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Fluffy and buttery vegan mashed potatoes seasoned with garlic, onion, salt and pepper.
Vegan Mashed Potatoes
What is your favorite version of potatoes? Fries, baked potato, chips, or mashed? For me, it’s a close tie between fries and mashed potatoes. I like fries with a veggie burger, but vegan mashed potatoes and gravy is a must for special occasion dinners!
They have to be good mashed potatoes, though. No gluey chewy bland potatoes, thanks.
These mashed potatoes are so fluffy, flavorful, and buttery – but totally vegan, of course! We used to make Instant Pot mashed potatoes pretty exclusively, until I mastered this stove-top boiling method.
How to Make Mashed Potatoes
Making vegan mashed potatoes is not much different than the traditional recipe, aside from using non-dairy milk and vegan butter.
First, start with peeling some medium-sized Yukon gold potatoes. You could use another type of potato, but I have found that gold potatoes produce the fluffiest, but still creamy, mashed potatoes. Then, quarter the potatoes. The recipe calls for medium potatoes which are about 2-3 inches in diameter. If you have to use a couple of larger potatoes, just cut them to relatively the same size.
Put the potatoes in a large pot, then cover with water. Bring to a boil on the stove until the potatoes are soft and tender. Drain well and return to the pot. Mash using a potato masher.
In the meantime, the magic happens. In a small saucepan, add some plain non-dairy milk, garlic powder, onion powder, and vegan butter. Heat until the vegan butter has melted, then let the mixture simmer for a couple minutes. This will allow some of the liquid to evaporate, creating a thicker (a.k.a. more creamy) sauce.
Add the sauce to the potatoes and stir until incorporated. Season with salt and pepper as desired. Serve warm! Add more butter on top or make some vegan gravy.
Can I make mashed potatoes ahead of time?
Yes! If you want to make life simpler, especially if you’re prepping for a big meal like Thanksgiving, you can make these the day before and reheat when ready.
To reheat in the oven, place the mashed potatoes in a casserole dish and add few pats of butter on the top to keep them moist. Cover the dish with foil. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-30 minutes or until the potatoes are warmed through. Time will vary depending on the amount of potatoes and size of the casserole dish. Just keep an eye on them!
If they do come out a little dry, mix in some warm vegan milk to bring back moisture.
How long will leftovers last in the fridge?
Leftovers?! What leftovers?! If you happen to make a big batch and have some leftovers, store them in a container for up to 3-4 days in the fridge. Heat them up in the microwave, or use the oven heating method outlined above.
Did you make this recipe? Please leave a comment and a star review below. Then, snap a photo and tag me on Instagram @karissasvegankitchen so I can see your delicious creation!
How-To Video:
Vegan Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 6 medium gold potatoes (about 1½ lbs)
- 1/2 tsp salt for cooking water
- 1/3 cup non-dairy milk plain
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 cup vegan butter
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
Instructions
- Peel the potatoes if desired. Then, cut them into quarters.
- Add potatoes and salt to a large pot. Fill with cold water, about an inch or two above the potatoes. Bring to a boil and let cook until the potatoes are soft and fork tender, about 12-16 minutes.
- Carefully drain the potatoes into a colander. Then, put the potatoes back into the warm pot.
- Mash potatoes with a potato masher.
- In a small pot, whisk together the non-dairy milk, garlic, and onion powder. Add in the vegan butter and melt it on medium-low heat. Let it simmer for about 2 minutes, whisking frequently.
- Carefully pour the warm butter mixture into the pot with the potatoes. Stir well. If you think the potatoes need more moisture, warm up some more non-dairy milk and add as needed.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
Jennifer
Hi Karissa,
I am a little bit confused about how many pounds of potatoes are needed. How much should each potato weigh? I know that tomorrow is a holiday… but if you could get back to me as soon as you can that would be great! I would really like to use this recipe tomorrow for my daughter (she has recently been having trouble with dairy). Thanks! 🙂
Karissa
About 6 medium potatoes (a medium potato has a diameter of 2-3 inches) – to total about 1.5 pounds.
Cap'n Dave
“First, start with peeling some medium-sized Yukon gold potatoes.”
As they say these days, “Imma stop you right there.”
I guess it’s just personal preference here, but for me? Scrub. Never peel. Never, ever, EVER peel. SO many nutrients lost when you peel. I don’t even peel my fries.
Well, except with Russets – especially the “WE SWEAR it’s not GMO” Idaho ones. Those things are like leather. Bleh.
You know what I like to do? Mash in some carrots too. Makes for this weird light-orange color, but so good! Add a little cayenne for a bit of a kick!
Karissa
Do your thing!
Katherine D Emerson
I love love love mashed potatoes!! Instead of using garlic powder, I add one or two garlic cloves to the water along with the potatoes. They flavour both the water and potatoes and then, of course, get mashed together along with the potatoes. Easy and so delicious!! Makes a big difference 🙂
Karissa
Great idea!