Easy, Creamy Scalloped Potatoes – Gluten and Lactose Free

I’ve often said that if I can only eat one food for the rest of my life, it will be potatoes. Now, this starchy favorite is not the most bariatric friendly, but you cannot deny its versatility. Baked, mashed, roasted, scalloped, fried… the possibilities are nearly endless!

I have many fond memories of creamy scalloped potatoes, accompanying hams, meatloaves, and more. Since my recipe calls for cornstarch rather than flour, I was pleasantly surprised that no adjustments were needed to make this recipe celiac safe. Traditionally, I would use 2% milk and salted butter, but the simple swaps of Fairlife lactose-free milk and Imperial margarine made it lactose free as well.

This is a good time to remind everyone to check your labels! As I was preparing this dish to accompany Easter dinner, I grabbed corn starch from my mother-in-law’s pantry. She is always so conscious of making sure she has gluten-free items and reads her labels. Unfortunately, there are many ingredients out there that should be gluten free but aren’t. During my customary last minute label check, I saw the cornstarch said, “may contain wheat.” Luckily, my sister in law had gluten free cornstarch and was able to save the day.

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as my friends and family. It is easy to make, transports well, and complements a variety of main dishes, so I enjoy bringing it as a dish to pass. Scalloped potatoes are a very ‘normal’ food and it is nice to share something that doesn’t scream, “I’m gluten and lactose free” with people.

Ingredients

• 6-8 White Potatoes (I used russet)
• 1/2 Small White Onion
• 1/2 Stick of Margarine (I use Imperial)
• 3 Cups of Lactose Free Milk (I use Fairlife)
• 1 Tbsp Minced Garlic
• 1/3 Cup Cornstarch (Argo is Gluten Free)
• Salt and Pepper to Taste

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees
• Lightly grease your small-to medium casserole dish, bowl, or 9×9 pan
• Peel, rinse, and finely slice your potatoes
• Chop onions to desired size – I do mine very finely so my children don’t notice them 🙂
• Spread potatoes in a rough single layer across bottom of dish, sprinkle a bit of onion, minced garlic, and a few pats of margarine on top
• Repeat for as many layers as possible
• Whisk together milk and cornstarch until well combined. Add to bowl until it just covers the top layer of potatoes. If you need more milk, feel free to add it.
• Bake, uncovered, for about one hour. The top layer should be golden and some brown around the edges.
• Enjoy!

A Few Tips From The Kitchen

• If you prefer a thicker sauce, add more cornstarch at the beginning. It will also thicken after standing.
• Many people add cheese to this dish. I would recommend shredding 1 cup of medium cheddar and layering between the potatoes.
• You could easily make this a one dish meal by adding meat in your layers. I’ve done this with leftover ham and browned ground venison (separately.)