The Best Vegan Mashed Potatoes Recipe - Build Your Bite (2024)

FAQs

What is the best non-dairy substitute for milk in mashed potatoes? ›

Any plant-based or dairy free milk is a great substitute for regular milk in mashed potatoes. For an even creamier mashed potato, use cashew cream, which is similar in consistency to heavy cream. For a richer option when you're short on time, use full fat coconut milk.

Soaking potatoes in water helps remove excess starch. Excess starch can inhibit the potatoes from cooking evenly as well as creating a gummy or sticky texture on the outside of your potatoes. Cold water is used because hot water would react with the starch activating it, making it harder to separate from the potatoes.

You can use what you have on hand: Flour, cornstarch, or powdered milk are all solid options that are probably already in your pantry. Potato flour and potato starch would work as well. Stir in the thickening agent gradually, about a tablespoon at a time, until the potatoes have reached your desired consistency.

Sour cream adds a little bit of tangy flavor and a boost of richness to mashed potatoes. It's a fun change from the standard milk or cream and butter combo usually flavoring mashed taters. You can even try your hand at making homemade sour cream from heavy cream!

Garlic: I used fresh garlic cloves but you can use garlic powder if desired. Unsweetened Almond Milk: Almond milk is what's going to help our mashed potatoes become super creamy and luscious! You can also use soy milk, oat milk or your favorite non-dairy milk alternative. Just make sure it's unsweet.

Looking for a butter substitute in your mashed potato recipe? Try mayonnaise! Mashed potatoes with mayo are super creamy and taste just as good!

The secret ingredient is just ice-cold water.

You soak the potatoes in iced water before they are cooked. This eliminates much of the starches in the potatoes, resulting in a super light and fluffy mash. It's also like when you make rice. The key to fluffy rice is to rinse off as much starch as possible.

Drop a whole russet into the pot and by the time the outside has cooked through, the inside will still be raw. Larger potatoes should be cubed to ensure they cook evenly (peeled first if desired). Smaller potatoes tend to have thin skins and can be boiled whole, no peeling required.

Mix up your mashed potato game by adding in other root veggies with your potatoes. Try turnips, parsnips, carrots, or celeriac to give your basic mashed potato recipe a boost of flavor (and a boost in nutrition, too).

For mashed potatoes that are smooth without being gummy, a potato ricer is your best bet. It gently presses the potato into fine pieces, so all that's left to do is add your liquid and a pat or two of butter.

Can you add too much milk to mashed potatoes? ›

Runny potatoes can happen for a few different reasons. Too much liquid: This is the most common reason. In the mashing process you may have added too much milk or broth.

On the other end of the problematic mashed potato spectrum, we have the dreaded stiff and gluey mashed potatoes. As already discussed, pastiness is caused by too much potato starch being worked into the mashed potatoes.

Sour Cream: The sour cream helps keep the mashed potatoes fluffy. Cream Cheese: This adds a bit of creaminess without being too overpowering.

Soy milk is the OG of non-dairy milk and is made by soaking soybeans (which have been hulled and ground) in water. Soybeans contain essential amino acids, high levels of protein, and iron, and soy milk has lower fat and cholesterol levels than cow's milk. Soy milk has a subtly sweet, creamy, and mild flavor.

Among other milk alternatives like almond milk, soy milk and oat milk, soy milk is by far the best for baking. I learned this over the course of several years and many cookies, cakes, muffins and pies.

Whole milk and light cream are the two components of half-and-half, so it's not that far off from the real deal. Use half-and-half as a 1:1 substitute for heavy cream. It can work nearly as well for bringing creamy texture and flavor to sauces, soups and stews, mashed potatoes, quiches, and casseroles.