Want the hack to the most flavorful vegan mashed potatoes EVER? Cook them right in vegetable stock—then turn that same stock into the gravy.
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It’s one pot, fewer dishes, and so much more flavor than just boiling potatoes in water. The potatoes get a layer of flavor they don’t normally have, while the gravy has a creamier consistency from the potato starch.
As a long-time vegan and a big believer in making comfort food easy for busy families, I’ve made mashed potatoes more times than I can count. But once I tried this method, there was no going back.
In just 30 minutes, you’ve got creamy, dreamy mashed potatoes and a rich, savory gravy—ready for weeknights, holidays, or anytime comfort food cravings hit.
And yes, omnivores have cleaned their plates without even realizing they were vegan.
Vegan Mashed Potatoes Ingredients
Below are notes about the ingredients before we get into the full recipe located lower in this post on how to make the best vegan mashed potatoes recipe:
- Russet Potatoes – classic russets are what we use in our vegan mashed potatoes recipe
- Vegetable Broth – We love adding more flavor into the recipe by cooking the potatoes directly in vegetable broth instead of water. We then use that leftover stock to make our gravy. Some of the starch from the potatoes is left behind which results in a richer gravy in the end as well.
- Vegan Butter – mashed potatoes need vegan butter. The oil yields fat and richness that make the potatoes creamier and delicious.
- Non-Dairy Milk – creamier non-dairy milks work best, like soy, creamy oat, and cashew, but any unsweetened, unflavored non-dairy milk will work. We’d recommend avoiding coconut milk here (canned or carton) because of the taste affect.
- Salt and Pepper – these are really the only seasonings you need to make traditional mashed potatoes. One of the biggest mistakes in making mashed potatoes is not salting enough. Potatoes absorb far more salt than their other starch counterparts and because of that it may seems like you need a ridiculous amount of salt, but you likely need more than you think
- Flour – is for making the gravy. We use traditional all-purpose flour for this recipe.
How to Make Dairy Free Mashed Potatoes
For the Potatoes
- You’ll want to peel potatoes and cut into 1 inch cubes. Try to cut evenly.
- Add vegetable stock and potatoes to pot. Turn on medium heat and bring to a boil. Continue to cook for 10-15 minutes or until fork tender.
- Using a slotted spoon, remove the potatoes to a large bowl, reserving the cooking liquid to make gravy. To the bowl, add in the butter, milk, salt and pepper. Using a potato masher, mash the potatoes. Taste the potatoes and add more salt and pepper as needed. If needed more creamy, add a tablespoon of milk at a time up to ¼ cup more.
For the Gravy
- Move the cooking liquid to a large measuring glass or a bowl. You should have two cups liquid remaining. If not fill to get 2 cups.
- In the same pot, add the butter over medium heat and let melt. Add in the flour. Whisk constantly until a paste forms. (making a roux). Add stock back in very slowly. Continuously whisking until well combined.Then, add salt and pepper. Taste your gravy and add more salt and pepper if needed.
- Let cook, stirring often, until gravy begins to thicken. Remove from heat and keep warm.
- Store leftovers in an air tight container in the fridge for 5-7 days. Heat up 30 seconds at a time in microwave or on the stove in a pan until warmed throughout.
Substitutions and Variations:
- Potatoes – Yukon gold could also be used
- Vegetable Broth – You could use bouillon, homemade stock, or just water though using just water will omit some of the flavor
- Flour – a 1:1 gluten free flour blend would also work, as would chickpea flour. We don’t have other recommendations at this time. You may need more stock with the chickpea flour.
We don’t personally recommend omitting the vegan butter, non-dairy milk, salt or pepper from this recipe.
Vegan Mashed Potatoes Recipe Tips
Just because you’re making mashed potatoes without milk or butter from a dairy cow, doesn’t mean that you can’t have perfectly creamy mashed potatoes.
We hope this answers all of the questions you have about perfecting these vegan mashed potatoes, but as always leave a comment if you have one we haven’t answered.
- Only use Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes to make these dairy free mashed potatoes
- Potatoes are very bland. Cooking in vegetable broth yields a ton more flavor and this step shouldn’t be skipped. (Tip: Cook your rice in broth for more flavor too!)
- Don’t skimp on the salt! Potatoes need salt! They beg for it.
- Don’t add salt to the pot. I understand this is critical to making mashed potatoes when using water; however, the salt content in the broth is all you need.
- Add your potatoes to a pot, then add the vegetable stock, then turn on the heat. Otherwise, you’ll end up with unevenly cooked potatoes.
- Add room temperature or warm butter and milk to your potatoes for best results
- Process the potatoes as little as possible when mashing. We prefer using a potato masher, but smoother potatoes can be achieved if you use a mixer and we understand why you may want that. No matter which way you choose, do not over mash or over mix them. The more you do, the more you risk more starch being realized, which gives you gummy mashed potatoes.
Best mashed potatoes mix-ins
There are a ton of different ways to make dairy free mashed potatoes, but here’s three delicious ideas. For all of them, make the original mashed potatoes as described above. Then, follow below as desired.
- Garlic Vegan Mashed Potatoes – We love roasting garlic for mashed potatoes! You can roast or saute garlic and add as little or much as you want! Want a subtle taste – try 3-4 cloves of garlic. Want a super garlicky taste? Add the entire bulb of garlic. Note: we don’t recommend adding raw, uncooked garlic as it has a different taste.
