These Vegan Mashed Potatoes are made with Yukon Gold potatoes, fresh garlic, dairy-free butter and plant-based milk and are the creamiest mashed potatoes ever! They’re garnished with salt, pepper and a sprinkle of fresh chives to make them look as amazing as they taste. Gluten-free, grain-free with a Whole30 option.
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Updated April 2022
Melt-In-Your-Mouth Vegan Mashed Potatoes
Making rich, fluffy and creamy mashed potatoes without using any animal products is a piece of cake. This fail-proof recipe will walk you through each and every step of the process! In just 20 minutes, you’ll have the perfect plate of mashed potatoes ready to go on your dinner table.
Whether it’s Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter or a casual weeknight supper, everyone will reach for these garlicky mashed potatoes before anything else. They’re irresistible! And they proudly cater to dairy-free, vegan, gluten-free and grain-free eaters. You can also make them Whole30-friendly with a single substitution.
Are Mashed Potatoes Healthy?
In addition to complying with a multitude of special diets, these mashed potatoes are chock-full of nutrients. They’re extremely rich in potassium and very low in fat. Plus, they bring plenty of vitamins, fiber and antioxidants to the table!
What You’ll Need
You don’t need many ingredients to make smooth and creamy vegan mashed potatoes. They’re super simple, yet they still stand out.
- Yukon Gold Potatoes: Give the potatoes a thorough scrub before you peel and cut them. Looking for another vegetable mash option? Try our Sweet Potato Mash or Cauliflower Mash.
- Fine-Grain Sea Salt: Or kosher salt.
- Vegan Butter: If your diet permits, you can swap this for ghee or unsalted grass-fed butter. Go with ghee for Whole30 mashed potatoes.
- Garlic: Freshly minced.
- Unsweetened Plant-Based Milk: Brought to room temperature or warmed.
- Black Pepper: Freshly cracked pepper provides the best flavor.
- Fresh Chives: Finely chopped.
What Kind of Potatoes Are Best?
Yukon Gold potatoes are definitely our preference – they’re beautifully rich and buttery without being too starchy. We strongly recommend using them whenever possible. The next best options would be Russet and Idaho potatoes, which have a higher starch content but a similar rich and buttery texture.
How to Make Creamy Vegan Mashed Potatoes
These mashed potatoes are a great side dish to whip up while you’re working on a demanding main course. No one will believe how little time you spent on them!
Peel & Cut Potatoes: Peel the potatoes and cut them into large chunks.
Add to Pot & Cover with Water: Place your prepared potatoes into a large pot or Dutch oven and cover them with enough cool water to extend 1 inch above them.
Cook: Turn the heat to medium-high and bring the water to a boil. Once the water starts boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer and add 1 teaspoon of salt. Cook the potatoes until they’re fork-tender, about 20-25 minutes.
Drain: Drain the potatoes in a colander, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid in a glass cup.
Season & Mash: Add the butter, garlic and half a teaspoon of salt to the drained pot. Add the drained potatoes and use a potato masher to mash them up. Once the potatoes are mostly mashed, season them with salt and stir with a spoon.
Add Liquids: Pour in the reserved cooking liquid a little bit at a time until it is fully incorporated into the mash. Then add the milk and mix until your desired consistency is reached.
Garnish & Serve: Taste the potatoes and season them with salt and pepper as needed. Sprinkle on the chopped chives and top the potatoes with a pat of vegan butter just before serving them.
Can I Prep These Ahead of Time?
If desired, you can prepare your potatoes up to 24 hours before you move on with the recipe. Simply scrub them, peel them, cut them into cubes, then place them into a bowl of cold water. Make sure that the surface of the water rises above all of the potatoes. Let the prepared potatoes soak in the fridge until you’re ready to cook them.
Tips for Success
Let’s go over some handy tips and tricks to help you make flawless vegan mashed potatoes every time.
- Is Peeling the Potatoes Really Necessary? For maximum creaminess, it’s necessary to peel the potatoes – but you can certainly leave the skin on if you’d prefer. The potatoes will still taste incredible!
- Drain Out All of the Water: Be sure to let your cooked potatoes sit in the colander for about 5 minutes so that all of the water can drain out. If there’s excess liquid, your mash could come out mushy.
- Mash the Potatoes By Hand: Use a hand masher or a potato ricer to get the creamiest mashed potatoes. Mashing the potatoes with an immersion blender or a hand mixer can result in a gummy texture. If you prefer a chunkier consistency, don’t mash them quite as thoroughly.
- Don’t Skimp on the Seasonings: There’s no reason to be shy when it comes to seasoning your potatoes. Bring on the flavor!
