As the holiday season approaches, it's time to plan the menu for your epic feasts! This year, why not add a delectable vegan dish to your menu that will satisfy even the most discerning palates? My vegan scalloped potatoes are a delightful twist on a classic side dish, as I've added sweet caramelized onions on top!
This vegan scalloped potatoes recipe was inspired by the early days of hot for food. Do you remember when I created a RECIPE?! for scalloped potatoes? I made that one up on the spot using what I had in the fridge. Followers continue to make that recipe with lots of success, but I felt I needed to update things for my preferences.
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This vegan scalloped potatoes recipe isn't that different, but it doesn't use any vegan cheese products and has fewer ingredients in the sauce. However, it still packs a very flavorful punch with the addition of the caramelized onions. It would make a great accompaniment to my whole roasted cauliflower or even my gluten-free green bean casserole.
This dish is incredibly tasty and it's an inclusive choice for all your holiday gatherings. Why does everyone gotta forget about the vegans?! Even if you're serving a roast or a turkey I highly recommend making all the sides vegan-friendly. It'll lighten the load of your plate and you won't feel so stuffed when you've licked it clean! I'm positive your guests would appreciate it too. Besides, does anyone really need to know?
what you need
- russet potatoes
- yellow onions
- raw cashews
- vegan butter
- vegan chicken-flavored bouillon
- white wine vinegar
- nutritional yeast
- garlic
- fresh thyme
- salt & pepper
See the recipe card for quantities.
how to make the recipe
Watch the video below the recipe card to see how to make this dish. The order in which you prepare each element for the vegan scalloped potatoes is important so that the potatoes don't turn color while you prepare everything else.
Soak the raw cashews in hot water to get them softer. This will help make a smooth creamy sauce.
Slice the onion thin on a mandolin. Caramelize them first as this takes the longest.
Caramelizing onions will take about 20 to 30 minutes. And you might not cook them all the way brown as they'll continue to caramelize in the oven when you bake the entire dish.
Meanwhile, make the cashew sauce by adding drained cashews to the blender with fresh hot water, bouillon paste, white wine vinegar, nutritional yeast, salt and ground pepper.
You can slice the peeled potatoes on the mandolin as well and have them ready as soon as the onions are finished caramelizing.
Remove the onions from the pan and sauté the aromatics for the scalloped potatoes, including more vegan butter, minced garlic, and fresh thyme.
Add the potatoes to the pan in thirds, while tossing them around to coat in the garlic and thyme. Add a ½ cup of hot water and toss around and then place a lid on the pan for about 5 minutes.
Remove the lid on the pan and add in all the sauce. Gently toss the potatoes in the sauce and arrange in an even layer. Turn off the heat.
You'll then arrange the caramelized onions on top of the sauced potatoes in an even layer. Place this in an oven that's preheated to 400°F and bake for 30 minutes.
equipment you need
I almost always use a cast iron pan for my cooking. I love it because you can sauté in it and then throw it in the oven. Stainless steel pans are also oven-safe. But if you decide you'll transfer the potatoes and sauce into a glass casserole dish that's ok too. Keep in mind, your bake time will be longer though. Glass and metal conduct heat differently! So bake it in a glass casserole dish any where from 50 to 70 minutes. I would also add the caramelized onions on top half-way through the bake time in this case.
A mandolin is a very handy tool to have in your kitchen. You'll notice I use it quite a bit and when you need to slice stuff very thin, like for this recipe, it's much safer than using a knife. Plus unless you're very skilled, which I'm not, the knife won't get it thin enough! Everyone swears by this Japanese mandolin.
substitutions
- potatoes - I used russet potatoes, but you can also use yellow potatoes. I find russets have the best texture and are my go-to potato for a casserole or when making mashed potatoes as well.
- cashews - I do prefer scalloped potatoes with cashews as the base for the sauce as they make the sauce very rich and creamy like traditional scalloped potatoes. But if you're nut-free you could swap the cashews for firm tofu. Measure out 1 cup of crumbled tofu in a dry measuring cup. Add that to the blender and to add some fat I would add about 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the mix.
- vegan chicken-flavored bouillon - I like this brand or this brand for whenever I call for this ingredient in my recipes. You can also use a vegetable bouillon paste, powder or cubes. This just adds a concentrated flavor as well as sodium to the recipe.
You'll find by searching vegan scalloped potato recipes that some creators have made a version using a flour roux method for the sauce. I don't love that particular version, but if it's something you want to try you can check out this recipe here.
This dish is not only a Thanksgiving favorite but also perfect for any holiday celebration you're throwing. Impress your guests with this culinary masterpiece and create a new tradition celebrating delicious comfort food and a compassionate lifestyle. Enjoy your holiday feasts!
vegan scalloped potatoes recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ to 1 ¾ lbs russet potatoes peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 yellow onion thinly sliced
- ¼ C + 1 tablespoon salted vegan butter divided
- 1 C raw cashews soaked for 20 minutes in hot water
- 1 ½ C + ½ C hot water divided
- 2 teaspoon vegan chicken-flavored bouillon paste
- 2 teaspoon white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme tender stems and leaves finely chopped
Instructions
- In a large oven safe skillet over medium-high heat, melt ¼ cup of vegan butter. Toss in onions and a pinch of salt, coating the onions in butter. Then continue to cook, only tossing occasionally to caramelize. Total cook time is about 30 minutes or until evenly golden brown and caramelized. Lower heat as needed to prevent burning.
- Meanwhile you can make the sauce. Drain the cashews from the soaking water, and add to a high powered blender with 1 ½ cups of hot water, bouillon paste, white wine vinegar, nutritional yeast, sea salt, and ground pepper. Blend until very very smooth and set aside.
- Preheat oven to 400°F close to when the onions are nearly done.
- Remove the caramelized onions onto a plate and set aside. Add 1 tablespoon of vegan butter, minced garlic, and thyme to the pan and sauté about 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant. Lower the heat on the pan, if needed, to prevent garlic from burning. Add sliced potatoes in thirds, and toss in the mixture to coat evenly. Once all the potatoes are in the pan add ½ cup of hot water and a lid to the pan. Cook 5 to 6 minutes. Remove lid, add in the cashew cream, gently toss the potatoes in the sauce and arrange in an even layer. Turn off the heat. Add caramelized onions on top in an even layer. I found it easiest to use my fingers to place them on top.
- Place the entire skillet in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. If you decide to transfer the scalloped potatoes in a glass casserole dish for baking, as opposed to a cast iron pan or other metal oven safe skillet, it will take over double the time to bake until the potatoes are soft enough. So bake anywhere from 50 to 70 minutes. I would also maybe add the caramelized onions on top half way through the bake time in this case.
allHungry
These vegan caramelized onion scalloped potatoes are a flavor-packed delight that will leave you craving more!
Julia
I tried this and it was great---much better than I had anticipated. I did not use a mandolin, but rather very thinly sliced them with a knife. Instead of fresh thyme I sprinkled a reasonable amount of ground thyme powder.
Lauren Toyota
lovely!!!