These Dairy-free Garlic Mashed Potatoes are super rich and creamy, light and fluffy, loaded with flavor and perfect for a vegan diet. Yeah, you heard that right, a healthy mashed potato recipe, perfect for Thanksgiving or an ordinary weeknight…and they taste incredible!
This post has been updated from the original published November 1, 2015.
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Mashed potatoes are classic comfort food. And yes, these vegan garlic mashed potatoes are the ultimate in healthy comfort food! Not only are they warm and satisfying, but they’re the perfect receptacle for golden vegan gravy too!
This easy recipe for non dairy mashed potatoes skips the heavy cream, coconut milk and vegan butter….and relies on a combination of flavorful root vegetables, plenty of garlic, olive oil and vegetable broth to deliver taste and texture. Truly the BEST vegan mashed potato recipe out there.
Your whole family will love this healthy version of a classic side dish so much, you’ll never go back to traditional mashed potatoes. This classic side dish is easy to make ahead and reheat, and therefore a great way to meal prep for everyday or even for a special occasion like Thanksgiving Dinner.
Best Potato for My Mashed Potato Recipe
- Red bliss potatoes: Use these if you like a potato that holds its shape a bit and will result in a chunkier mash. Many claim that the more waxy red bliss are not ideal for mashed potatoes….but I beg to differ! These are my favorites because I like some texture in my mashed potatoes. Plus they have less carbs and calories and more vitamins and minerals than the starchier varieties.
- Yukon gold potatoes: The best option for rich color, texture and taste. They tend to have a naturally buttery flavor, which is ideal when you’re making vegan mashed potatoes. I can get behind this choice.
- Russet potatoes: These are really starchy and I think kinda dry for mashed potatoes. Not my first choice.
- Idaho potatoes: Very similar end result to russet potatoes. The Idaho potato is actually a Russet potato that is grown in Idaho. See my opinion above.
- Potatoes not to use for mashed potatoes: Fingerlings, new potatoes, baby potatoes, blue potatoes.
Ingredient Notes
I’ve been adding other root veggies to my mashed potatoes for years. This is one of the easiest ways to make healthier mashed potatoes. A combination of potatoes and root vegetables means diversity of vitamins and minerals, tons of fiber and the same creamy texture and color you’re expecting from the best mashed potatoes.
- Potatoes: See above to decide between red bliss, yukon gold or russet potatoes, depending on your personal preferences.
- Cauliflower: Helps make the mash super creamy with less carbs and less calories than using all potatoes. You can substitute cauliflower rice or frozen cauliflower for the whole cauliflower to save time.
- Turnips: High in fiber, vitamins K, A, C and E, as well as potassium magnesium and calcium. They have a slightly bitter and subtle spicy flavor that’s also kinda earthy, which adds depth to this recipe.
- Celeriac: The root part of the celery plant that adds a natural flavor boost. Use the root for the recipe and chop up the tops to sprinkle on top of your mash or add to your Thanksgiving stuffing.
- Parsnips: Add a combination of sweet, spicy and nutty flavors.
Mashed Potato Flavor Enhancers
- Garlic: A not so secret ingredient that adds so much flavor! Vegan Garlic Mashed Potatoes are the way to go! Garlic cloves are boiled with the potatoes so they’re easy to mash and their flavor mellows, removing the bitterness. Go for it and add as much as you like!
- Oil Free: If you’re omitting oil from your diet, but still want a deliciously creamy dairy-free mash, skip the olive oil and add a generous dollop of my vegan sour cream instead. Game changer…report back and let me know how much you love this version!
- Olive oil: Lower in saturated fat than butter, olive oil adds just the right amount of creaminess and a subtle herby flavor. I don’t use vegan butter because I haven’t found one that doesn’t contain highly processed industrial seed or vegetable oils that are too rich in Omega-6 fatty acids.
- Vegetable Stock: I like to make vegetable broth from scratch. The recipe is easy and you can concentrate the flavor and control the ingredients. A better choice than chicken stock, in my opinion. If you use store bought broth, be sure to read the label carefully to find a brand that does not contain heavily processed oils or too much sodium.
How to make mashed potatoes without milk
Scrub potatoes. Use a loofah to make this task easier. Cut into large cubes with skins still on. Peel parsnips, turnips, celeriac and chop into similar sizes. Cut cauliflower into Peel garlic cloves, leave them whole.
Cover with water by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered for about 20 minutes, until all veggies are super tender. When potatoes are almost done, heat veggie stock in small saucepan. Keep warm until ready to use.
When veggies are tender, drain. Set aside some of the starchy water. You can use it later if you don’t have enough stock.
