Easy Vegan Mashed Potatoes 🌱 Every home cook should know the basics for making perfectly fluffy and delicious mashed potatoes.
Few foods are as comforting as mashed potatoes. There are times when nothing else warms the soul and fills the tummy quite like a dish of fluffy potatoes. Comfort food should be simple and this easy vegan mashed potato recipe is simply delicious.
As the daughter of an Idaho farm girl, potatoes were a main staple in our home. My mom prepared potatoes in a million delicious ways, but nothing could top her simple mashed potatoes. Made with a bit of vegan butter, a splash of non-dairy milk, and a few dashes of salt & pepper. Pure potato perfection!
You can dress up these simple vegan mashed potatoes as much as you like! Load on some vegan cheese sauce, non-dairy sour cream, chives or my favorite vegan mushroom gravy. Personally, I love mashed potatoes with just a dab of vegan butter. Basic is better.
Potatoes are one of my absolute favorite foods. I could eat them every day. The good news is they're good for you! Potatoes are rich in complex carbohydrates, which our bodies require as a fuel source. They also provide many vitamins, minerals and fiber. I always keep potatoes on hand in my pantry and if you store them correctly, they'll last for weeks.
🥕Top Tater Tips
How to store potatoes
Isn't it annoying when you’re in the mood to cook a potato only to discover all of your taters have either turned green or have grown sprouts? Have you ever had that happen only days after you bought them? I know how frustrating that is and have some tips to help you keep your potatoes fresh until you’re ready to use them.
Always store potatoes in a dark, cool, well ventilated place. A pantry or cabinet is a good location, as long as it is not near an oven or heat source. It’s why farmers can store potatoes for weeks inside root cellars. Wonder why potatoes turn green? Exposure to light promotes chlorophyll, which is great for houseplants, but not spuds.
Keep potatoes in a ventilated basket or mesh bag. Never store them in the plastic bag from the store. I love re-useable mesh produce bags. They’re perfect for storing potatoes, onions, and garlic. Plus they’re washable.
When in doubt, toss it out. Remove and discard any potatoes that are green, sprouted, have soft spots, mold, or signs of damage.
Don’t wash potatoes until you’re ready to use them. Keep em’ dry.
We love these re-useable and washable produce bags from Lotus Sustainables
How to clean potatoes
I always buy organic potatoes. Most produce that’s not grown organically is sprayed with pesticides and the soil is often treated with fungicides. For root vegetables, like potatoes, all those toxic chemicals end up in or on the produce. No thank you. Even though many fruits & veggies are “washed” before being packaged and displayed in grocery stores, organically grown fruits and veggies – including potatoes – should still be thoroughly washed before consuming.
For potatoes, you will want to wash them just prior to cooking (not before). The easiest method is to use a vegetable brush and scrub the skins in a circular motion under running water.
To prevent potatoes from turning dark after peeling them, keep them covered in cold water or blanch in hot water prior to cooking.
Ingredients
Here are the basic ingredients to make simply the best vegan mashed potatoes.
- Russet potatoes
- Vegan butter
- Non-dairy milk (unsweetened rice, soy, oat, or almond)
- Salt & pepper (to taste)
Note🥕 You can make mashed potatoes without butter or added oils. Simply omit the butter and increase the amount of non-dairy milk until the mashed potatoes are the consistency you like.
Variations
If you want to dress up your mashed potatoes, add any of these ingredients while mashing.
- Vegan cheese - soft, grated, shreds (your choice)
- Plant-based cream cheese
- Non-dairy sour cream
- Nutritional yeast - "nooch"
- Garlic - freshly minced (sautéed in vegan butter or olive oil before adding)
- Chives or scallions - fresh, chopped
- Vegetable broth or bouillon - (instead of milk)
How to make easy vegan mashed potatoes
Everyone should know how to prepare simple mashed potatoes. It's one of the easiest and most versatile dishes to have in your cooking repertoire. Once you know the basics in making delicious fluffy mashed potatoes, you can get as creative as you like by adding in vegan cheeses, garlic, veggie broth, cauliflower, etc. They're perfect in vegan potato tacos! In this recipe, we're making good old fashioned, plain & simple mashed potatoes.
