Mediterranean Scalloped Potatoes with sun-dried tomatoes, olives and roasted bell peppers is a unique take on the classic side dish. This creamy, mouth-watering recipe is perfect for sharing with friends and family any time of year.
Had I been fully autonomous as a child, I would have eaten scalloped potatoes as a meal for every meal.
…And I would have insisted it was a healthy practice, because in my expert opinion back then, potatoes were a vegetable, essential to your well-being.
…And cheese? Calcium with a side of protein. Pack it up, all our nutrient needs are MET.
What’s not to love about this crazy carby, gooey, cheesy, mouth-watery pleasy side dish that can easily turn into an entree with one “accidental” flip of the wrist?
Oops! My hefty portion of potatoes au gratin turned into a meal for a small army, how clumsy!
As I was saying…
My family is big on scalloped potatoes, but I recently got smart and decided to add some goodies to them to make them even more palatable. Sun-dried tomatoes, olives, and roasted bell peppers give all sorts of Mediterranean flair without adding much additional effort to the dish.
Let’s talk Ingredients!
A Note About Dairy!:
As I mentioned in my Creamy Cauliflower Casserole post, I often replace cream or milk in recipes with full-fat canned coconut milk. This adds the same creaminess, a natural sweetness and thickness as dairy.
I’ve found many folks who are sensitive to dairy (myself included) can tolerate certain types of aged cheeses (or all cheese), but must steer clear of fresh dairy, like milk, cream, butter, etc. due to GI symptoms.
For this reason, I use full-fat canned coconut milk for the sauce in this creamy potatoes au gratin recipe, but still use grated cheese.
If you tolerate dairy well, you can easily replace the coconut milk with half & half or heavy cream.
Are you entirely dairy-free? Replace the grated cheese with your favorite vegan grated cheese.
Now that we’ve gotten the dairy subject out of the way, we can discuss the other ingredients in this simple recipe.
Ingredients for Mediterranean Scalloped Potatoes:
Potatoes: The main event! Scalloped Potatoes are typically made using russet or Yukon gold potatoes. We slice them very thinly and soak them before baking so that they cook all the way through and are nice and tender. If you prefer using sweet potatoes, you can definitely make the swap!
Onion & Garlic: Providing a great deal of flavor to the sauce, onion and garlic bring a big bold flavor that reminds you you’re eating something amazing.
Canned Coconut Milk: The sauce is thick and creamy with the use of canned full-fat coconut milk. Swap it out for half & half or cream if you prefer using dairy. If you make this switch, just be sure you don’t bring the dairy to a full boil while you’re making the sauce or else it will burn and separate.
Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour: To ensure the sauce stays nice and thick and binds to the potatoes, we add just a couple tablespoons of gluten-free flour to thicken it up. You can also use regular all-purpose flour if you aren’t gluten-free, or use tapioca flour if you are grain-free.
Cheese: The epic glue that holds this marvelous show together! Use monterey jack, mozzarella, gruyere, or a combination of your favorite cheeses to make this cheesy potato casserole extra special.
Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Olives, Roasted Bell Peppers: All from a jar! These are briny, flavorful ingredients that add so much spunk to the potatoes. You can mix and match your Mediterranean-style add-ins, by swapping black or kalamata olives for the green onlives, pepperoncinis for the bell peppers, etc.
Optional Add-Ins:
- 8 ounces feta cheese (for even more cheesy tangy flavor!)
- ¼ cup fresh herbs, chopped
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 2/3 cup pesto sauce
Let’s make it!
How to Make Mediterranean Scalloped Potatoes:
Peel the potatoes and slice thinly. Place sliced potatoes in a large pot and cover with water. Soak while you’re preparing the rest of the recipe.
Add the coconut milk and chopped onion and garlic to a large skillet and bring to a full boil. Cook, stirring occasionally until the onion and garlic are very fragrant, about 5 minutes.
Whisk in the gluten-free all-purpose flour and sea salt and continue cooking until thick, about 3 minutes. Set aside until ready to use.
Chop the sun-dried tomatoes, olives, and peppers.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Drain the sliced potatoes. Add ⅓ of the slices to the bottom of a large (13” x 9”) casserole dish (it’s okay if the slices overlap!).