Put boiled veggies back into the same pot. Shake and let the water dry up. I like to use a potato masher, leaving some chunks for added texture. If you prefer a super smooth texture, use an immersion blender. The best fluffy texture is achieved with a potato ricer or hand mixer.
- Drizzle in the olive oil, salt and pepper. Continue to mash. Leave some chunks for an interesting texture.
- Slowly pour in the vegetable stock, starting with ¼ cup. Test for desired consistency, adding remaining broth 1 Tablespoon at a time if needed.
- Taste for seasoning. Add salt and pepper if desired and mix well. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley, green onions or celery leaves.
- Store leftover mashed potatoes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week or the freezer for 3 months.
Debra’s Pro Tips
- For NO-OIL Vegan Mashed Potatoes, substitute the olive oil with my cashew sour cream. Your potatoes will be rich and creamy, dairy-free and delicious!
- The easy way to scrub potatoes when you don’t peel them is to use a loofah. I like to leave the skins on because they’re loaded with extra fiber, vitamins and minerals.
- Put the drained potatoes and roots back in the same (hot) pot to mash…it will keep them hot and help the water dissipate.
- For best results, do not overmix! Regardless of which tool you use to mash your potatoes, be mindful because overmixing will produce gluey mashed potatoes.
- For The best Thanksgiving Mashed Potatoes and Gravy: Make these up to 3 hours in advance and place in your crockpot on warm until ready to serve. They’ll still be hot, and creamy. Alternately, place in a covered bowl that’s balanced over a barely simmering pot of water. Vegan Gravy can be made up to a week in advance and gently reheated on the stove before serving. This will free you up for important last minute tasks.
- Love a good mash, but not into potatoes? Try Roasted and Mashed Acorn Squash for a nice mix of savory and sweet.
Best way to reheat mashed potatoes
I like to make my mashed potatoes the same day I’m serving them….but I finish several hours in advance and leave them on warm in the crock pot. They will retain their creamy texture and be perfectly hot when it’s time to serve. If you’re doing a buffet, even better, you never have to transfer to another serving dish and you can keep them on warm during the meal. No need to reheat, and no need to make at the last minute….WIN-WIN!!
If your mashed potatoes were frozen, defrost in the fridge first so you can give them a good stir before reheating. Keep in mind, reheating time will vary based on how deep your potatoes are in the pan/pot/bowl. Be sure when stirring to get to the bottom of the pan so they don’t burn.
- On the stovetop: Place mashed potatoes in a heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water, or use a double boiler if you have one. When they’re warmed through, gently stir. Add a couple Tablespoons veggie broth, if they’re dry. Stir again. Cover with foil and leave over simmering water until ready to serve.
- In the oven: Preheat oven to 325. Stir mashed potatoes well and add 1-2 Tablespoons vegetable broth to the mixture. If you have any vegan sour cream, you could add 2 Tablespoons of that instead. Transfer mashed potatoes to a baking dish and cover tightly with foil so the potatoes can steam inside. It will take about 25 minutes to heat them through.
- In the microwave: Make sure potatoes are in a microwave-safe bowl. Sprinkle on 2 Tablespoons vegetable broth and cover with a moist paper towel. Microwave on high for 2 minutes. Stir well. Microwave another 2 minutes. Stir again. Continue until mashed potatoes are evenly heated throughout, adding another 1-2 Tablespoons broth if needed.
- In the slow cooker: Cook on low for 1-2 hours, with the lid on, until heated through. Stir once or twice during the process and sprinkle with 1-2 Tablespoons vegetable broth if needed.
- Good news: Leftover mashed potatoes can also be used to make mashed potato waffles, added to a Thanksgiving sandwich, to top a vegan shepherd’s pie or to bulk up a pureed soup.
What to serve with mashed potatoes
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📖 Recipe
Dairy-free Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs potatoes scrubbed
- 2 medium sized parsnips peeled
- 2 medium purple turnips peeled
- 1 small celeriac peeled
- ½ small cauliflower 12 oz bag if using frozen
- 6 cloves garlic peeled
- ½ cup vegetable broth
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley to garnish
Instructions
- PREP Veggies: Scrub potatoes (no need to peel), peel parsnips, turnips and celeriac. Roughly chop all to approximately the same size.
- Put veggies and peeled cloves of garlic in pot and cover with water by 2 inches.
- Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer for 20 minutes or until tender.
- Meanwhile, heat stock in small saucepan.
- Drain vegetables, reserving ¼ cup cooking liquid.
- Put cooked veggies back into pot and use a potato masher to evenly mash. I like to leave some chunks. If you like really smooth mashed potatoes, use an immersion blender.
- Drizzle olive oil and sprinkle S+P onto mashed potatoes, continuing to mash/blend. Use stock 1 Tablespoon at a time until desired consistency. If potatoes still seem dry, use cooking liquid 1 Tablespoon at a time.
