This is the best vegan mashed potatoes recipe ever! They’re creamy, fluffy, made with just 5 ingredients, and the perfect side dish for the Holidays, or any time of the year.
It's a simple recipe made with plant-based ingredients you already have in your pantry or can get at any grocery store and is much healthier than the classic version.
If you’re looking for vegan side dishes for Thanksgiving or Christmas, this recipe is for you. However, it’s so delicious and easy to make you can enjoy it all year long, and it’s ready in just 30 minutes!
I like to serve them with vegan gravy, or a giant scoop of vegan butter, but they’re also so good by themselves.
Also, check out my other vegan Thanksgiving recipes for other ideas to make the ideal Thanksgiving plate.
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🌟 You’ll love this recipe because it is
- Made with only 5 ingredients you probably already have on hand.
- Ready in just 30 minutes.
- So simple it always works. Everyone can make it, even those who don’t know how to cook.
- Very affordable and goes well with pretty much everything.
- Perfect if you’re vegan or dairy-free as it’s made with vegan butter and non-dairy milk.
🧾 Ingredients
- Potatoes: Yukon Gold is my favorite kind of potato for this recipe, but Russet is also so good. Red and white potatoes would also work, though.
- Vegan butter: homemade or store-bought. You may need to add more or less salt depending on how salty your vegan butter is.
- Salt: I used ionized salt, but any salt will do.
- Non-dairy milk: any unsweetened non-dairy milk will do. Soy milk is my favorite one, but feel free to use what you have on hand (almond milk and oat milk are also delicious).
- Garlic: this ingredient is completely optional, but if you’re a garlic lover, you should add it.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
🔪 Instructions
Step 1: peel the potatoes and cut them into 1-inch cubes (2.5 cm), then transfer to a large pot full of cold water along with the garlic (if using).
Step 2: bring to a boil, then low the heat to medium-high and cook uncovered for 15-20 minutes or until the potatoes are fork-tender. Drain the potatoes and garlic well and return them to the pot.
Step 3: add the vegan butter and the salt, and mash them using a potato masher or a fork until well combined.
Step 4: heat the milk on the stovetop (or in the microwave) until warm. Finally, pour in the milk a little at a time until it's fully incorporated.
📋 Substitutions & variations
- Garlic: this is an optional ingredient, so you can omit it if you want or use some garlic powder to taste instead.
- Vegan butter: extra virgin olive oil also works amazingly well and is a healthier alternative. You could also use other types of oil.
- Non-dairy milk: you can also use vegan sour cream, vegan cream cheese, vegetable stock, or water instead of non-dairy milk.
- Other ways you can cook the garlic. You can also add raw or roasted garlic cloves, or sautée them in a skillet with a little bit of oil until golden brown.
- For an oil-free version, just omit the vegan butter or oil, and add more milk if needed. I would use non-dairy milk with a higher content of fat like soy or almond milk.
- There are other vegetables you can use instead of potatoes, like sweet potatoes or even cauliflower.
🍽 Equipment
My favorite tool to make vegan mashed potatoes is a potato masher, but you could also use a fork if you don’t have one. A potato ricer is also a good choice, but a potato masher is all you need.
I’ve used an immersion blender or a hand mixer in the past and it makes the process shorter and easier.
However, it can sometimes change the final texture of this dish as it can also break down the starches in the potatoes and cause a gummy texture if they are overmixed.
❄️ Storage
Refrigerator
Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
Freezer
Raw potatoes don't freeze well, but mashed potatoes survive the chill if they're made with plenty of fat, so you could add a little bit more vegan butter or oil if you're going to freeze them.
To freeze them, just transfer them to an airtight container or a freezer-safe bag, squeezing out as much air as possible, and keep them in the freezer for up to a month.
I prefer to avoid plastic, so I use an airtight container instead, but it's up to you. To defrost them, transfer the container or bag to the refrigerator the night before.
Reheat
You can reheat them on the stovetop in a saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally. Add a little bit of milk to thin, if needed.
Alternatively, put them in a microwave-safe dish, add a splash of milk, and gently stir.
Cover the potatoes with a lid to help preserve moisture, then heat at half power for 1 minute or until they’re warmed through.
💭 Expert tips
- I prefer to peel the potatoes, but please feel free to leave the skin on if you want. For extra creamy and smooth potatoes, peel them.
- To keep the potatoes from oxidizing, place them in a bowl of cold water while you're peeling and cutting them.
- I prefer to add salt at the end, but some people add a pinch of salt to the boiling water. In that case, you'll need to add less salt before mashing the potatoes.
- Heat your milk in the microwave or stovetop. This keeps the potatoes hot and they absorb the milk better. Add the milk a little a time to get the right consistency.
- Don’t overwork the potatoes, this will ruin their texture and you’ll get gummy potatoes instead of fluffy and creamy.
❓Recipe FAQs
Classic mashed potatoes are made with Russet potatoes, they have a high starch content, and are great for extra creamiest potatoes. However, they have a tendency to dry, so that’s why I prefer Yukon Gold.
They’re also super creamy and buttery, and you need to add less milk. Red and white potatoes also work fine, so please use the potatoes you have access to.
Yes, you can prepare them up to two days in advance, just follow the recipe exactly, then cool and refrigerate in an airtight container.
Reheat in the oven, in a casserole dish, and add a few pats of butter on the top to keep them moist.
Cover the dish with foil and bake at 350ºF or 180ºC for 20-30 minutes or until the potatoes are warmed through. Add a little more milk if they dry out.