Add ⅓ of the sauce and spread over the potato slices. Sprinkle ⅓ of the sun-dried tomatoes, olives, and peppers, followed by ⅓ of the cheese.
Repeat for the remaining ingredients, creating a total of three layers. Note: I save a little more than ⅓ of the sauce and cheese for the top layer to be sure the slices are well-covered in sauce and cheese.
Cover the casserole dish with foil and bake on the center rack of the oven for 45 to 50 minutes.
Remove the foil, and increase the oven heat to 450. Bake 10 to 15 minutes longer, until the cheese has turned golden-brown.
Allow scalloped potatoes to cool at least 10 minutes before serving.
Enjoy this filling, comforting side dish at all your gatherings!
Can This Be Made Ahead and Reheated?:
Yes, absolutely! In fact, if you’re hosting a holiday gathering, I highly recommend you make recipes like this ahead of time to save oven space on the day of the feast.
Make this casserole up to 7 days in advance (for best tasting results), cover it in plastic wrap, and reheat in the oven on the day of the event.
To do so, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, cover the casserole with foil, and reheat for 25 to 35 minutes, or until the casserole is nice and warm.
More Healthy Side Dishes:
- Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole
- Healthy Green Bean Casserole
- Shaved Brussel Sprout Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash
- Dairy-Free Creamed Spinach
- Sweet Potatoes Au Gratin
- Rosemary Cumin Roasted Carrots
- Creamy Mashed Rutabaga with Caramelized Onions
- Roasted Kabocha Squash with Maple Cinnamon Tahini
Enjoy!
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If you make this recipe, please feel free to share a photo and tag @The.Roasted.Root on Instagram!
Ingredients
- 4 lbs russet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 15-oz cans full-fat coconut milk
- 1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 Tbsp gluten-free all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, drained
- 1 cup green olives, pitted and sliced
- 1/2 cup roasted bell pepper
- 3 1/2 cups grated Monterey Jack Cheese, or cheese of choice
Instructions
- Peel the potatoes and slice thinly. Place sliced potatoes in a large pot and cover with water. Soak while you’re preparing the rest of the recipe.
- Add the coconut milk and chopped onion and garlic to a large skillet and bring to a full boil. Cook, stirring occasionally until the onion and garlic are very fragrant, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the gluten-free all-purpose flour and sea salt and continue cooking until thick, about 3 minutes. Set aside until ready to use.
- Chop the sun-dried tomatoes, olives, and peppers.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and lightly spray or oil a large 13" x 9" casserole dish.
- Drain the sliced potatoes. Add ⅓ of the slices to the bottom of the casserole dish (it’s okay if the slices overlap!). Add ⅓ of the sauce and spread over the potato slices. Sprinkle ⅓ of the sun-dried tomatoes, olives, and peppers, followed by ⅓ of the cheese.
- Repeat for the remaining ingredients, creating a total of three layers. Note: I save a little more than ⅓ of the sauce and cheese for the top layer to be sure the slices are well-covered in sauce and cheese.
- Cover the casserole dish with foil and bake on the center rack of the oven for 50 to 60 minutes, or until the potatoes are cooked through. Remove the foil, and increase the oven heat to 450. Bake 10 to 15 minutes longer, until the cheese has turned golden-brown.
- Allow scalloped potatoes to cool at least 10 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
Kori Brown
Monday 23rd of November 2020
What if you only have one can of coconut milk? Can you use half coconut milk and the rest whole milk or heavy cream?
Julia
Friday 27th of November 2020
Hi Kori,
Yes, absolutely! Both whole milk and heavy cream will work. If you use whole milk, you may need to add 1 to 2 additional tablespoons of flour to get the sauce nice and thick, but it will still taste great.
Elsie A Missen
Wednesday 11th of November 2020
Can this be made ahead and reheated?
Julia
Wednesday 11th of November 2020
Hi Elsie!
Yes, absolutely! It is best when served within 7 days of making it, but it keeps and reheats SUPER well! Hope you enjoy! xoxo
Shirley
Wednesday 11th of November 2020
What a great reimagination of an old recipe!
Julia
Wednesday 11th of November 2020
So happy you like the idea! It's a big hit in my house :)