Try these creamy plant-based mashed potatoes for an easy and oil-free side dish! Made with very few everyday ingredients, they are ready in under 30 minutes and so satisfying.
In our household, we love all things potatoes. From creamy chickpea potato curry to homemade vegan potato salad or even potato pizza crust — there’s almost nothing this humble spud cannot do!
This easy recipe for plant-based mashed potatoes is long overdue. It’s been a staple for us long before we went vegan and we’ve received many questions about how to make oil-free mashed potatoes that are creamy and full of flavor.
free weight loss email series
Getting lean while feeling full? Yes, that’s possible! Find out about easy food swaps, calorie density and 3 full days of eating for sustainable weight loss.
Sometimes, simple is best — and these mashed potatoes are a great example of that.
All you need besides potatoes are dairy-free milk, salt, pepper, garlic powder, nutritional yeast and some of the cooking water.
In terms of equipment, a large pot, spoon, potato masher or immersion blender is all it takes! Let’s dive right in.
Recipe overview
- Ready in under 30 minutes
- Great for meal prep
- Budget-friendly & easy to make
- Oil-free & lower in calories
- Customizable and flavorful
These plant-based mashed potatoes go well with so many vegan dishes and they are usually loved by kids and adults alike.
How to make plant-based mashed potatoes
Prepare & cook potatoes
Give your potatoes a good scrub and rinse them under cold water. Then cut them into evenly-sized 1-inch chunks.
Yes, you’ve read that right — no need to peel your potatoes!
Now, put them in a large pot and add some spices to the cooking water. Bring it to a boil, then let your potatoes simmer for around 15 minutes.
Drain & mash the potatoes
Once your potatoes have become really soft, drain them but be sure that you save some of the cooking water! Find the exact amount in the recipe card below.
Add the potatoes and reserved cooking water back into the pot and break down most of the potatoes using a fork or potato masher.
Now, add some dairy-free milk for creaminess and a few pantry spices to your cooked potatoes. Keep mashing until everything is well incorporated — be sure not to over-mash the potatoes!
Adjust & serve
Finally, give it a taste test. Does it need more salt, spices or soy milk? Adjust your plant-based mashed potatoes according to your liking.
Then transfer them to a large serving bowl and garnish with black pepper and diced green onions!
Storage suggestions
Serve the mashed potatoes right away or store them, once cooled, in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Reheat in the microwave or on the stove with a splash of additional soy milk at your convenience!
What to serve with mashed potatoes
Typical pairings include steamed green beans, roasted vegetables or vegan gravy. We love these oil-free mashed potatoes with our lentil mushroom loaf or chickpea meatloaf and roasted brussels sprouts which results in a great vegan holiday dinner bowl!
You can find more Thanksgiving recipes and vegan Christmas recipes on our blog.
Another great combo is mashed potatoes with ketchup and vegan cauliflower wings!
Tips for this recipe
Spice it up
Add some cashew mayo, vegan sour cream or herbs of your choice to the potatoes before mashing them!
Oven-roasted garlic cloves are also a nice addition. Even though this step takes a bit more time, it can be really worth it.
Dietary adjustments
Make these plant-based mashed potatoes richer by adding vegan butter or oil to them! For a wholesome version, stir in 1 tablespoon of cashew butter.
You can also add 2 cups of cauliflower to your mashed potatoes to reduce the calorie content or add some white beans to bump up the protein!
Mashing tips
Using an immersion blender will result in the creamiest oil-free mashed potatoes! But you need to make sure not to overmix them.
If you don’t have lots of equipment at home, simply use a fork if you don’t mind your mashed potatoes being a bit chunkier.
Meal prep
If our plant-based mashed potatoes end up being a part of your holiday menu, why not take the stress out of the day and make them ahead of time?
Just store the cooled mashed potatoes in the fridge and reheat them in a skillet with a splash of soy milk just before serving it!
Alternatively, chop the potatoes and store them in the pot for several hours before cooking them to save some time.
More vegan side dishes
If you like these plant-based mashed potatoes, be sure to check out the following vegan sides next!
- Fluffy Vegan Cornbread
- Potato Vegetable Croquettes
- Roast Pumpkin Spinach Salad
- Healthy Grilled Cheese
- Lentil Carrot Soup
Did you make our plant-based mashed potatoes and liked them? Be sure to leave a comment and rating below and don’t forget to Pin this article here.
Ingredients
- 2.5 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes 1 kg
- ½-1 teaspoon salt
- Pepper to taste
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- ⅓ cup soy milk 80 ml
- ⅓ cup reserved potato cooking water 80 ml
Toppings (Optional)
- Black pepper freshly ground
- Green onions sliced
Instructions
- Scrub the potatoes and rinse them well under cold water. Then cut them into evenly sized 1-inch chunks.
- Place the potato cubes in a large pot, add salt and 1 tsp garlic powder, and cover with plenty of water.
- Turn the heat to high to bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let the potatoes simmer over medium heat for 15 minutes until they are very tender.
- Drain the potatoes and catch ⅓ cup of the cooking water, which you need to add back into the pot with the potatoes.
- Mash the potatoes using a fork or a potato masher to create a well-combined mixture without over-mashing them.
- Add nutritional yeast, pepper, and the rest of the garlic powder and stir with a wooden spoon to incorporate.
- Slowly add the soy milk while mixing continuously. Add more salt and soy milk to achieve your desired consistency and taste.
- Transfer the mashed potatoes into a large serving bowl, garnish with diced green onions and freshly ground black pepper and serve warm.
Notes
- Make your mashed potatoes richer by adding a dollop of cashew butter or vegan butter if wanted.
- Other tasty add-ins include mustard, onion powder, vegetable broth and herbs of your choice.
- Soy milk can be replaced with any dairy-free milk of your liking.
- If you don’t have Yukon Gold potatoes, try Russet.
- Any leftovers can be kept in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 5 days and reheated on the stove.
I can’t even. POTATOES ARE ALREADY PLANT BASED DO NO NEED TO STATE THE OBVIOUS!
traditionally, mashed potatoes are made with dairy products such as butter. our recipe is fully plant-based which is why it is stated in the name :)
Hi. Thank you for this wonderful vegan mashed potato recipe. I specifically needed it to be vegan for my father‘s heart health diet. I followed the instructions and the potatoes turned out very creamy and delicious.
Thank you!
These are perfect! My father is on a strict, vegan heart healthy, diet. The recipe was easy to follow and very tasty.
This is great. I made these for Christmas and my MIL who loves butter in everything, enjoyed them!
These are good and creamy but the recipe calls for way too much pepper. I did put 1/2 teaspoon in and the pepper taste was incredibly strong.