Creamy Vegan Mashed Potatoes

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These Vegan Mashed Potatoes are the ultimate comfort food! Creamy and buttery, they’re the perfect side dish for any time of year. You need just 4 ingredients and they’re ready in just 30 minutes!

Ingredients you need

Ingredient notes and substitutions

Potatoes ~ I prefer Yukon Gold potatoes for mashing. They’re creamy, rich, and have a lot of potato flavor.

Some people are partial to Russet potatoes for mashed potatoes. They’re starchier than gold potatoes and mash up light and fluffy. Personally, I think they require adding more butter and milk to get the perfect consistency.

Can’t decide which potato is right for you? Try a mix of both.

To peel or not to peel? This is a personal preference. I strongly suggest peeling the potatoes for the creamiest texture. If you choose to leave the peels on (yay for added fiber!), be sure to scrub the potatoes really well.

Butter ~ There are so many vegan options for butter these days. Our go-to store-bought vegan butter is Earth Balance. But, we recently tried Miyoko’s Cultured Oat Milk Butter (we found it at Target if I remember correctly) and it was our definite favorite for these vegan mashed potatoes!

You’ll find in some vegan mashed potato recipes that olive oil or coconut oil is substituted for the vegan butter. I don’t recommend this. Mashed potatoes should be buttery.

Potato cooking water ~ Reserve some of the potato cooking water before draining the potatoes. This water will be starchy and seasoned and creates the creamiest texture.

Milk ~ Use an unsweetened, unflavored non-dairy milk, like almond milk, oat milk, or soy milk. Light coconut milk would also work as it does not have a strong coconut flavor. I would stay away from full-fat coconut milk, though, as it does taste strongly of coconut and is not a welcome flavor in this potato mash.

You could ditch the milk altogether and just use the potato cooking water by itself, if you prefer. I actually do this often.

Salt and pepper ~ Don’t skip the seasoning! Potatoes are quite bland on their own and they need salt. You’ll need to salt the cooking water generously and then also salt the final mash.

Freshly cracked black pepper is a great flavor complement to the creamy potatoes, too.

Extras ~ You’ll find lots of recipes online that contain all sorts of added ingredients. Each one has their place, but for every day vegan mashed potatoes, this recipe as written is my favorite!

If you do want to get fancy and add in some extras, here are some great choices:

• garlic powder or roasted garlic
• onion powder
• nutritional yeast or vegan parmesan cheese
• chopped spinach or kale
• fresh chopped herbs, like parsley, rosemary, chives
• vegan cream cheese, vegan mayonnaise, or vegan sour cream
• pesto

How to make the recipe

Please scroll down to the recipe card for exact ingredient measurements and instructions.

Peel the potatoes and chop them into same size pieces, about 1 to 1 ½ inches.

Add the potatoes to a large pot, sprinkle in 2 teaspoons of salt, and add cold water to cover.

Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, until the potatoes are tender enough to be pierced with a knife or fork.

Reserve about 1 cup of the cooking water before draining the potatoes.

Return the drained potatoes to the hot pot (heat off) and let them sit for a couple minutes to cook off any excess water.

Add the butter and salt and mash with a potato masher. Add about ¼ cup of the cooking water and continue mashing until smooth. Stir in the milk and black pepper.

Add any additional cooking water or milk as desired. Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary.

Serving suggestions

If you ask my kids, these vegan mashed potatoes go with everything! Here are a few of our fave dishes to pair them with…

• Vegan Chicken Cutlets
• Easy Baked Tofu
• Lentil Meatballs
• BBQ Lentils
• Millet Black Bean Patties
• Italian Chickpeas and Peppers (serve over mashed potatoes instead of grains)

And, of course, they would be perfect on your holiday table with any of these Vegan Thanksgiving Ideas.

Storage and freezing

Fridge: Leftovers will keep in an air-tight container in the fridge for 4 to 5 days. You may need to add a tablespoon or two of milk when reheating to loosen them up.

Freezer: You can also freeze these creamy dairy-free mashed potatoes. Let them cool completely before transferring to a freezer-safe container or plastic zip-top bag. They should keep well for up to 3 months.

Reheat: From frozen, let them thaw overnight in the fridge. Then gently reheat either in the microwave or on the stove top with a bit of additional milk, stirring occasionally.

Pro tips and tricks

~ Chop the potatoes into same sized pieces so they cook evenly.

~ Start with the diced potatoes in cold water! This allows the potatoes to cook evenly. If you place the potatoes in already boiling water, the outsides will be done before the insides.

~ Salt the cooking water! Just like when cooking pasta, it’s important to salt the water to achieve best flavor.

~ Save about 1 cup of the potato cooking water. This starchy water is perfect for creating super creamy mashed potatoes. You’ll probably only use about ¼ cup, but it’s best to have more if needed.

~ Drain the potatoes when they are tender and easily pierced with a knife or fork.

~ Place the drained potatoes back into the hot pot and let them sit for 2 to 3 minutes to allow any excess water to cook off.

~ Add the butter and mash. Allow the butter to fully melt before adding any milk or the cooking water.

~ Start with a little bit of liquid and only add more as needed.

~ Taste and adjust seasoning before serving.

~ For a butter and oil-free option, use extra potato cooking water until the desired consistency is reached. They won’t be as rich and buttery, obviously, but it’s a great low-fat option.

FAQs

More vegan potato recipes

• Veggie Potato Fritters
• Vegan Potato Soup
• Arugula Salad with Roasted Potatoes
• Bombay Potatoes and Peas
• Vegan Potato Salad

More vegan side dishes

• Garlic Green Beans
• Vegan Garlic Bread
• Maple Balsamic Brussels Sprouts
• Roasted Rainbow Carrots
• Vegan Jalapeño Cornbread
• Vegan Green Bean Casserole