Fitness / April 28, 2023

Healthy Scalloped Potatoes

Indulge in the wonderful taste and texture of scalloped potatoes without the guilt, as key substitutions make this a side dish you can enjoy time and time again.

Table of Contents

I can eat an entire pan of scalloped potatoes, which is a problem. When I’m cooking for my family, I dish it out in a “one serving for you, two servings for me” manner. Needless to say, my plate needs to be bigger than my kids’. And let’s not even talk about the occasions when I get a craving for scalloped potatoes and no one is around — I don’t even use a plate. Yes, I got it bad.

This is why I had to develop this recipe. Traditional recipes for scalloped potatoes can be heavy and, let’s be honest, not the greatest for you if you indulge as often as I do. This recipe subs in avocado oil and unsweetened almond milk, and while this isn’t an invitation to make an exorbitant amount of scalloped potatoes, it should make you breathe easier when serving it up to your family. And yourself.

why you will love this recipe

It’s healthy. It says so right up there in the title. Seriously, Avocado oil and unsweetened almond milk make wonderful substitutions that are not only NOT bad for you, they’re actually GOOD for you.
Scalloped potatoes go with most meat dishes. They will be your go-to when putting the pork chops or steak on the grill in the summertime; they’ll be your go-to when baking chicken in the oven in the winter.
There isn’t anything exotic about the list of ingredients; everything should be available at your local grocery store.
They’re an upgrade not only on potatoes, they’re an upgrade on scalloped potatoes.

Is this healthy?

Utilizing bone broth gives this recipe an anti-aging and gut health boost. Bone broth is associated with collagen, which can increase bone density and improve skin elasticity.
Bone broth also has an anti-inflammatory effect on our digestion and promotes a healthy movement of water through the system.
Almond milk is low in calories and high in vitamin D. It gives a subtle nutty texture and is a great alternative to dairy milk in recipes.

INGREDIENTS

You’ll feel better shopping for these ingredients, safe in the knowledge they’re good for you.

2 tbsp avocado oil
1 shallot
1 garlic clove
2 tbsp flour
½ cup unsweetened almond milk
1 cup chicken bone broth
5 potatoes, thinly sliced
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
fresh thyme & chives

INSTRUCTIONS

The Potatoes

Preheat oven to 400°F. Prepare a baking sheet with silpat or parchment paper. Thinly slice potatoes, approximately ⅛” thick. Using a mandoline here will make the job easier. Toss potato slices with oil and evenly spread on a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake potato slices for 25 minutes.

The Sauce

In a saucepan over MEDIUM heat, melt avocado oil, shallot, and garlic until shallot is translucent (1-2 min). Add flour, and cook an additional 1-2 minutes. Whisk in broth & milk, adding small amounts at a time. Stir until the mixture thickens, and allow to boil for 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Bake

In a desired baking dish, layer prebaked potato slices and cream sauce. Finish with a cream sauce layer on top. Cover and bake for 10 minutes. Uncover, and bake for an additional 5 minutes. Allow resting for 10 minutes. Garnish with fresh herbs.

Variations

Like most potato dishes, this one is amenable to changes, additions, subtractions… pretty much any kind of math. Bear in mind this may make them less than healthy. Here are some ideas:

Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes: An obvious addition, as most people picture cheese when they think of scalloped potatoes. Mix in a layer of shredded cheese and then put some on top and broil the dish for a gooey crust.

Ham and Scalloped Potatoes: Layer thinly sliced ham between the potato slices for a savory treat. You may want to forgo the salt if you add ham, which is salty already.

Sweet Potato Scalloped Potatoes: Why have plain potatoes when you can have sweet potatoes! What’s more, sweet potatoes are incredibly high in vitamin A and low on the glycemic index, so you’d get less of an insulin spike.

Loaded Scalloped Potatoes: If you want to indulge every now and again, add bacon (ground works best), green onions, and sour cream to the top of the dish for what can only be described as “loaded”.

Serving suggestions

As I said earlier, scalloped potatoes can be added as the starch to any square meal. As for the other parts, here are my suggestions, taken from FFF:

Oven-Cooked Top Sirloin Steak – Experience the joys of an oven-cooked sirloin steak without the march out to the barbecue with this recipe, which will deliver the beautiful sear and melt-in-your-mouth texture from the oven.

Easy Sesame Chicken – Juicy and delicious grilled sesame chicken breasts with an easy and flavorful ginger marinade. Don’t know what to do with that chicken breast? Here’s your answer.

Easy Turkey Meatloaf – There’s only one thing better than the comfort food that is meatloaf: HEALTHY meatloaf! Get tucked into this delicious cold-weather favorite with wholesome ingredients and rich sauce.

Juicy, Tender London Broil – Change the way you think of steak with this recipe for London Broil. It’s tasty, simple, and won’t break the bank.

FAQs

Can I substitute milk and butter for oil and almond milk?

Yes! Absolutely – 1:1 substitutions of regular dairy milk and butter will work for this recipe, but of course, you’ll be disregarding the health benefits of the recipe as it stands.

Can I make this recipe gluten-free?

Yes! Simply substitute 1:1 gluten-free flour to replace the regular flour in this dish.

How can I add more flavor to this dish?

Depending on the size of potatoes you are using, you may find it beneficial to add an additional ½ tsp salt and use ½ of a regular onion instead of a shallot.

How to Store Scalloped Potatoes

Allow the potatoes to cool to room temperature. You can either put them in an airtight container or wrap them in plastic/aluminum. For the sake of tidiness, I suggest the airtight container. They should keep in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can also freeze them for up to 3 months. Just be aware the texture may change after being frozen and reheated. Before reheating the frozen potatoes, let them thaw in the fridge overnight. You can bring them back to life in either the oven or the microwave.