Scalloped Potatoes without Cream are the ultimate side dish for all holiday dinners! Christmas dinner - check, Thanksgiving dinner - check, Easter - check. Plus with classic French-inspired flavors, everyone is sure to love these potatoes!
I grew up on scalloped potatoes. Scalloped potatoes out of a box that is. I honestly didn’t know folks actually could slice potatoes thin enough to make it from scratch until about 3 years ago. Thankfully, I have come to see the light and my gosh is it tasty!
I now know how to make some bomb scalloped potatoes (which I’ll share with you here!), and I also now know the difference between potatoes au gratin and scalloped. So, of course, we will touch on that too! But first things first, let's start with everything you need to know to make the best scalloped potatoes recipe without cream!
Yup, you read that right - no cream in these potatoes. Yet, they have this insanely decadent cream-like sauce that will make you think there's heavy cream. I also want to note that while you do not NEED a mandolin to make these, it does make this recipe way faster if you have one (get one here)! Otherwise, just put on a good show and start thinly slicing potatoes now.
Looking for other potato recipes? Try these! Biscoff Sweet Potato Casserole, Mashed Potatoes and Butternut Squash, and Easy Cheese Potato Bread.
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Ingredients and Substitutions
All substitutions are a 1:1 substitute unless otherwise noted.
Russet Potatoes: We prefer to use these potatoes because they're fairly larger. This makes it easier to hold when slicing with a mandolin or trying to slice thinly with a knife.
Substitutions: Any larger potatoes could be used, such as Yukon gold potatoes. You can also use fingerling or baby red potatoes. If using small potatoes just cut them into cubes and skip the layering of this recipe.
Egg Yolks: Egg yolks are an emulsifier. This means they'll combine with butter or margarine, similar to a hollandaise sauce or traditional carbonara pasta. This is how we emulate the creamy texture without using cream!
Substitutions: Sorry, no substitutions for eggs.
Margarine: To make the emulsion, we need butter or margarine. We use margarine to ensure there is no dairy in the sauce.
Substitutions: You can use any butter or margarine you like, including vegan butter.
Rosemary: Rosemary adds a super comforting lemony and woodsy flavor to the dish. Rosemary is often used in traditional French recipes so it only made sense to add it to these potatoes!
Substitutions: Fresh rosemary is best but you can use dried rosemary in a pinch. Fresh thyme or sage are also great herb options if you can’t find rosemary.
Lemon: A little bit of acid goes a long way! This lemon juice brightens up the entire dish.
Substitutions: You can use lemon juice from a bottle or juice from a fresh lemon.
Mustard: Mustard is a great way to pack in flavor without adding a bunch of seasonings. We like to use spicy brown mustard.
Substitutions: Any type of spiced mustard can be used.
White onion: Of course we had to put onions in these potatoes! We caramelize them to really bring out the flavor and then layer them between the potatoes and sauce.
Substitutions: A yellow onion will work in place of white onion. We don't recommend using red onion for this recipe.
Brown sugar: This is to caramelize the onions and ensure the potatoes are balanced with a little bit of sweetness.
Substitutions: Coconut sugar or agave can be used.
Flour: Flour is used to thicken the sauce, similar to gravy.
Substitutions: We use white all-purpose flour but you can use any kind of white flour, including a gluten-free 1:1 replacement.
Vegetable Stock: This will be the base of our sauce. It's a mild flavor that doesn't take away from the rosemary, lemon, and margarine flavor that stand out in the sauce.
Substitutions: Any kind of stock or broth can be used, including bone broth, chicken broth, and beef broth.
Salt and pepper: Always salt and pepper!
Substitutions: Sorry, no substitutions for these.
How to Make this - Step by Step
Step one: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grab a 9x9 pan or 9x11 casserole dish. Thinly slice your potatoes into ¼” slices and thinly slice the onion.
Step two: Heat a medium saucepan or skillet over medium heat and add the margarine and rosemary. Melt this down while stirring constantly until the margarine starts to bubble and turn a slight golden brown. You will start to notice little brown flecks in it, at this point remove it from heat.
Step three: While the margarine browns, separate the yolks from the egg whites. Whisk the egg yolks with the lemon juice and mustard in a medium bowl and set aside. Save the egg whites for another recipe.
Step four: Once the margarine is done, remove the rosemary and slowly pour it into the egg yolk mixture. Constantly whisking so as to not scramble the eggs. Once combined - set aside. This is the emulsifying process!
Step five: Add the onions, brown sugar, salt, and pepper to the same pan that was used to brown the margarine. Saute this together until fragrant and soft - about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat.
Step six: While the onions are cooking, grab a large saucepan and add the vegetable stock. Bring to a low boil and add the egg mixture while mixing constantly so as to not scramble the eggs. Once totally combined, whisk in the flour. Continue to cook at a low boil until thickened and then remove from heat.
Step seven: Pour a small amount of the sauce into the bottom of the baking dish and spread it out evenly. Top with ¼th of the sliced potatoes in a shingle-like pattern, being sure the edges overlap. Then add ⅓ of the onion mixture and spread it out evenly over the potato slices. Top this with another ⅕ of the sauce and spread it out evenly.
Step eight: Repeat this layering so there are three layers of potatoes, onions, and sauce. Then, add a fourth layer of potatoes and top with the remaining sauce.
