Have you dreamed of creamy, luscious potatoes au gratin but can’t have dairy? I’ve got you covered with today’s delightful Dairy Free Creamy Potato Gratin. All the flavor and texture with none of the dairy!
I’ve got holiday seasonal cooking on my mind these days and I’m planning ahead for The Artist and me. If you’ve been reading this blog for a while you know that I love the side dishes as much if not more than the main course, especially at holiday meals.
Top: Before Baking; Bottom: After Baking
I am a potato lover, always, in any preparation – but when they are creamy and dairy-free it is even better! Let me tell you, these beauties are a real treat!
The Artist has to be dairy-free these days so this recipe is the perfect side dish for holiday meals or special occasions. Or heck, just make them all year long!
The original recipe came from Food and Wine magazine and was beautiful. I simplified the process and kept the potatoes in a single pan making them much easier to make and more hands-off for nights when you’re busy so you can focus on the rest of the meal.
It is hard to imagine that these luscious and creamy potatoes have no dairy in them. You will swear there must be cream hidden in there somewhere!
I love thyme and rosemary – both go so well with potatoes – but if you don’t have fresh available, you can use dried or other herbs you like and have handy. Just use very little rosemary, it is quite strongly flavored.
This Dairy Free Creamy Potato Gratin is the answer to your dreams. Rich and creamy tasting but safe for those who cannot have dairy. The Artist gave them a big thumbs up and they’ll definitely be on my holiday menus this year and for years to come!
Key Ingredients for Dairy Free Creamy Potato Gratin:
- Olive oil
- Shallots
- Thyme and rosemary
- Low-sodium chicken broth
- Red-skin or Yukon Gold potatoes
- Salt and pepper
How is this gratin creamy without dairy?
The combination of the chicken stock and potatoes creates the illusion of cream or milk in the final dish. But it is the texture of the cooked potatoes and their starch that melds with the stock to fool your taste buds. And bonus, it is very low fat and low calorie too!
PRO Tip:
If you want a vegetarian dish, just switch out the chicken stock and replace it with mild vegetable stock. If your vegetable stock is strongly flavored (which happens occasionally with some brands) use half stock and half water. This helps keep the potato flavor front and center. And because you are reducing the stock, you will be concentrating the flavors and seasonings. Use a very light hand with the salt – you’ll get a lot of flavor from the stock.
How to make Dairy Free Creamy Potato Gratin:
- Sauté the shallots in oil until softened; add thyme and rosemary, cook 1 minute
- Add chicken broth and bring to a boil; cook until reduced to 3/4 cup, about 10 minutes
- Place thinly sliced potatoes in an overlapping layer in a square baking pan, season with salt and pepper, and drizzle with a little of the reduced broth
- Continue layering potatoes, seasoning them, and adding reduced broth; pour any remaining broth on top; cover pan with foil
- Bake about 1 hour at 400°F, remove foil and bake until the top is dry and potatoes are very tender, 15 to 20 minutes longer; test doneness with a thin knife
- If desired, broil the gratin until the top is lightly browned; cool 10 minutes before cutting into squares and serving
How do I slice the potatoes thinly enough?
There are three ways to cut the potatoes, by hand with a sharp knife, or mandoline, or using a food processor. The food processor will give you very evenly and thinly sliced potatoes quickly and easily. A knife will take longer but it is easier to clean. Any implement will work well for you.
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Gluten-Free Tips:
Be sure the stock you are using is gluten-free. It is one place that often hides gluten ingredients.
Dairy Free Creamy Potato Gratin (GF)
This creamy and dairy-free potato gratin will satisfy all your cravings and is the perfect side dish for your holiday meals. It is hard to believe that anything this delicious could be dairy-free - you will be amazed at how rich and luscious it is!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for the pan
- 1 large shallot, minced
- 1-1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
- 2 cups low-sodium mild chicken broth (gluten-free if needed)
- 3-1/2 pounds medium red or Yukon Gold potatoes, thinly sliced using a food processor or chef's knife
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- Rosemary and thyme sprigs, for garnishing
Instructions
- Set a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375°F. Oil a 9x13-inch baking pan with extra oil (the "plus more for the pan").
- In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil. Add the shallots and cook over medium heat, stirring often, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the thyme and chopped rosemary and cook for 1 minute. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Cook over medium high heat until slightly reduced, 10 minutes.
- Arrange an overlapping layer of potato slices in the baking pan. Spoon a small amount of the reduced broth on top and season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Repeat layering with the remaining potatoes, drizzling with a little of the reduced broth and lightly seasoning each layer with salt and pepper. When you've used all the potatoes, pour any remaining broth on top and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover the pan with a piece of aluminum foil.
- Bake the gratin in the center of the oven, for 1 hour. Remove the foil and continue baking until the potatoes are very tender, 15 to 20 minutes longer. Poke the potatoes with a thin knife or skewer and when there is no resistance, they are done.
- If you want the top browned, turn the broiler on and put the rack in the second to the top level. Broil the gratin close to the heat until the surface is lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Let cool about 15 minutes then cut into squares, garnish if desired with herb sprigs, and serve.
Notes
Adapted from a Food and Wine original recipe from 2012
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 91Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 274mgCarbohydrates: 13gFiber: 2gSugar: 1gProtein: 2g
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