For mashed potatoes, I suggest using russet potatoes. The high starch and texture of russets make them ideal for mashed potatoes. They soften quicker when cooking and break down easier, resulting in lighter fluffier mashed potatoes.
The secret to mom's amazing mashed potatoes was her technique for hand-mashing. She loved demonstrating what she referred to as "the whammy", showing how fast she could whip the potatoes by hand. Her hi-speed hand mashing technique resulted in virtually lump-free potatoes. It never ceased to impress me. However, I don't mind a few lumps in my mashed potatoes. You can use an electric mixer as well, but in my opinion, hand mashing rules! Here are the basic kitchen tools you'll need:
Equipment
- 5 qt. or larger stove top pot with lid
- Vegetable peeler
- Colander
- Potato masher or ricer
- Large bowl
Instructions
🥕See the printable recipe below for details and be sure to watch our Mashed Potatoes Quick Dish video
- Wash, peel and cut potatoes into large cubes.
- Place potatoes into a large pot.
- Cover potatoes completely with water (at least 2" above potatoes).
- Put a lid on the pot and place on stove over high heat.
- Bring to a rolling boil, reduce heat to med-high and continue to boil for 10-15 minutes. Keep on eye on your potatoes, sometimes the water will rise and cause it to boil over spilling onto the stove. If that begins to happen, lift lid and place it slightly ajar on the pot, creating a vent.
- Test potatoes by inserting the end of a pointed knife or fork. If it easily pierces the potatoes, they're done cooking. 🥕Note - perfectly cooked potatoes will be tender but not falling apart.
- Carefully pour off water into sink and allow potatoes to thoroughly drain in a colander or strainer.
- Transfer potatoes to a large mixing bowl and begin mashing while the potatoes are hot.
- Add butter and continue mashing.
- Gradually add milk, a little at a time, and continue mashing until potatoes are the consistency you like.
- Add salt & pepper to taste. Enjoy!
If you love potatoes, you might want to check out these delish recipes!
- Vegan Lemon Roasted Potatoes
- Easy Vegan Scalloped Potatoes
- Vegan Potato Enchilada Casserole
- Grandma's Old Fashioned Vegan Potato Salad
- Vegan Cuban Crushed Potatoes
very vegan 🌱 very good
If you’ve enjoyed this recipe ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ please rate it in the comments below.
Thanks a bunch!🥕
Recipe
Easy Vegan Mashed Potatoes
Equipment
- 5 qt or larger covered stovetop pot
- Vegetable peeler
- colander
- hand masher or ricer
- large bowl
Ingredients
- 4 large russet potatoes washed, peeled, and quartered
- 3 tablespoon vegan butter
- ¾ C non-dairy milk plain, unsweetened of your choice. I prefer rice or soy milk.
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place potatoes into a large pot. Cover potatoes completely with water (at least 2" above potatoes).
- Put a lid on the pot and place on stove over high heat.
- Bring to a rolling boil, reduce heat to med-high and continue to boil for 10-15 minutes. Keep on eye on your potatoes, sometimes the water will rise and cause it to boil over spilling onto the stove. If that begins to happen, lift lid and place it slightly ajar on the pot, creating a vent.
- Test potatoes by inserting the end of a pointed knife or fork. If it easily pierces the potatoes, they're done cooking. 🥕Note - perfectly cooked potatoes will be tender but not falling apart.
- Carefully pour off water into sink and allow potatoes to thoroughly drain in a colander or strainer.
- Transfer potatoes to a large mixing bowl and begin mashing while the potatoes are hot.
- Add butter and continue mashing.
- Gradually add milk, a little at a time, and continue mashing until potatoes are the consistency you like. Add salt & pepper to taste.
- Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
These are estimated values generated from a nutritional database using unbranded products. Please do your own research with the products you're using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.
Food Safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Don’t leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
Connie Edwards McGaughy
Everyone should know how to make mashed potatoes made with simple ingredients. Here's everything you need to make simply the best vegan mashed potatoes!