You won't believe that this vegan au gratin potatoes is dairy-free, it's just as rich and indulgent as the classic version. This potato recipe is comfort food at its finest and a must-have on your next Holiday dinner menu. Perfectly cooked potatoes are layered with smoky dairy free cheese and a creamy coconut milk béchamel to make a luscious Holiday side dish with a plant-based twist.
What are Au Gratin Potatoes?
Au gratin potatoes are a classic French recipe of thinly sliced potatoes that are baked with a creamy sauce and cheese. They are baked until tender on the inside and the top layer is crispy. Some versions add breadcrumbs on the top layer for extra crunch. The creamy sauce often includes onions and garlic for a savory flair.
What is the difference between Au Gratin Potatoes and Scalloped Potatoes?
It's easy to confuse scalloped potatoes with au gratin potatoes because they are very similar! They are both dishes made with thinly sliced potatoes baked in a super creamy, savory sauce. But au gratin potatoes have cheese added and a crispy top layer. So, scalloped potatoes are tender baked potatoes in a cream sauce without cheese.
Why you'll love this Vegan Au Gratin Potatoes Recipe
- Vegan and dairy free recipe
- Super cheesy and creamy
- Easy to follow recipe
- Comforting and satisfying
- Beautiful presentation that will impress your guests
- Perfect plant-based side dish for Holiday gatherings like Thanksgiving and Christmas
- Lower in saturated fat and calories than a traditional dairy laden au gratin potatoes
Vegan Cheese Tip
It really doesn't matter what brand vegan cheese you select but my favorites are GOODPLAnet Foods, Violife, Chao and Follow Your Heart. If a smoked gouda is not available, select a smoked cheddar, provolone or mature cheddar style vegan cheese for the best flavor.
Vegan Au gratin potatoes Ingredients
- Yukon Gold and Red Potatoes: These potatoes have thin skins, so no need to peel! Plus their waxy texture holds up well to baking
- Onion and Garlic- To add savory depth to the cream sauce
- Vegan Butter and Flour- These two combined make the roux
- Extra virgin olive oil- To saute the onion and garlic
- Unsweetened Light Coconut Milk- Gives the creamy sauce a silky feel
- Salt- To make the flavors pop
- Nutritional yeast- For that cheesy umami flavor
- Vegan Cheese- I used GOODPLANet Foods smoked gouda style plant-based cheese in this recipe but any cheese will do.
Time Saving Pro tip: Use a mandolin slicer to cut the potatoes. Cutting them in uniform, thin slices is easy with this essential kitchen workhorse. But be careful because it's very easy to slice your fingers too. I like mini mandolins like garlic slicers best, because they are way to set up, easy to clean and much less dangerous.
How to Make Au Gratin Potatoes
This dish takes a little more effort than many of my recipes. Slicing the potatoes into uniform shapes is the most difficult part. Otherwise it is a straightforward and easy to follow recipe, even a beginner cook can make sucessfully. These are the steps, simplified for skimming.
- Saute the Garlic and Onions in olive oil
- Make a roux with vegan butter and flour
- Add the coconut milk to make the cream sauce
- Layer the casserole with the sliced potatoes, cheese and creamy sauce
- Bake covered for 45 minutes
- Uncover and bake an additional 15 minutes to make the crisp top crust layer
Tips for Making the Best Vegan Au Gratin Potatoes
- Make it ahead tip: to save time, slice the potatoes a day ahead. Store them submerged in water to prevent browning overnight
- Make it gluten free: substitute a gluten free flour to make the roux
- Use shredded cheese rather than sliced. This will assure even distribution and better melting
- Make it more nutritious: sub half of the potatoes with thinly sliced sweet potatoes
FAQs
For me, I don't see enough of a difference in vegan butters to make any special trips. Whichever non-dairy butter is available at the store you are shopping will do. If you are on a special diet, watching your sodium, you may want to choose an unsalted dairy-free butter. But I just grab whatever they have. Brands I have tried and loved: Myokos, Violife, Country Crock, Melt, Earth Balance, and Trader Joes.
I promise that if you use lite, unsweetened coconut milk, it won't taste like coconut. But if you really hate it or have an allergy feel free to sub your favorite plant milk. Use a higher fat one like cashew for extra creaminess.
