These creamy, oil-free, smoky vegan scalloped potatoes are rich, comforting, and easy to make. They work perfectly for a weeknight dinner or as a holiday side, and the dish can be assembled ahead of time and baked when you’re ready to serve.
This vegan scalloped potatoes recipe delivers that classic ‘cheesy’ comfort without dairy or oil. The creamy sauce is vegetable-based and nut-free, relying on a blend of baking potatoes, carrots and seasonings to recreate a satisfying, savory flavor and smooth texture.
While non-dairy cheeses are widely available, many packaged options contain additives and high fat. A homemade vegetable-based sauce can taste just as indulgent and lets you control the ingredients. The sauce used here is the same style I use for dips and creamy pasta dishes, but adjusted with smoked paprika and liquid smoke for a warm, smoky profile.
Baby red potatoes were chosen for the scalloped layers because their tender texture and thin skin bake nicely and hold up well in layers.
Vegan Cheese Sauce Ingredients
The cheese sauce can be prepared in advance and stored. This recipe yields about 4 cups of sauce, so you’ll have leftovers to use on pasta, steamed vegetables, or other dishes. If you like, reserve some sauce before adding smoked paprika or liquid smoke so you can flavor a portion differently.
- Baking Potatoes: High in starch, they provide a naturally creamy base when cooked and blended.
- Carrots: Add color, sweetness, and body to the sauce.
- Nutritional Yeast: Provides the signature cheesy, savory flavor.
- Lemon Juice: Adds acidity to brighten the sauce and mimic the tang of cheese.
- Onion Powder: Delivers a subtle onion background.
- Garlic Powder: Enhances savory depth.
- Smoked Paprika: Contributes warmth and a smoky note.
- Organic Vegetable Broth: Adds savory, salty depth and helps thin the sauce.
- Tamari / Liquid Aminos / Soy Sauce: Use one of these to introduce umami and seasoning.
- Water: Adjusts consistency for a smooth pourable sauce.
- Liquid Smoke (hickory): Gives the sauce a distinct smoky edge.
Potato Ingredients
- Baby Red Potatoes: Chosen for their tender, buttery texture; skins are left on.
- White Onion: Adds a sharp, savory layer of flavor.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic brings aromatic savoriness; use minced cloves.
- Salt: Enhances and balances flavors.
- Pepper: Freshly ground black pepper works well.
- Chives (optional): A fresh garnish that adds color and a mild onion note.
How to Make Scalloped Potatoes
- After making the cheese sauce, slice the potatoes thinly. A mandoline speeds this up and ensures even slices.
- Layer potato slices in a casserole dish, slightly overlapping them to form a single layer across the base.
- Scatter diced onion and minced garlic over the layer before adding sauce.
- Pour the creamy vegan cheese sauce over the potatoes and gently spread so it settles into the gaps.
- Repeat layers of potatoes, onion, garlic, and sauce, finishing with a layer of sauce on top. The potatoes will bake and absorb flavor from the sauce.
- Garnish with chives for color and a fresh finish before serving.
These scalloped potatoes are easy to love—creamy, smoky, and just the right balance of savory flavors. They keep well for leftovers and reheat nicely.
Recipe FAQs
Nutritional yeast adds an unmistakable cheesy flavor and helps with texture. Combining it with acidic ingredients and savory seasonings makes the sauce taste more like traditional cheese.
Use it in a blended sauce with miso or tamari and lemon juice for brightness, then season with garlic and salt. These additions intensify the savory, salty qualities associated with cheese.
Some studies suggest nutritional yeast can influence immune responses and may help reduce inflammation in certain contexts, but it should not replace medical advice or treatment.
Tips
- Make a double batch of the cheese sauce to use across multiple meals—pasta, steamed vegetables, or casseroles.
- Kids often enjoy this sauce on broccoli or cauliflower, making it a versatile family-friendly option.
- Prepare the cheese sauce in advance and add it to the potatoes just before baking to save time on the day you serve.
- For extra savory depth, add a shallot or a bit of leek with the onion.
- If you like heat, include a jalapeño (seeded for milder heat) in the sauce.
- Bulk up the dish with sautéed mushrooms and red bell pepper to serve it as an entrée instead of a side.
- Scalloped potatoes freeze well for up to three months. Thaw fully before reheating in the oven for best texture.
The next time you crave cheesy potatoes, try this vegan scalloped potatoes recipe—you’ll love the creamy, smoky results!
Great Vegan Side Dish Ideas
-
Quick & Easy Vegetable Fried Rice
-
Pita Jungle Copycat Cilantro Jalapeño Hummus
-
Arugula Farro Salad
-
The Best Vegan Macaroni Salad
If you try this vegan scalloped potatoes recipe, please rate it and share your feedback in the comments—we’d love to hear how it turned out!
📖 Recipe
Vegan Scalloped Potatoes Recipe
Kathy Carmichael
15
1 hr 30 mins
1 hr 45 mins
Ingredients
Smokey “Cheese” Sauce
- 3 regular-size baking potatoes (about 3 cups)
- 3 carrots (about 1 ½ cups)
- ½ cup nutritional yeast
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 Tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 cup organic vegetable broth
- 1 Tablespoon tamari (or liquid aminos or soy sauce)
- 1 seeded and veined jalapeño (optional)
- ½ cup water (adjust as needed)
- 2 Tablespoons liquid smoke (hickory)
Scalloped Potatoes
- 15 baby red potatoes, thinly sliced
- 1 diced white onion (about 1 cup)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- Pinch of salt, to taste
- Pinch of pepper, to taste
Instructions
Smokey Cheese Sauce
- Wash three medium baking potatoes and cut into large chunks (leave skins on).
- Peel and cut three carrots into similar-sized pieces.
- Cover potatoes and carrots with water and boil for 20 minutes, until tender.
- While they boil, combine vegetable broth, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, jalapeño, smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, liquid smoke, and tamari in a blender.
- Drain the cooked potatoes and carrots and add them to the blender.
- Blend until smooth, adding water as needed to reach a creamy, pourable consistency.
- Transfer the sauce to a container for immediate use or storage.
Scalloped Potato Base
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Wash and thinly slice the baby red potatoes; rinse in a colander to remove excess starch.
- Dice the white onion and mince the garlic.
Assemble in the Pan
- Use a non-stick or lightly oiled casserole dish. Arrange a single overlapping layer of potato slices in a circle across the base.
- Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then add half the chopped onion and some of the minced garlic.
- Pour about 1 ½ cups of the cheese sauce over the layer so it seeps into the potatoes.
- Repeat layering potatoes, seasoning, onion, garlic, and sauce until the dish is assembled, finishing with sauce on top.
- Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour at 350°F (175°C).
- Remove foil, sprinkle chopped fresh chives on top, and bake uncovered for an additional 30 minutes until bubbly and golden.
- Let rest 5–10 minutes before serving to allow the layers to set.
Notes
- Slice potatoes thin using a mandoline for even cooking.
- Make extra cheese sauce and use it on pasta, vegetables, and other recipes throughout the week.
- Adjust the sauce flavor with extra liquid smoke, adobo, or jalapeño for more heat.
- Add vegetables like mushrooms or red bell pepper to make the dish heartier.
- Freeze leftovers in individual containers, leaving space at the top to prevent freezer burn; thaw completely before reheating.
- Scalloped potatoes keep up to 5 days refrigerated when covered.
Nutrition
Let us know how it was!