Both options are great. Peeled potatoes result in creamier potatoes, but it adds time.
On the other hand, unpeel potatoes can be the best choice if you’re serving a crowd. You’ll get rustic and hearty potatoes with extra fiber.
Yes, just place the potatoes (peeled and cubed) and the garlic in the inner pot, cover with cold water, and cook on high pressure for 10 minutes.
Do a quick release and drain them. Then add back to the pot or transfer to another bowl and mash with all the remaining ingredients.
🥧 More vegan Holiday recipes
⭐️ Did you like this vegan mashed potatoes recipe? Leave a comment and rating below!
📖 Recipe
Vegan Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 2 pounds potatoes, Yukon Gold or Russet
- 4 cloves garlic, sliced, optional
- 4 tablespoons vegan butter, softened, or extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½-¾ cup unsweetened non-dairy milk, I used soy milk
Instructions
- Peel the potatoes and cut them into 1-inch cubes (2.5 cm), then transfer to a large pot full of cold water along with the garlic (if using).
- Bring to a boil, then low the heat to medium-high and cook uncovered for 15-20 minutes or until the potatoes are fork-tender.
- Drain the potatoes and garlic well and return them to the pot.
- Add the vegan butter and the salt, and mash them using a potato masher or a fork until well combined.
- Heat the milk on the stovetop (or in the microwave) until warm.
- Finally, pour in the milk a little at a time until it's fully incorporated. Add more or less milk, depending on the consistency you're looking for.
- Serve your vegan mashed potatoes immediately with some vegan gravy, or a giant scoop of vegan butter, or just by themselves.
Notes
- Garlic is an optional ingredient, so you can omit it if you want or use some garlic powder to taste instead.
- Extra virgin olive oil also works amazingly well and is a healthier alternative to vegan butter.
- You could also use other types of oil, or even omit it for an oil-free version of this recipe.
- You can also use vegan sour cream, vegan cream cheese, vegetable stock, or water instead of non-dairy milk.
- You can also add raw or roasted garlic cloves, or sautée them in a skillet with a little bit of oil until golden brown. I prefer to cook the garlic along with the potatoes.
- Refrigerator: store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
- Freezer: transfer them to an airtight container or freezer-safe bag, squeezing out as much air as possible, and keep them in the freezer for up to a month.
- Defrost: to defrost them, transfer the container or bag to the refrigerator the night before.
- Reheat on the stovetop: you can reheat them on the stovetop in a saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally. Add a little bit of milk to thin, if needed.
- Reheat in the microwave: transfer to a microwave-safe dish, add some milk, and stir. Cover with a lid, then heat at half power for 1 minute or until they’re warmed through.
Esther Nir says
Hi, just made this right now for Thanksgiving today. Easy and Delicious! I used Myoko's Vegan butter and never thought to put in soy milk but great idea. Also fried onions for the top. On our way to the feast...
Iosune Robles says
Hi! So glad you liked it Esther!
Sally says
This was great! Made them for Thanksgiving dinner. I boiled the potatoes whole, because I was being lazy, so I left them in the pot longer. I winged it on the measurements, going for texture and taste, as I have no idea what my potatoes weighed. I used olive oil and hemp milk. I will definitely make again!!!
Iosune Robles says
S glad you liked it Sally 🙂 Have a nice day!
Heidi Lynn Borden says
I find that making mashed potatoes with fatted coconut milk in the can makes for very creamy and delicious mashed potatoes. You do not need oil or milk if you use the fatted coconut milk to replace both.
Iosune Robles says
Sounds so good Heidi 🙂
Tracey says
Love this!!! First time making vegan mashed potatoes. I was craving my normal buttery mashed potatoes. This recipe was so satisfying. I added some nutritional yeast. Still really good.
Iosune Robles says
Hi Tracey! So glad you liked it 🙂 Have a nice day!
Joel says
I loved this simple recipe, which is just what I'd wanted for an Easter dinner for one (I halved it)! I used red potatoes, which worked great. I also added 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and for richer flavor I added 1 tablespoon of nutritional yeast. (Last, I went with cashew milk and used the high-end amount shown in the recipe.)
Iosune Robles says
Hi Joel!! It is great you liked the recipe!! Thank you so much!!! 🙂
Gualtiero says
Encantado Iosune!
I can't wait to try this recipe but I'm struggling to see it in the bottom section? Otherwise I'll just watch the video!
Thanks,
Gualtiero
Iosune says
Hi Gualtiero! Sorry for the inconvenience. Can you see the recipe box at the end of the post?
Amanda Clark says
Such a delicious recipe!
Iosune says
Hi Amanda! Thanks a lot 🙂
Sam says
Really enjoyed this. Only issue was that we found that boiling the potatoes might be better for this recipe.
Iosune says
Hi Sam! So glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Phil says
I tried this earlier. Simply delicious, I included the chives. I love the simple recipes. Thanks.
Iosune says
Hi Phil! Thanks a lot 🙂 I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
Amy says
This recipe looks wonderful. I can't wait to try it out!
I haven't visited your blog for a while. Your wonderful recipes helped me begin my gluten and dairy free journey when you were still Minimal Eats. I went off the diet for a while, but I am starting up again, and had to come back to you.
I have spent some time tonight looking for some of my old favorites and noting some new ones as well.
Thanks for still beig here and sharing your inspirational stories and recipes with the world.
Iosune says
Hi Amy! Thanks a lot for your kind words, you made my day 🙂 Have a beautiful day!