- Taste for seasoning, adding more salt/pepper as needed.
- Sprinkle chopped parsley for garnish.
Notes
Nutrition
Note
The nutrition calculations were done using online tools. To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in any given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients you used. You are ultimately responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information is accurate, complete and useful.
Gloria
We are mashed potato lovers…, especially during the holidays. I have never tried making them with roots before. What an interesting idea. I love celery root. This sounds like a plan for the next holiday dinner.
Debra Klein
Thanks Gloria….celery root is so much more flavorful than potatoes—in addition from being more nutritious…I can’t wait to hear how you like them.
Tina
These mashed potatoes are impressive. I have never seen a mashed potatoes recipe that didn’t have dairy. I once had a nutrition prof tell me potatoes are very healthy, it’s what we do to them that isn’t. She also said if you were alone on a deserted island with only one food item besides water, you would live the longest on the potato. I’m going to make this to go with my salmon tonight. I hope I can find the celeriac, I have been wanting to try that veggie. Thanks for this recipe!
Debra Klein
You’re welcome. I agree….it’s what we do to the potatoes that make them unhealthy. Celery root is easiest to find this time of year….and if you can’t find it, use a bit of celery seeds sprinkled in there and adjust by adding more parsnips or turnips or cauliflower….but not more potatoes.
Dana
Heck yes. I love smashing my roots and potatoes together. So much flavor! Growing up, that was the only way I’d eat my carrots—smashed into my potatoes. Ha. Now I’m craving both this and meatloaf 😉
Debra Klein
We are all so much of our food stories from the past….love it! That meatloaf and the mashed roots are a winning combo….go for it! Make a new story.
Jenni LeBaron
What a great mix! I love mashed cauliflower, potatoes, and parsnips, but have never tried mashed celeraic before so I’m super excited to try this! This will come in handy now that I’m craving all the fall stews that go so well on mash!
Debra Klein
YUP! I’ve been making this at least once a week since the weather has been cooler. Goes with EVERYTHING!
Trish Bozeman
Oh we love mashed potatoes all year too, not just the holidays! Leaving the skin on and adding other veggies to the mix is a fantastic idea and definitely adds more nutrients. Perfect side dish that our toddler gobbles up!
Debra Klein
Oh…ideas use case…toddler and nutrient dense mashed potatoes! Winning!
FOODHEAL
All you favorite roots in one meal! I this is a great recipe
Debra Klein
Yup….in a super tasty delivery too.
Michele Peterson
Love the addition of celeriac and all the delish veggies.
Laura
Delicious!
Emily
I can’t wait to make this recipe for thanksgiving. I love the unique use of different veggies besides just potatoes.
Sue
What a wonderful healthy twist on mashed potatoes. One of my family members is vegan, so I’ll need these for the holidays!
Magali
Great and easy recipe. Thank you!
Debra Klein
YES…it’s so easy and tasty to make healthy food.
Chef Dennis
I never thought of adding those other root vegetables to my mashed potatoes. It must OMG delicious with all those other veggies!
Debra Klein
Definitely some of them add great flavor….and they all add great nutritional value as well.
Terra @ Terra's Bites
I especially adore root veggies when they’re mashed. Such a great healthy recipe.
Lilly
These mashed potatoes are so delicious! I am definitely making this again!
Debra Klein
I think so too!
Christina
Can’t wait to make this!
Kasy Allen
The more vegetables the better, what a great way to use up those root vegetables.
Amanda Scarlati
I loved these potatoes, especially with the other root vegetables. Such great flavor and texture. Making them again for the holidays!
Kayla DiMaggio
These vegan mashed potatoes were so delicious! I loved how easy they were and they came out super creamy!
Debra Klein
So glad you enjoyed them.
Angela
Great recipe! I love the added root vegetables.
Audrey
I tried these out for friendsgiving and they were a hit!
Raquel
These were creamy and tasty and so easy!
Jeri
We loved this healthy side dish!
Jen Vinuya
This is really good! Thank you!
mihaela |theworldisanoyster.com
So easy to make and delicious!
Emily
So creamy and delicious! I’ll be making this again for Thanksgiving!
Jamie
Love the flavors in this dish!
Liz
So much more flavorful than ordinary mashed potatoes. My kids all went back for seconds!
Keri
These mashed potatoes were fab!! So creamy and delicious!
Debra Klein
Thank Keri, glad you enjoyed them.
Nancy
Healthy recipe for thanksgiving and holidays
Debra Klein
Totally…we eat these all year round.
Andrea
these mashed potatoes turned out absolutely delicious! so so good!
Debra Klein
Nice! We love them too.