We love potatoes! And there are simply so many ways to enjoy them. Most classic recipes are heavy in dairy, but we find delicious ways around that. This dairy-free potatoes au gratin, for example, is layered with a creamy sauce and has a wonderfully crisp topping. It’s similar to the classic, yet each bite is milk-free, optionally vegan, and even allergy-friendly.
The Best Dairy-Free Potatoes Au Gratin (Creamy & Vegan)
Gratin is a French culinary technique where ingredients are layered and then topped with breadcrumbs, cheese, or both. Potatoes au gratin is similar to Scalloped Potatoes and Dauphinoise potatoes, but the crisped topping sets it apart. This dairy-free potatoes au gratin recipe was shared with us by a reader back in 2006, but we’ve recently updated it.
Why You’ll Love this Dairy-Free Potatoes au Gratin
- Seamlessly Dairy-Free: We use a simple roux to create a rich sauce without a drop of milk.
- Simple Ingredients: You can use short cuts or make it purely from scratch. We have options for both!
- Lower in Fat: Unlike so many cheese and cream heavy recipes, this dairy-free version is lighter and healthier.
- Make Ahead Friendly: You can assemble it a day ahead and bake just before dinner for a quick and easy side dish.
- Versatile: Creamy potatoes pair well with so many mains and sides. We’ve included suggestions below.
- Holiday Ready: Layered potato dishes always impress at Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter, you name it!
What to Serve with Dairy-Free Potatoes au Gratin
- Mains: These creamy potatoes are perfect alongside roasted chicken, pork cutlets or chops, a holiday roast, vegan lentil loaf, or grilled portobello mushrooms.
- Other Sides: Streamed asparagus, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, or green beans cut through the richness, but roasted vegetables also complement nicely.
- As the Main Event: Sprinkle cooked, diced ham or bacon between the potato layers and serve with a side salad.
Recipe FAQs
Can I Use Different Potatoes?
Yukon gold or yellow potatoes are best in dairy-free potatoes au gratin. They have a naturally buttery flavor and a medium starch content that helps thicken the sauce while holding their shape. Russet Potatoes are a suitable substitute, but they will break down a little more, and can thin out the sauce a little.
Do I Need to Peel the Potatoes?
If using Yukon gold or yellow potatoes, you do not need to peel them. If you are using Russet potatoes, peeling is optional, but recommended if you want a creamier dish.
The Sauce seems Runny. What Can I Do?
Let the potatoes rest for 15 minutes when they get out of the oven. The sauce will thicken a little as it cools. Runny sauce is a little more common with Russet potatoes, so do stick with yellow potatoes if you can.
How Can I Make this Dish Ahead?
You have two options! Bake it completely, let it cool to room temperature, cover it with foil, and store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat it in a 350ºF oven, covered, for about 20 to 30 minutes. Optionally uncover and broil for a minute or two. Alternatively, assemble it in the morning and bake it fresh for dinner.
Can I Freeze Dairy-Free Potatoes au Gratin?
Potatoes can sometimes change texture when frozen (becoming slightly grainy). But the sauce and topping do help it hold up a little better. Tightly wrap the fully cooked potatoes and freeze them for up to 2 months. Let them thaw in the refrigerator before reheating in the oven.
Special Diet Notes: Dairy-Free Potatoes au Gratin
By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, nut-free, peanut-free, optionally soy-free, optionally vegan, plant-based, and optionally vegetarian.
Dairy-Free Potatoes au Gratin
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13-inch baking dish or a smaller dish if you want more coverage with the gratin topping.
- Heat 2 tablespoons buttery spread or olive oil in a medium skillet over low heat. Add the onions and sauté until golden, 10 to 15 minutes.
- Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons buttery spread or olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk for 1 minute, or until lightly golden. Slowly whisk in the broth, stirring constantly, until the sauce is smooth. Once the sauce begins to thicken and bubble, cook it for about 2 minutes, while whisking.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat, and season with salt and pepper.
- Layer 1/3 of the potatoes in your prepared baking dish, followed by 1/2 of the onions, and a light sprinkling of sat and pepper. Repeat this process and then top with the final 1/3 of the potatoes.
- Pour the sauce evenly over the potatoes and cover the baking dish tightly with foil. Bake for 45 minutes.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the breadcrumbs and Parmesan alternative.
- Remove the foil from the potatoes and sprinkle evenly with the bread crumbs.
- Bake for 45 minutes more, or until the potatoes are tender and the crumbs are crisp and browned.
3 Comments
This recipe looks fantastic. I can’t wait to try it for Thanksgiving 2024. Cheers and gratitude.
This looks so simple to make dairy free! (Although the dairy free parm may be hard to find in stores near me, but that’s what Amazon is for!) Thanks for this great recipe. 🙂
Or you can just make the easy parm recipe! Much easier to find the ingredients for that 🙂