Absolutely. Vegan recipes almost always work with their dairy counterparts. Use regular butter, cheese and cream if you like. You do you!
No, there is flour added to make the roux for the creamy sauce. But you can easily substitute a gluten free all purpose flour to make this recipe.
Yes but it will be time consuming to slice the potatoes. Since we want them to be super thin for even cooking, it will be challenging unless you have great knife skills. We want the potatoes to be uniform as well, for the esthetic presentation.
Other Delicious Vegan Holiday Recipes
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Vegan Au Gratin Potatoes
Ingredients
- 3 pounds Yukon gold and red potatoes cut thin
- 1 large onion sliced thin
- 3 cloves garlic sliced thin
- 4 tbsp vegan butter
- ¼ cup flour
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 ½ cups unsweetened light coconut milk
- 7 oz vegan cheese smoked gouda or smoked cheddar
- ½ cup water
- 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 black pepper for optional garnish
- ½ tsp fresh thyme for optional garnish
Instructions
- In a deep skillet over medium heat add the olive oil and fry the garlic and onions for 5 minutes stirring often until onions are translucent and starting to get some color
- Add the vegan butter and cook for 2-3 minutes until melted then add the flour and combine with the buttery onions and garlic. Cook for 2-3 minutes stirring constantly so that the flour doesn’t burn.
- Next add the coconut milk, stir or whisk to avoid any lumps, add water, salt, nutritional yeast and freshly ground black pepper if using. Then cook stirring often until thick and creamy 2-3 minutes. Turn off the heat.
- In a large, oiled 9x13 oven safe pan layer the creamy sauce, cheese and potatoes in layers like a lasagna. Save the majority of the sauce for the top layer. Sprinkle with a little more nutritional yeast and black pepper. Then cover with tin foil and bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees
- Take the foil off and bake an additional 15 minutes for some browning at the edges.
- Serve hot and garnish with optional fresh thyme leaves and black pepper
Rebecca
I looked twice to be sure - but I don't see the affiliate link for the mandolin you like to use for this recipe. Just wanted to give a heads up about it. (I will get back to checking out that delicious looking recipe for au gratin potatoes now)
Sara Tercero
Hi Rebecca. I can see it below the How to make section. It is actually the garlic slicer that I use. It is a small mandolin. Thank you!
Michael
Hello. I don’t see where you say what temperature to bake this at?? Not sure I’m missing it
Sara Tercero
It's at 350 degrees!
Linda Mcclintock
Oh how happy I am to have found you . After 40 years of creating only plant based food ( for the animals ) you are my greatest discovery yet
Ps. I can’t see the mandolins either lol
Please write a cookbook
Also can you recommend your fabulous salad bowls I’ve been searching Amazon
Love from Ireland
Sara Tercero
Hello Linda! This is the kind of review and message that really makes my day! As I am a one woman show, I sometimes lag on some details like changing that mandolin link lol. I have an amazon store where all of my stuff I use is organized into folders.https://www.amazon.com/shop/betterfoodguru?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_aipsfshop_aipsfbetterfoodguru_1KNRYQ2K6PEJZB26WEV4 Not sure if you will be able to click it but if you cut and paste that link into your browser it should work. If not, send me an email at [email protected] and I will send you a clickable link through there!Thanks so much for being here.
Lynne Swiss
I always get confused when a recipe includes coconut milk. Is this the same as using other plant-based milks like soy, oat or almond? Or is it the kind that comes in a can?
Sara Tercero
Hi Lynne, you can use other plant milks, no problem. But yes, it is calling for canned coconut milk. I like it because it is extra creamy and decadent. The canned coconut milk is a bit thicker than the carton one people use for cereal of coffee.
Veronique
Hi ! Can I bake this in advance & then re-heat ?! Thinking of texture here 🙂 thank you !
Sara Tercero
I would not reheat twice in the oven. Rather microwave the single servings to reheat.
Andrea
So impressed with this recipe. Everyone loves it so much and couldn't believe it was vegan and dairy free! A real crowd pleaser.
Sara Tercero
Wow what a rave review, thanks so much for trying it and giving me this feedback!