These Vegan Au Gratin Potatoes are a rich and creamy side dish that will pair perfectly with your vegan mains. Absolute comfort food at its best! You’ll be amazed at how easily you can make dairy-free potatoes au gratin that are indulgently smooth and velvety without dairy cream.
Thin slices of potatoes layered with onions are covered in a creamy mixture of coconut milk, soaked cashews, and nutritional yeast and baked to bubbling perfection. Sprinkled with vegan parmesan and fresh herbs, this is a truly decadent and comforting side, really the best vegan potatoes you are going to love pairing with your hearty vegan mains for holiday meals or dinner during the week.
If you are looking for more vegan potato recipes to pair with your favorite dishes, you will also like these crispy garlic smashed potatoes and these stuffed sweet potatoes.
Why You’ll Love This Potatoes Au Gratin Recipe
- Decadent: Super rich and creamy from the coconut milk and soaked cashews these potatoes are a real treat.
- Comfort food at its best: Sometimes you just need a wholesome and hearty dish to satisfy not just your stomach but your soul.
- Budget-friendly: You won’t break the bank making these rich and creamy potatoes, all you need is a few basic pantry ingredients.
- Family-friendly: Creamy, cheesy and so satisfying, everyone at the table is going to love them.
Ingredients
Here's a quick look at the main ingredients you will need to make dairy-free au gratin potatoes.
- Potatoes: I used a combination of small and medium potatoes though any type of potato will work to make this vegan potato casserole.
- White onion: A large white onion adds loads of flavor to these vegan potatoes. You can also use a yellow onion if that’s all you have on hand.
- Coconut milk: Full-fat canned coconut milk will give you the best taste and creamy texture though you can use low fat for this potato gratin recipe without cream.
- Nutritional yeast: Nutritional yeast adds a savory, nutty flavor and natural saltiness. Though it may cost a bit for a bag of nutritional yeast you can use it so many different recipes to add a touch of a cheesy, nutty flavor like in this vegan Caesar salad.
- Vegetable stock: Use a low-sodium vegetable broth or stock to create the simmering liquid.
- Cashews: I prefer to use raw unsalted cashews but you can use roasted as long as they are unsalted as you don’t want your sauce to be too salty.
- Lemon juice: Freshly squeezed lemon juice adds the best tart flavor that balances all the flavors.
- Spices: Use a combination of onion powder and garlic powder.
- Turmeric: If you’d like, add a touch of turmeric, optional, for color.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Top with some chives: For a touch more flavor sprinkle fresh chives over the potato casserole after baking.
- Stir in vegan cheese: Add your favorite grated vegan cheese to the cream sauce for an even more decadent dish of vegan cheesy potatoes.
- Mix in some fresh garlic: You really can’t go wrong adding fresh garlic to any savory dish, this recipe included.
How to Make Potatoes Au Gratin
Ready to get cooking? Start with preheating the oven and greasing the pan so you can get these potatoes au grain in the oven as soon as they're assembled.
Step 1: Prep the potatoes. Wash and thinly slice your potatoes and onion and arrange in a baking dish.
Step 2: Make the cream sauce: Blend the coconut milk, nutritional yeast, vegetable stock, soaked and drained cashews, lemon juice, onion & garlic powder, turmeric, salt and pepper until smooth and creamy.
Step 3: Bake the potatoes: Pour the liquid over the potatoes and bake.
Step 4: Garnish and serve: Remove the potatoes from the oven and top with vegan parmesan, fresh thyme, and parsley, and enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
This vegan potato recipe goes well with loads of vegan dishes. Here are some great examples:
- Make for dinner alongside these quinoa stuffed peppers for a hearty dinner.
- Serve for your favorite holiday meals along with popular side dishes like these vegan zucchini fritters and a vegan Greek salad.
Expert Tips
- Use a mandolin: I recommend using a mandolin as it makes cutting the potato into thin slices much easier and faster.
- Make sure that every potato slice is fully covered: Any potatoes not covered with the cream sauce may not fully cook.
- Store the potatoes in the fridge: Leftover vegan potato gratin will keep for 2-3 days in an airtight container in the fridge. You can also freeze leftovers for up to 1 month. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat in the oven.
- Soak the potatoes: If you don’t want the potatoes to turn brown while you prepare the rest of the recipe, you can soak them in cold water, drain, pat dry, and then place them in the casserole dish.
- If you prefer a crispy top: To get a crispy top you can uncover the vegan au gratin potatoes for a few minutes or turn on the broiler for a minute or two.
Video
Recipe FAQs
It’s best to use starchy potatoes for potatoes au gratin as they won’t break down after they are baked. Russet potatoes are a good option.
If you don’t have nutritional yeast on hand you can add vegetable powder or miso paste but you won’t get the same flavor. If you have a vegan kitchen, it’s worthwhile investing in a bag of nutritional yeast as it is great to sprinkle over soups, salads, pasta, and potatoes, not just to add a nice salty, cheesy flavor but to get a good dose of B vitamins and plant protein. Source on nutritional yeast.
If you don’t have a mandoline you can use the slicer on a food processor to get consistent, thin slices of potatoes or carefully cut by hand.
More Delicious Side Dishes
Vegan Potatoes Au Gratin
Ingredients
- 2 lb potatoes I used small/medium potatoes
- 1 large white onion
- 1 ½ cup 10 oz canned coconut milk
- ½ cup nutritional yeast
- 1 cup vegetable stock
- ¼ cup soaked cashews
- juice from ½ lemon
- ½ tablespoon onion powder
- ½ tablespoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric optional, for color
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Start by washing and very thinly slicing your potatoes. I recommend using a mandolin as it makes getting thin slices much easier and faster. Also, slice the onion.
- Arrange the potatoes in a baking dish. I used a 9 x 9 inch dish.
- To a blender, add the coconut milk, nutritional yeast, veg stock, cashews (make sure you soak them overnight, or for 1 hour in boiling water before making the recipe), lemon juice, onion & garlic powder, turmeric, salt & pepper. Blend on high speed until very smooth and creamy.
- Pour the liquid on top of the potatoes. Important: make sure that every potato slice is fully covered in the liquid. Any parts that are not covered may not fully cook.
- Bake the gratin for 50-55 minutes at 400F.
- Remove the from over, top with vegan parmesan, fresh thyme, and parsley, and enjoy!
Notes
- Use a mandolin: I recommend using a mandolin as it makes cutting the potato into thin slices much easier and faster
- Make sure that every potato slice is fully covered: Any potatoes not covered with the cream sauce may not fully cook.
- Store the potatoes in the fridge: Leftover vegan potato gratin will keep for 2-3 days in an airtight container in the fridge. You can also freeze leftovers for up to 1 month. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat in the oven.
- Soak the potatoes: If you don’t want the potatoes to turn brown while you prepare the rest of the recipe, you can soak them in cold water, drain, pat dry, and then place them in the casserole dish.
- If you prefer a crispy top: To get a crispy top you can uncover the vegan au gratin potatoes for a few minutes or turn on the broiler for a minute or two.
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