- Never Use Cold Milk: You want to either heat up your milk or let it come to room temperature before you add it to the potatoes. This helps them stay hot, which allows them to mash evenly. Add some extra milk (a little bit at a time) to make the potatoes even creamier. Vegan sour cream, yogurt and cream cheese will also provide additional creaminess.
Variation Ideas
Feel free to change up this recipe however you’d like. Here are a bunch of ideas!
- Make Cheesy Mashed Potatoes: As veganism has grown increasingly popular, plant-based cheeses have gotten better and better. Try adding vegan cheddar or parmesan to your potatoes for even more amazing flavor.
- Roast the Garlic: When garlic is roasted, it takes on a milder, sweeter flavor that actually works really well in mashed potatoes. Roast yours before you use it in this recipe to see for yourself!
- Make Pesto Mashed Potatoes: Want an easy way to add a ton of flavor to your potatoes? Stir in some basil pesto and try not to drool.
- Make Southwestern Mashed Potatoes: For a spicy Southwestern twist on the classic side dish, season your mashed potatoes with chili powder and cumin to taste. You could even throw in some finely chopped bell peppers!
- Add Fresh Herbs: These garlicky mashed potatoes taste extra yummy when fresh herbs join in on the fun. Thyme, sage and oregano are all good options.
- Use Another Cooking Method: Not in the mood to stand over the stove? Cook your mashed potatoes in the Instant Pot or Slow Cooker instead!
Serving Suggestions
Any main course under the sun will taste great alongside these mashed potatoes. They’re incredibly versatile! We think they go especially well with Vegetable Stew and Vegan Stuffed Peppers.
Is it dinner time yet?
Make Ahead Tips
Peel and cube the potatoes one day ahead of time and store them in the fridge in a bowl of cold water until you’re ready to cook.
Storing and Reheating Mashed Potatoes
Once they’ve cooled all the way down to room temperature, you can store these vegan mashed potatoes for up to 3 days. Transfer them to an airtight container and keep them in the fridge.
Reheat them in a pot over medium-low heat along with half a tablespoon of vegan butter or milk until they’re warmed through, stirring occasionally and adding additional butter/milk if they seem too dry. Alternatively, you can microwave them in a heat-proof bowl for 20-30 seconds at a time, stirring after each interval and reducing the microwave time accordingly.
Freezing Instructions
These mashed potatoes can also be kept in the freezer for up to 3 months. Store them in a freezer-safe container or a heavy-duty freezer bag with all of the air pressed out. Thaw them out in the fridge overnight before reheating them.
More Must-Make Vegan Sides
Need more healthy vegan side dishes in your life? You’ll love the recipes below as much as we do.
These Vegan Mashed Potatoes are made with Yukon Gold potatoes, fresh garlic, dairy-free butter and plant-based milk and are the creamiest mashed potatoes ever! They're garnished with salt, pepper and a sprinkle of fresh chives to make them look as amazing as they taste. Gluten-free, grain-free with a Whole30 option.
- 3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes well-scrubbed
- 1 teaspoon fine grain sea salt or kosher salt, divided
- 1/4 cup vegan butter , may sub with ghee or unsalted grass-fed butter if not dairy-free (or for Whole30), plus more for serving
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 cup unsweetened plant-milk or preferred milk warmed or brought to room temperature
- freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped chives
Peel the potatoes and cut them into large chunks. Place in a large pot or Dutch oven, and cover the potatoes by 1 inch with cool water.
Turn the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and add 1 teaspoon of salt. Cook until the potatoes are fork-tender, about 20 to 25 minutes.
Drain the potatoes in a colander, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid in a glass cup or measuring cup.
Add the butter, garlic and 1/2 teaspoon of salt in the drained pot. Add the drained potatoes and use a potato masher to mash the potatoes.
Once the potatoes are mostly mashed, season with salt and stir with a spoon. Pour in the 1/4 cup of the reserved cooking liquid, a little at a time, until it is fully incorporated. Then add 1/4 cup of milk and mix until desired consistency.
Taste the potatoes and season with salt and pepper as needed. Garnish with the chives and more vegan butter just before serving.
Recipe Video
- To Store: Once cooled, refrigerate mashed potatoes in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- To Reheat: Heat mashed potatoes and 1/2 tbsp vegan butter (or milk) in a pot over medium-low heat until warmed through. Stir occasionally and add more butter/milk if potatoes seem too dry. Alternatively, microwave them in a heat-proof bowl for 20-30 seconds at a time, stirring after each interval.
- To Freeze: Store cooled potatoes in a freezer-safe container or heavy-duty freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
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