Why you’ll love these dairy free cheesy potatoes
Cheesy potatoes, potato casserole, funeral potatoes. Whatever you call them, this recipe is a holiday staple in Wisconsin. There isn’t a family gathering without them, but it’s one that we hadn’t tried to make dairy free yet. Until now.
I’ve taken our family’s cheesy potato casserole and made it with a few simple substitutes – most importantly some homemade creamy of chicken soup – and turned it into a totally dairy free, but equally delicious recipe. You don’t miss the milk or cheesy, I promise.
If you like this recipe, you have to try these dairy free favorites: vegan broccoli cheese soup, and this creamy dairy free mac and cheese and this dairy free cheesecake pudding.
More dairy free potato recipes: roasted duck fat potatoes / vegan scalloped potatoes / the BEST dairy free mashed potatoes / cauliflower potato soup / Irish champ
Ingredient notes:
- Vegan cheddar cheese – Daiya or Violife are my favorite vegan cheddar shreds. Daiya’s new oat formula melts beautifully, and I highly recommend trying it if you haven’t.
- Dairy free butter – We normally use Earth Balance buttery sticks, but any dairy free butter you like will work. You can also use margarine. Just make sure it doesn’t have hidden dairy ingredients such as whey listed.
- Dairy free milk – You will want unsweetened, plain milk for this recipe. I normally use oat, almond or flax milk.
- Coconut yogurt – This also needs to be unsweetened and plain. I like So Delicious coconut yogurt (the green one is unsweetened).
- Nutritional yeast – This enhances the cheesy flavor, but you could potentially skip it if you don’t normally keep it in your pantry.
- Chicken stock –
- Potato chips – I like to use regular no-flavor potato chips, but I’ve also had this made with cornflakes as a topping and they’re great.
Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions listed below are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use fresh potatoes instead of frozen hash browns?
I actually don’t recommend using fresh potatoes because the ones we’re using in this recipe are pre-cooked and have added oils (so they’re already packed with flavor).
Can I make this ahead of time?
Totally. You can assemble the casserole a day or two in advance, cover it tightly, and refrigerate. Bake just before serving for best results and the crispiest topping!
Can I freeze this dish?
Yes! Bake it first, let it cool completely, then wrap it tightly and freeze. Reheat in the oven until warmed through and crispy on top.
What can I use instead of potato chips for the topping?
Try crushed cornflakes, dairy free crackers, or even breadcrumbs if you prefer. Be sure to read the label to check for milk/dairy ingredients.
Ingredients
- 2 21-ounce packages hash brown patties, thawed
- 1 cup vegan cheddar cheese
- 2 tablespoons dairy free butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1 cup dairy free milk
- 1 1/2 cups coconut yogurt, plain unsweetened
- 1 small onion, diced - about 1 cup
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt
- 2 cups potato chips or cornflakes - crushed for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350˚F.
- Make the soup base. In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt dairy free butter. Add the flour and whisk to make a roux. Then, slowly whisk in the chicken stock and dairy free milk. Allow the liquid to cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Mix the sauce. Stir the dairy free yogurt, nutritional yeast and chopped onion into the homemade soup base and stir to combine.
- Assemble the casserole. Next, place a single layer hash brown potatoes in a 9×13 baking dish. Top with about half the soup mixture and a large handful and dairy free cheddar shreds. Then repeat with remaining potatoes and soup. Finish the casserole with a layer of potato chip crumbs.
- Bake the potatoes. Bake casserole for about 1 hour or until the edges are bubbling and the cheese shreds are melted. Remove from oven and allow the casserole to rest for about 10 minutes before serving.
