Vegan Scalloped Potatoes Florentine

Every bite of these cheesy vegan scalloped potatoes are super creamy and loaded with spinach! Complete your weeknight dinner or holiday meal and impress your family with this decadent oil-free and gluten-free side dish!  

I'm SO excited to share this scalloped potatoes recipe with you! This vegan casserole is pure comfort food, and I think that you're going to fall in love with these creamy potatoes just like I have. I can't stop eating them! I've been eating leftovers for breakfast all week, it's that good! 

These potatoes are SO rich and SO creamy, and the addition of spinach is such a yummy twist on a traditional classic. Any chance that I get to hide some extra veggies in a meal is a win in my books! Every bite is loaded with perfectly cooked potatoes, onions, garlic, spinach, and the creamiest cashew-based white sauce!

I tested this scalloped potato recipe a few different ways: with cashews, without cashews, with cauliflower, with frozen veggies, etc. to come up with the best combination for you, and I definitely found it! (If you don't eat nuts, I shared the instructions on how to make these scalloped potatoes without nuts below.)

I highly recommend that you add this vegan cheesy potato recipe to your Thanksgiving feast and Christmas dinner menu, they're 100% holiday-worthy! Vegans and non-vegans alike both love these creamy potatoes! 

What Potatoes Should I Use?

My favorite potatoes to use for this creamy vegan dish are Yukon gold potatoes or russet potatoes. Yukon gold potatoes are a medium-starch potato (aka the best all-around potato) because they're so versatile and taste very creamy and buttery. Russets are a high-starch potato, so they taste fluffy and bake well too.  

Ingredients & Substitutions

• Raw Cashews - The nuts are blended into a sauce which is used to make the potatoes extra creamy and rich. You can substitute cooked cauliflower or raw sunflower seeds for a similar result.
• Almond Milk - You can use any unsweetened plant milk you like. Unsweetened plain oatmilk is also a good option.
• Vegetable Broth - You could also use mushroom broth or water.
• Dried Seasonings - Garlic and onion powder add so much flavor to the cream sauce!
• Lemon Juice - Lemon juice brightens the creamy sauce and gives it the perfect tangy flavor.
• Onion - You can use any type of onion to slice and layer with the potatoes.
• Potatoes - Yukon gold potatoes are my favorite to use for this recipe, but you can also use russet potatoes. You could also use sweet potatoes to make scalloped sweet potatoes if you prefer.
• Spinach - I used spinach for this vegan scalloped potato recipe, but you could also use thinly sliced kale, swiss chard, or collard greens.
• Nutritional Yeast - This makes the potatoes taste cheesy without having to use shredded vegan cheese.

How to Make It

First, you need to boil the raw cashews for 10 minutes (or you can soak them in cool water for 2-3 hours). Then drain the water and discard it. While the cashews are boiling, prep the veggies. Mince the garlic cloves, peel the potatoes and onion, use a mandolin to slice the potatoes and onion into slices that are about ⅛ inch thick, and roughly chop the fresh spinach.

Next, add the softened nuts, almond milk, vegetable broth, garlic powder, onion powder, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, salt, and pepper to a high-powered blender (this is the Vitamix blender that I use and love!). Blend the sauce on high until it's smooth and creamy (Photos 1 & 2).

In a large, 9x13-inch deep casserole dish, pour a little bit of the cashew cream into the bottom and evenly spread it around (Photo 3). Then add a layer of thinly sliced potatoes, red onions, spinach, garlic, and more sauce. Repeat these layers until you run out of ingredients (Photos 4-9).

Reserve 1 cup of the sauce to pour over the top of the potatoes. I also like to save a little bit of spinach to sprinkle on top to show that it's Florentine-style (Photos 10 & 11). 

Cover the scalloped potato dish with parchment paper (this is my favorite unbleached and chlorine-free parchment paper) and bake it for one hour. After 40 minutes, carefully remove the parchment paper and let the potatoes bake uncovered for 20 more minutes or until the top layer is golden brown (Photo 12). 

Serving Suggestions

I always serve this scalloped potato recipe as a side dish to vegan turkey for Thanksgiving and Easter dinner, but you could also serve these dairy-free cheesy potatoes as a side dish to your weeknight meal.

Any of the following recipes would be great with a side of creamy potatoes:

• Vegan Meatloaf
• Lentil Sloppy Joes
• Vegan Lentil Cabbage Rolls
• Harissa Cauliflower Steaks
• Pesto Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

Recipe Variations

• No Cashews - You can make the potatoes without cashews by using a medium head of steamed cauliflower instead of the nuts. You'll also need to use different plant milk like plain oat milk. 
• Skip the Spinach - You can omit the fresh greens and make the recipe like it is traditionally served, or you could switch it up and use kale or swiss chard instead.
• Add Thinly Sliced Veggies - Sliced mushrooms, carrots, parsnips, or squash would be delicious mixed in with the potatoes.
• Use Sweet Potatoes - Swap the potatoes for sweet potatoes for a unique twist.

How To Store It

Store the leftover potatoes in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days or you can freeze it for 2-3 months.

When you're ready to reheat the potatoes, remove the container from the freezer and put it in the fridge to defrost for 24 hours. Transfer the potatoes to an oven-safe dish. Drizzle a little bit of almond milk over the potatoes, cover it with parchment paper, and bake it at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until it's hot all the way through. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Success Tips

• Don't skip boiling or soaking the raw cashews. This step is important because it helps to soften the nuts which makes them easier to blend and easier to digest.
• It's important to use unsweetened and plain plant milk. Don't use sweetened or vanilla-flavored because it will make the scalloped potato recipe taste sweet.  
• I've found that bigger potatoes are easier to peel and easier to slice with the mandoline than small potatoes. Keep this in mind when you're picking potatoes out at the store. 
• Remember to reserve one cup of the sauce to pour over the top. I also like to add 1 tbsp of water to the blender (after you poured all the sauce out) and swish it around to get all of the leftover cream out of the bottom. Add this to the potatoes too. 
• When you bake the potatoes, cover it with parchment paper for the first 40 minutes and then remove it for the last 20 minutes to brown the top layer. If you bake it uncovered, the top will get too dark after 60 minutes. 

Want More Vegan Potato Recipes?

• Vegan Broccoli Cheddar Soup
• Zucchini Potato Soup
• Vegan Sweet Potato Black Bean Enchiladas
• Mushroom Gravy with Mashed Potatoes
• WFPB Macaroni and Cheese
• Slow Cooker Split Pea Potato Soup