December 5, 2021
Meaty Vegan Potato Skillet Gratin
Meet your new favorite winter recipe: Meaty Vegan Potato Skillet Gratin. This robust and hearty dish is the perfect blend between potato gratin and shepherd’s pie. Meaty mushrooms and vegan ground are spiked with red wine and tons of herbs, topped with thinly sliced potatoes, vegan butter & cheese, then baked until golden and bubbly. A recipe that’s sure to impress everyone!
why mash when you can gratin?!
While I do not discriminate on potatoes of any form, I definitely think potatoes au gratin elevate any dish from good to really damn good. Whether you’re looking for a show-stopping Holiday main or just an indulgent and comforting dinner recipe, my Meaty Vegan Potato Skillet Gratin is sure to be a home run this winter season. Loaded with meaty goodness, creamy vegan cheese, tons of herbs, and a punch of red wine for extra ✨richness✨, this dish seriously checks all the boxes for an intimate dinner party or cozy night in.
Grab a drink and let’s get to cookin’ the best Meaty Vegan Potato Skillet Gratin!
what is gratin?
Gratin is a French culinary technique in which an ingredient is topped with a browned crust, often using breadcrumbs, grated cheese, egg or butter. Gratin is usually prepared in a shallow dish of some kind. A gratin is baked or cooked under an overhead grill or broiler to form a golden crust on top and is often served in its baking dish.
While my Meaty Vegan Potato Skillet Gratin is nowhere near traditional gratin, we’re taking the some of the same techniques and ingredients (vegan, of course) to create this delicious dish!
how to make Meaty Vegan Potato Skillet Gratin
If you’ve ever made potatoes au gratin before, then you’ll know how easy it is! This recipe is similar! You simply layer the potatoes and cheese atop of a meaty shepherd’s pie-type mixture and bake until golden and crispy and bubbly! Here’s what you’ll do:
1. cut and soak the potatoes:
Using a mandolin or sharp knife, thinly slice your potatoes and place the slices in a large bowl. Sprinkle the potatoes with baking powder, salt and pepper. Fill the bowl with enough cold water that the potatoes are just submerged. Soak for 15 minutes.
2. make the filling:
While the potatoes are soaking, make the delicious, cozy, meaty filling. Basically you’ll start with the mushrooms as they’ll need the most time to get nice and caramelized. Add the rest of the ingredients and cook them down until a savory filling forms.
3. Layering:
Once the potatoes are done soaking and the filling is done, now come the fun part! Layer the potatoes, butter, and cheese … and repeat once more, topping with a healthy a sprinkle of freshly cracked black pepper.
4. Bake:
Once all the potatoes and cheese are nice and layered, cover and pop it in the oven until the potatoes are tender and the cheese is nice and melty. Remove the lid and bake a few more minutes, until the cheese starts to brown and bubble and crisp around the edges.
5. Enjoy!
For optimal results, let the skillet cool for about 15 minutes before cutting into it and serving. Top it off with some fresh parsley and enjoy!
tools you’ll need to make this Meaty Vegan Potato Skillet Gratin
Best thing about this dish?! Very few tools are needed – making for less fuss and cleanup! Here’s what you need:
- Mandolin or a good chef’s knife
- Large Bowl
- Colander
- Large non-stick, oven-safe skillet or baking dish
more spudtastic recipes to make:
If you’re a full-on potato fanatic like me, then you NEED to try these recipes to get you through all winter:
- French Onion Mashed Potatoes
- Creamy Herb and Chive Hasselback Potatoes
- Garlic Herbed Scalloped Potatoes
potato gratin + shepherd’s pie = match made in heaven ????
I hope you love this recipe as much as I do! If you give this Meaty Vegan Potato Skillet a try, make sure to snap a photo or video and share ’em by tagging me on Instagram at @eat_figs_not_pigs and #EatFigsNotPigs.
Til next time, friends! XO!
Meaty Vegan Potato Skillet Gratin
Ingredients
- 2 pounds russet potatoes peeled and washed
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt divided, plus more to taste
- 3 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper divided, plus more to taste
- 6 teaspoons vegan butter divided
- 1 pound cremini mushrooms stems removed and roughly chopped
- 1 pound vegan ground meat gluten free, if necessary
- 2 cups dry red wine such as a pinot noir or merlot *see recipe note 1*
- 1 ½ cups finely chopped white onion about 1 onion
- 1 cup diced carrot about 2 small carrots
- 1 cup diced celery about 1 large stalk
- 8 cloves garlic minced
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour *see recipe note 2*
- 2 ½ cups vegan beef broth or vegetable broth
- ¼ cup fresh minced parsley plus more for garnish
- 1 sprig rosemary roughly chopped
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme roughly chopped
- 1 cup vegan cheddar shreds
- ¾ cup vegan parmesan shreds
Instructions
- Preheat oven 400°F.
- Using a mandolin or sharp knife, thinly slice your potatoes into 1/8-inch-thick slices. Place the slices in a large bowl, and sprinkle the slices with the baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Fill the bowl with enough cold water that the potatoes are just submerged. Soak for 15 minutes, drain, and roughly pat dry. Set aside.
- While the potatoes are soaking, place 2 teaspoons of the vegan butter in a large oven-safe non-stick sauté pan over medium-high heat. Once the butter is melted, add the mushrooms to the pan in an even layer and cook, without stirring, until some of the moisture cooks out, 4 to 6 minutes. Season with 1 teaspoon pepper and the remaining teaspoon salt, and continue to cook, stirring often, until the mushrooms are caramelized and slightly crisped around the edges, another 4 to 5 minutes.
- Add 2 more teaspoons of the butter into the pan, along with the vegan ground and cook, breaking up the ground with the back of a wooden spoon or spatula. Pour in the wine and bring to a simmer, scraping up any brown bits at the bottom of the pan. Simmer until most of the wine has cooked out, 4 to 5 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic, stirring to combine. Sprinkle in the flour and mix thoroughly to coat. Slowly whisk in the broth, continuing to whisk to ensure there are no clumps. Add the parsley, rosemary, and thyme and simmer, stirring often, until the mixture thickens and reduces by about a third, 4 to 6 minutes.
- Meanwhile, melt the remaining 2 teaspoons of butter and set aside.
- Remove the pan from the heat and spread the vegan ground meat mixture into an even layer (if your skillet is not oven safe, transfer the mixture to a prepared 9x13-inch baking dish), followed by a layer of the potato slices, making sure the slices are slightly overlapping one another. Brush the potato layer with some of the melted butter and sprinkle on the cheddar in an even layer.
- Repeat with another layer of potatoes, melted butter, and the parmesan shreds. Season with the remaining teaspoon of pepper, cover with a lid or tightly wrapped foil, and bake in the preheated oven until the potatoes are tender, 45 to 55 minutes. Uncover and cook until golden brown and bubbling, 10 to 15 more minutes. Sprinkle with fresh minced parsley and allow to cool 15 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
2. If making this dish gluten-free, substitute the flour for equal portions arrowroot powder or cornstarch.
My family loved this. I will definitely be making this again.
So happy to hear, Robyn! Thanks for sharing 🙂