy Vegan Cauliflower Cheese
  • Vegan Cottage Pie
  • Vegan Cheesy Pasta Sauce
  • Vegan Cauliflower Cheese Soup
  • Easy Roasted Cauliflower
  • Vegan Stovies (Scottish Potato Stew)
 
* The nutrition info below is for one serving of the potatoes, based on a total of six servings.

Nutrition

Calories: 307kcalCarbohydrates: 49gProtein: 10gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 275mgPotassium: 1070mgFiber: 7gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 139IUVitamin C: 39mgCalcium: 129mgIron: 3mg
Nutrition Facts
Easy Vegan Scalloped Potatoes (Dauphinoise)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 307 Calories from Fat 81
% Daily Value*
Fat 9g14%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Sodium 275mg12%
Potassium 1070mg31%
Carbohydrates 49g16%
Fiber 7g29%
Sugar 8g9%
Protein 10g20%
Vitamin A 139IU3%
Vitamin C 39mg47%
Calcium 129mg13%
Iron 3mg17%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Keyword vegan dauphinoise potatoes, vegan potato gratin, vegan side dish
Did you make this recipe?Leave a comment down below or tag me on Instagram @thepeskyvegan along with the hashtag #thepeskyvegan

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Andrea

    June 05, 2020 at 10:32 am

    5 stars
    Excellent and easy!!! Worked 1st time beautifully!

    Reply
    • The Pesky Vegan

      June 05, 2020 at 11:03 am

      Great to hear, thanks very much for leaving a review!

      Reply
    • Thomas

      January 22, 2021 at 9:17 pm

      4 stars
      Was beautiful however it took me 2 and a half hours to get the potatoes lovely and soft! So bare in mind!.

      Reply
      • The Pesky Vegan

        January 23, 2021 at 12:16 pm

        Hi Thomas, sorry to hear you had trouble with this. Provided the potato slices were very thin and you cooked this at the stated temperature (and used foil for the first 45 minutes), it definitely shouldn't take that long. Maybe I'll be more specific in the recipe card about how thin the slices should be.

        Reply
  2. Kristy

    June 08, 2020 at 5:56 pm

    5 stars
    I made this for the first time tonight, super easy and really creamy and delicious. Will definitely be making them again!

    Reply
    • The Pesky Vegan

      June 09, 2020 at 8:51 am

      Glad they went down well, thanks for the feedback!

      Reply
  3. John Sephton

    June 12, 2020 at 2:17 am

    Impressed the hardiest of cheesy-meat lovers with this recipe. I did fall into the trap of ignoring your advice on leaving it watery, so it was more like a creamy quiche, but it made it great the next day, even cold. Thanks PV!

    Reply
    • The Pesky Vegan

      June 12, 2020 at 9:39 am

      Great news - potatoes are going to taste good whatever happens, but no harm in giving it a second go at some point!

      Reply
  4. Vicky

    October 04, 2020 at 1:52 pm

    5 stars
    Feels like a real treat for a gf vegan but actually pretty easy to make - delicious thanks!

    Reply
    • The Pesky Vegan

      October 08, 2020 at 10:15 am

      Glad it ticked the boxes - thanks for the review!

      Reply
  5. sSharon Boast

    November 19, 2020 at 7:51 pm

    5 stars
    Just finished eating this amazing dish, it was absolutely delicious! Would happily serve this to anyone. I didn't have chives or onion powder but it was still gorgeous

    Reply
    • The Pesky Vegan

      November 20, 2020 at 12:12 am

      Hi there, great to hear it went down well - thanks very much for taking the time to leave a review!

      Reply
  6. Tracey

    December 25, 2020 at 3:25 pm

    5 stars
    Had this as one of the sides for Christmas lunch. Delicious and easy! I'm allergic to nuts so used Oatly oat fraiche instead with same quantities and added in about a teaspoon of cayenne pepper. Had no chives and still great but would like to add it in next time. Thanks for sharing and happy holidays 🙂

    Reply
    • The Pesky Vegan

      December 26, 2020 at 11:28 am

      Great to hear and glad it went well with the substitutes - thanks for the review and hope you have a happy festive period!

      Reply
  7. Jill

    November 26, 2021 at 6:21 am

    5 stars
    Hello - I haven't made this yet but it looks delicious! But I was hoping you can help me with a few quick questions?
    1) What kind of potatoes do you recommend if we are in the US? would Yukon Golds work?
    2) Do you have a brand of vegan stock powder that you recommend?
    3) Can this be assembled a day ahead, then baked the day of?
    Thank you!

    Reply
    • The Pesky Vegan

      November 26, 2021 at 9:24 am

      Hi Jill, thanks for your interest!
      1) Yes, I believe Yukon Golds are a good all-rounder or Russets would also work.
      2) Here in the UK, Marigold vegan bouillon powder is quite easy to find in supermarkets. I'm not sure about an exact equivalent in the US, but that's what I use!
      3) I haven't actually tried assembling the day before, but I don't see this being a problem if kept in the fridge before cooking. Alternatively, you could fully or partially cook the day before and then finish on the day. I.e. cook for 45 mins up to the point where you'd remove the foil - step 6 - allow to cool and refrigerate, then finish the next day in the oven without foil.
      You've inspired me to try assembling this the day before, so I'll update the recipe with more notes once I've given it a go!

      Reply
      • Jill

        December 20, 2021 at 8:54 pm

        Thank you! I found the Marigold powder and ordered that (the lower sodium one - will add salt as needed.) May I ask what sized pan you're using? I'll be assembling this on Friday and cooking on Saturday, will let you know how it goes! Thank you, Jill

        Reply
        • The Pesky Vegan

          December 21, 2021 at 8:46 am

          Hi Jill, I've just gone and measured the exact dish I originally used for this recipe. It's 12" (L) x 9" (W) x 2" (D), or approx. 30cm x 23cm x 5cm. Hope that helps, happy cooking!

          Reply

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I'm Alistair and I'm The Pesky Vegan. I create new recipes every single week – always vegan, usually gluten-free.

Like most people, I come from a background where consuming animal products was the norm. It's safe to say I never thought I'd go vegan.

If you want to find out more about how on earth this happened – and how you can do the same – click below.

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