The Star of Your Thanksgiving: Truffle Potatoes
No, truly…these baked truffle potatoes will be the star of your Thanksgiving.
Nay, the star of any & all dinners you have where you serve it.
And when you aren’t eating it, it’ll be the star of your dreams.
It’s going to consume you. You’ll want to eat it all the time. And when you’re not eating it, all you will think about is when you can eat it again.
Ok, I’m starting to make this sound terrifying, so I’ll stop here.
Potatoes Au Gratin
When I was in high school, there was a cute restaurant in our town that my best friend and I used to go to sometimes. They had an ahi tuna that was fine, but it came with potatoes au gratin, and the first time I ate them, I nearly fainted.
WHAT IS THIS LUXURIOUS DECADENCE?! How could something be so tasty?
It turns out, it was the 13 sticks of butter and 65 types of cheese that made it taste so good.
Soooo…only I found out what potatoes au gratin actually were and how they were made, I stopped ordering the ahi tuna because your girl was vain & did not feel like being rolled all the way home.
But I never stopped thinking about them.
Soooo naturally, when I started playing in the kitchen after going vegan & developing healthy recipes, I knew I needed to find a way to make something au gratin adjacent, but also healthy.
And then I decided to kick it up a notch and make them even more RICH.
Enter: truffles.
Is there anything that exudes more quiet luxury than truffles? Doesn’t it make you feel like you shop at The Row and hang out with Shiv Roy in your spare time? Don’t you just feel decadent prepping truffle potatoes?!
Choice of Potatoes
Ok so choice of potatoes is v important here.
Broadly speaking, you have 2 choices. Well, technically you have 3, because your secret third option is to use both potatoes:
1. Yukon Gold Potatoes
Creamy Texture: Yukon Golds are known for their naturally buttery, creamy texture. They have a medium starch content, which means they hold their shape better than russets but still break down enough to become tender and absorb flavors.
Rich Flavor: These potatoes add a subtle sweetness that enhances the rich, cheesy sauce in an au gratin.
Uniform Slicing: Their round shape is easy to slice evenly, which helps the layers cook consistently.
2. Russet Potatoes
High Starch Content: Russets have a high starch level, making them fluffier and allowing them to absorb more of the creamy sauce. This starch also thickens the dish naturally as it cooks.
Tender Texture: Russets become very tender, which makes for a soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture that many people love in a traditional au gratin.
Combination of Both
mixing Yukon Gold and Russet potatoes may create an ideal balance. That’s what I did in this reel. The Yukon Golds add creaminess and richness, while the russets create a softer, fluffier layer and help thicken the sauce.
I do recommend using some russet, if not all, because I find the starchiness really melts into the truffle sauce, but if that sounds gross to you, stick to all Yukon gold!
This Dish
thinly sliced russet & Yukon gold potatoes in a creamy, dairy & gluten free, truffle sauce.
The Benefits
you wouldn’t know it because it’s so RICH, but this dish is actually really good for you:
potatoes are rich in fiber, vitamin C, potassium, and B vitamins; and studies have found them to be the most satiating food out there, meaning that they tend to result in you overeating less, which is great for bloating!
replacing the butter, cream, and cheese with cashews has HUGE nutritional benefits:
Heart Health: butter, cream, and cheese contain high amounts of saturated fats, which can raise LDL (bad) cholesterol levels, contributing to heart disease risk. Cashews, on the other hand, are high in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which can lower LDL cholesterol and increase HDL (good) cholesterol. Studies have shown that regularly consuming nuts, like cashews, can help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by improving lipid profiles and reducing inflammation
Weight Management: Dairy-based ingredients like cream and cheese are calorie-dense and often come with additional cholesterol. Cashews, though still caloric, have a higher content of protein and fiber, which help with satiety and portion control, potentially aiding in weight management
Nutrient density: Cashews provide vitamins and minerals not as abundant in butter or cheese, including magnesium, zinc, copper, and iron. Magnesium, in particular, is essential for muscle function, energy production, and maintaining blood pressure. Cashews are also a great source of plant-based protein, which can support muscle maintenance and immune function
Metabolic Health: Cashews contain plant sterols and antioxidants that have been shown to reduce inflammation and improve metabolic health. Replacing animal-based fats with these nutrient-dense nuts can lower markers of inflammation in the body, reducing the risk of chronic conditions over time
Gut Health Benefits: dairy fats can be difficult to digest for some people, especially those with lactose intolerance, cashews are naturally lactose-free and can provide a creamy texture without causing digestive discomfort. Cashews contain fibers and compounds that support gut health and do not disrupt the digestive system as dairy fats might for sensitive individuals
The miso in the sauce is filled with probiotics, which are the beneficial bacteria that run your life
Replacing gluten with tapioca starch is great for gut health
Nutritional yeast is high in B vitamins, especially B12 if fortified. Nutritional yeast also contains fiber and protein, adding nutritional density and reducing the need for high-fat dairy ingredients
you know it’s good when you make this face!
The Recipe
Ingredients:
1 cup raw cashews, soaked
2 cups water
6 tbsp tapioca starch
1 tsp white truffle powder
3 tbsp truffle oil
3 tbsp white miso
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
1-2 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp black pepper
the equivalent of 3 big russet potatoes-- you could do that, or you could do 6 Yukon gold, or you can mix and match. in the reel, I did 1 big russet and 4 Yukon gold
Instructions:
preheat oven to 400F convection bake
soak cashews overnight, or for 10 minutes in hot water
blend all of the ingredients other than potatoes together
peel your potatoes
use a mandolin (or knife) to make super thin slices
alternately layer potato slices & the sauce
bake until cooked through & brown on top--roughly 60 min in a big casserole dish; 45 min if you do smaller ones; but definitely check on it because different ovens sometimes perform differently
Logistics:
This recipe makes like a standard casserole dish amount, or 2 of the smaller ones like I used in the video. I have a hard time gauging how many people, but I usually make this amount for 4-6 people.
You can def prep the sauce ahead of time, and then on Thanksgiving day just peel & slice your potatoes, layer them and bake
Links:
I used both Yukon gold & russet potatoes; but my favorite actually is just russet. I think it gets creamier. but if you like a sturdier texture, I would use the combo!
I used this white truffle powder
this is the truffle oil I used; but I think the white truffle oil would be WAY better (I haven't tried it yet), it is more expensive though
I recommend using a mandolin to get your potatoes thin enough. This is the BEST mandoline-- it's actually not the one I use in the reel, but it's way better than the one I use in the reel (I don't know why I didn't use it in the reel lol). If you use a mandolin, PLEASE USE MESH GLOVES
Hopefully I didn’t miss anything, but just in case, here is a roundup of links to my common recipe ingredients
For More on Gut-Friendly Recipes
If you like this recipe, you may also enjoy my the Miso Pumpkin Hummus from the Thanksgiving series;
and
If you want more recipes that will help you debloat & eliminate regularly, I highly recommend checking out my [free] Gut Health Cookbook, which has 5 yummy, gut-friendly, recipes. You can download it here.
