Vegan Garlic and Thyme Scalloped Hasselback Potatoes
This potato dish takes all the best things about amazing potato recipes and puts them in one pan. Sweet and tender baby potatoes. Roasting for crisp exteriors and creamy interiors. Hasselback slices for extra texture and cuteness! A creamy savory sauce for flavor and dressing things up in the easiest way possible. This might just be *the* potato dish you need for the holidays!
Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a large roasting pan or baking tray with sides that is large enough for all of your potatoes to sit in a single layer.
Wash and dry the potatoes. Using a sharp knife, make slices into the potatoes width-wise, taking care not to slice through the bottom. Each slice should be about 1/8" thick. You can set the potato in a large serving spoon or between 2 skewers or chop sticks to use as a guide so you don't slice through the bottom.
Place the potatoes on the baking sheet and brush them all over with 2 tbsp of the oil. Once they are coated and sitting with the sliced sides up, roast for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and rebrush with the oil that dripped onto the bottom of the baking pan, nudging the oil between the slices. Roast another 15 minutes.
In the meantime, start the sauce. In a medium sized saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 2-3 minutes or until it smells very lightly toasted. Add in the garlic, thyme and salt. Slowly stream in the plant-based milk, whisking constantly so lumps don't form. Continuing to whisk constantly, bring the roux sauce to a simmer, cooking just until thickened and glossy.
Pour the sauce into the baking pan with the hot hasselback potatoes, getting some of the sauce over the slices. Take care, it will sputter. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the sauce in the center is bubbly and the potatoes are fork tender in the middle. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.