Step nine: Top with remaining sauce and smooth out. Bake covered with aluminum foil for 35 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for another 35 minutes. Finish it by broiling on high for 5-7 minutes until golden brown and bubbly. Then, enjoy!
Watch How to Make This - Step by Step
Joy Tip!
The best way to avoid having your eggs scramble is to whisk quickly as you slowly add the hot margarine. And if the eggs start to scramble - don’t worry! Just continue to whisk quickly or you can even transfer it to a blender to smooth out the sauce. When it gets added to the stock, you can keep whisking vigorously to save the sauce from any scrambled eggs.
Facts and Common Questions
Can you make scalloped potatoes without milk or cream?
Duh! By using egg yolks and margarine, we can emulate that creamy texture without any cream or milk.
What’s the difference between scalloped potatoes and au gratin potatoes?
Ok, this is what I was talking about! The term scalloped and gratin potatoes are often used interchangeably, but they're different. Gratin potatoes are topped with cheddar cheese while scalloped potatoes are not.
What goes well with scalloped potatoes?
So many things! You can pair this perfect side dish with other sides for a grazing meal. Also, you can pair it with a protein like chicken, fish, or pork chops. Finally, you can serve it alongside a fresh salad. Some of our favorite pairings are The Best Stuffing without Celery, Parmesan Crusted Baked Walleye, Crack Green Beans, and Instant Pot Pork Chops.
Can potatoes be sliced in advance for scalloped potatoes?
Yes! You can slice these potatoes up to a day in advance and place them in a bowl of water with salt. The salt helps to keep them from turning brown.
Want to Save it for Later? Here’s how!
This potato bake without cream is best enjoyed fresh or within 3 days, as they do start to dry out over time. However, they make a great freezer meal!
Fridge
To save this in the fridge, cover leftover scalloped potatoes with plastic wrap or place them in an airtight container. Store in the fridge for 5-6 days.
To Reheat: Cover with foil and reheat in the oven for 10 minutes or until heated through. Or, heat in the microwave for 1 minute and 15 seconds to 1 minute and 30 seconds.
Freezer
These potatoes can be frozen before or after baking with a few simple tips.
Before Baking: To freeze before baking, follow the recipe all the way through but don’t bake it. Then, cover with two layers of plastic wrap and store in the freezer. This will keep for 3 months in the freezer.
After Baking: To freeze these after baking, let them cool completely and then cover them with two layers of plastic wrap. Freeze and keep for up to 1 month.
To Reheat: If not cooked yet, bake covered with foil for 50 minutes and uncovered for 45 minutes. Then broil to finish it. If cooked, bake for 30 minutes covered with foil and 10-20 minutes uncovered.
Fun Fact
Let’s learn more about potatoes! Potatoes grow underground as part of the stem of a nightshade plant and are known as “tubers”. Did you know there are over 4,300 varieties of potatoes? Also, they are the fourth largest food crop in the world, only behind rice, wheat, and maize! (source)
More Joyful Recipes!
Try these tasty main dish pairings to go with this no cream scalloped potato recipe:
Parmesan Crusted Baked Walleye
Pressure Cooker BBQ Pulled Chicken
Did you try this and love it? Leave us a review, we would love to hear from you!
Recipe
Scalloped Potatoes Without Cream
Ingredients
- 2 springs rosemary
- 1 stick margarine 8 tbsp
- 4 egg yolks
- 4 tablespoon lemon or the juice from one lemon
- 1 teaspoon mustard spicy brown
- 1 onion white, medium
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt and pepper
- 3 cups vegetable stock
- 5 tablespoon flour all purpose
- 2.5 lbs russet potatoes thinly sliced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grab a 9x9 pan or 9x11 casserole dish. Thinly slice your potatoes into ¼” slices, skin on, and thinly slice the onion. This can be done with a mandolin on the #2 setting or with a knife.
- Heat a medium saucepan or skillet over medium heat and add the margarine and rosemary. Melt this down while stirring constantly until the margarine starts to bubble and turn a slight gold brown. You will start to notice little brown flecks in it, at this point remove it from heat.
- While that browns, separate the yolks and egg whites. Whisk the egg yolks with the lemon juice and mustard in a medium bowl and set aside. Save the egg whites for another recipe.
- Once the margarine is done, remove the rosemary and slowly pour it into the egg yolk mixture while constantly whisking so as to not scramble the eggs. Once combined - set aside. This is the emulsifying process!
- Add the onions, brown sugar, salt, and pepper to the same pan that was used to brown the margarine. Saute this together until fragrant and soft - about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat.
- While the onions are cooking, grab a large saucepan and add the vegetable stock. Bring to a low boil and add the egg mixture while mixing constantly so as to not scramble the eggs. Once totally combined, whisk in the flour and continue to cook at a low bowl until thickened and then remove from heat.
- Pour a small amount of the sauce into the bottom of the baking dish and spread it out evenly. Top with ¼th of the sliced potatoes in a shingle-like pattern, being sure the edges overlap. Then add ⅓ of the onion mixture and spread it out evenly over the potato slices. Top this with another ⅕ of the sauce and spread it out evenly.
- Repeat this layering so there are three layers of potatoes, onions, and sauce. Then, add a fourth layer of potatoes and top with the remaining sauce.
- Bake covered with foil for 35 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for another 35 minutes. Finish it by broiling on high for 5-7 minutes until golden brown and bubbly.
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