Classic Comfort
I grew up on scalloped potatoes and ham. I’m from the Midwest where it’s all about meat and potatoes. And corn of course. Anything with potatoes is a go and Scalloped Potatoes and Ham often fit the bill. It’s rich, creamy, and filling, making it a classic comfort food. It’s a great casserole to make when you’re feeding a large group. For instance, it often showed up at family reunions, church functions, and holiday dinners. One batch of this recipe will serve 4 to 6 people, but it is easily doubled if you need to serve a crowd.
Scalloped Potatoes and Ham is perfect if you have potatoes or leftover ham that needs to be used up. But don’t feel you need to wait until you have leftover ham to make this delicious dish. You can pick up ham just for this recipe, or even leave it out all together. If you skip the ham this dish will be perfect for anyone following a vegan diet.
Gluten-Free and Dairy Free
The classic version of Scalloped Potatoes and Ham is made with flour, butter, milk, and sometimes cheese. It makes a great sauce but isn’t so friendly to those with food allergies. I shied away from making Scalloped Potatoes and Ham for too long because I didn’t think it could be made well without those ingredients. As it turns out, it can! You can easily turn Scalloped Potatoes and Ham into a gluten-free and dairy-free dish by making a few simple switches.
How To Make Allergy-Friendly Scalloped POTatoes
You only need to make a few changes to the classic recipe to make an allergy-friendly version of scalloped potatoes and ham. The first step is to skip the cheese. I didn’t grow up with cheese on my Scalloped Potatoes and Ham so this is no change at all for me. However, I have since learned that some recipes do call for cheese. I promise, you won’t be missing anything by skipping the cheese. Unless you grew up with cheese on your Scalloped Potatoes. Then you might. Because no one cooks like Mom.
The next few steps occur while making the roux. Making a roux sauce is not difficult, but I wasn’t sure how it would hold up with substitutions. A typical roux sauce is made by melting butter over the stove, mixing in flour, and then whisking milk in. It thickens as it cooks and turns into a rich, creamy sauce. In this recipe you will make a roux sauce out of olive oil, gluten-free all purpose flour, and almond milk. Don’t worry, it will work.
How to Make A Roux Sauce
To make the roux for this recipe, you will start by heating the olive oil in a large skillet. You will then blend in gluten-free flour, salt, and pepper. Cook the sauce until it begins to bubble. Then add the unsweetened and unflavored almond milk. Heat the sauce until boiling while stirring until it thickens. You will then pour this sauce over the sliced potatoes and ham.
Make sure you use unsweetened and unflavored almond milk. I accidentally made this with vanilla flavored almond milk once. It was not good. Double check which carton of almond milk you grab out of the fridge. Your family will thank you.
What To Serve With Scalloped POtatoes And Ham
Scalloped Potatoes and Ham is rich and filling so it is best served with something light and green. Think steamed green beans or a light green salad. You could also serve it with Cucumber Avocado Salad or Roasted Beets and Carrots.
My mom always served Scalloped Potatoes and Ham as an entree and that’s the way I serve it too. However, it would also make a great side dish if you would rather, particularly if you don’t add the ham. You could serve the Scalloped Potatoes alongside a ham (of course!), a roast, meatloaf, or a roasted chicken. Again, I would lighten it up with a green vegetable.
If you’re looking for a dessert to serve along with this dish, try my German Chocolate Cake. As with all of my recipes, it is free from wheat, eggs, dairy, peanuts, and cashews.
What is a classic comfort food you remember from your childhood? Let me know in the comments!
Common Questions
- Can this recipe be made ahead of time? – Yes, absolutely. Although the sauce may thin out some upon reheating. Alternatively, you can prepare the potatoes ahead of time and wait to make the sauce. To prepare the potatoes in advance, peel and slice them and keep them covered in cold water in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use them. This will prevent them from turning brown.
- Can this recipe be frozen? – It is not recommended. Unfortunately, the roux sauce in this casserole does not freeze and defrost well.
- How do I double the recipe? – If doubling the recipe, cook it in a 9×13 inch pan instead of an 8×8. You may need to increase the baking time by up to 20 to 30 minutes or so.
Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Scalloped Potatoes and Ham
Equipment
- 8×8 inch pan
Ingredients
- 4 medium potatoes
- ½ pound ham
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 4 tbsp gluten-free flour
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- 3 cups almond milk unsweetened and unflavored
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Peel potatoes. Slice very thin. Chop ham into chunks.
- Heat olive oil in a pan. Blend in gluten-free flour, salt, and pepper. Cook until bubbly. Slowly, while stirring, add almond milk and heat to boiling. Stir constantly.
- Spray an 8×8 dish with cooking spray. Arrange half of the sliced potatoes in the dish. Top with ham and then half of the white sauce. Top with the remaining potatoes, ham, and sauce.
- Cover casserole dish and cook for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
Did you make this recipe? If so, I would love to hear about it! Please rate it and tell me what you think in the comments! Share a picture of it on Instagram and tag @allergyalamode and hashtag it #allergyalamode.
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