- Cheesy Vegan Mashed Potatoes – Once the original mashed potatoes are completed, add in 1 cup of dairy free shredded cheese that is meltable (we like Daiya Shredded Cheddar, specifically the cutting board blend) to warmed potatoes. Stir gently until the cheese is mixed thoroughly. Top with ⅛ cup of chopped chives.
- Loaded Dairy Free Mashed Potatoes – To the original mashed potatoes recipe, add in 1 cup of dairy free shredded cheese that is meltable (we like Daiya Shredded Cheddar), ½ teaspoon of garlic powder, ½ cup crumbled bacon (use Lightlife bacon if vegan), ⅛ cup green onions, and ¼ cup vegan sour cream.
- If you don’t have or can’t find vegan sour cream, you can add 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice to ¼ cup plain vegan yogurt and let sit for 5 minutes before adding as described above or even just swap with vegan cream cheese.
- Top with additional green onions and crumbled bacon as desired.
- Spinach and Artichoke Dairy Free Mashed Potatoes – To start this recipe, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet. Add 1 cup uncooked spinach and ¾ cup chopped artichokes. Cook until spinach is wilted. Add in cooked ingredients to the original mashed potatoes recipe with 1 cup vegan parmesan cheese.
- If you do not have or can’t find vegan parmesan cheese, you can make your own homemade vegan parmesan cheese.
Vegan Mashed Potato Recipe FAQs
When making vegan mashed potatoes, you want to keep the flavor as neutral as possible.
You always want to go with an unsweetened, unflavored milk. Sugar has no place in mashed potatoes and definitely nothing flavored is needed. You also don’t want it to be overly nutty as that flavor will come out into the vegan mashed potatoes.
The best dairy free milk for mashed potatoes is a creamier milk like oat milk or soy milk.
We have tried a few and honestly, there’s not much of a difference to be honest in something like this.
We have a tendency to use Country Crock Plant Based Stick the most.
The standard answer of how many potatoes do you need per person is ½ a pound uncooked potatoes per person.
The recipe we create below uses 2.5lbs and we recommend that serving 4 people.
We add a little bit more simply because they are the best dairy free mashed potatoes around and you’ll want to have a little more on hand for when you eat a serving of them before they get to your table.
Don’t worry, secret is safe with us.
Absolutely! You can easily double or triple this recipe as written depending on how many people you are serving at your dinner table or holiday get together.
Just follow the instructions for recommendations above on amounts per person.
You need to use a safe for you flour, vegan milk and butter.
For the flour, you can sub 1:1 GF flour, chickpea flour or almond flour to make gluten free.
Use something like oat milk for the non-dairy milk.
For the butter, we recommend Earth Balance soy free. It comes in a red tub.
Yes! You can prep this up to 3 days in advance. Just reheat in the microwave or over the stove. You will likely need a splash or two of milk added in while reheating and stir together.
Recipes using Leftover Vegan Mashed Potatoes
If you are anything like anyone in our household, then the answer is just off the spoon; however, if you’d like actual recipes for ways to use up leftover vegan mashed potatoes, then we have two fun ideas for you:
What should I serve with Vegan Mashed Potatoes?
Again, they do well on their own with nothing else needed! But we get that you may want to make a full meal out of this! Here’s a few ideas:
- Vegan Fried Chicken
- Vegan “Honey” Garlic Tofu
- Mushroom Free Vegan Wellington
- Vegan Swedish Meatballs
- Cheesy Vegan Italian Meatballs
- Baked Tofu with Maple Blackberry Ginger Glaze
Pin this vegan mashed potatoes and gravy recipe for later:
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Vegan Dairy Free Mashed Potatoes Recipe
Ingredients
For the Vegan mashed potatoes
- 2.5 lbs Russet Potatoes
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- ½ cup vegan butter
- ¼ cup unsweetened, unflavored dairy free milk
- ¾ teaspoon salt*
- ¼ tsp pepper*
For the Gravy
- reserved vegetable broth from above (see directions)
- ¼ cup vegan butter
- 3 tablespoon flour, can sub 1:1 GF flour, chickpea flour or almond flour to make gluten free
- ¼ teaspoon salt (more to taste)
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper (more to taste)
Instructions
- Peel potatoes and cut into 1in cubes. Try to cut evenly.
- Add vegetable stock and potatoes to pot. Turn on medium heat and bring to a boil.
- Continue to cook for 10-15 minutes or until fork tender.
- Using a slotted spoon, remove the potatoes to a large bowl, reserving the cooking liquid to make gravy.
- To the bowl, add in the butter, milk, salt and pepper.
- Using a potato masher, mash the potatoes.
- *Taste the potatoes and add more salt and pepper as needed. If needed more creamy, add a tablespoon of milk at a time up to ¼ cup more.
For the Gravy
- Move the cooking liquid to a large measuring glass or a bowl. You could have two cups liquid remaining. If not fill to get 2 cups.
- In the same pot, add the butter over medium heat and let melt.
- Add in the flour. Whisk constantly until a paste forms. (making a roux)
- Add stock back in very slowly. Continuously whisking until well combined.
- Then, add salt and pepper. Taste your gravy and add more salt and pepper if needed.
- Let cook, stirring often, until gravy begins to thicken. Remove from heat and keep warm.
- Store leftovers in an air tight container in the fridge for 5-7 days. Heat up 30 seconds at a time in microwave or on the stove in a pan until warmed throughout.
Notes
Video
Nutrition
This post was originally written on 11/16/2020 and updated on 3/20/2022.
So flavorful! I use this recipe for every holiday or when ever we’re just craving mashed potatoes 😋
Yay! Love it
This is my go to mashed potato recipe. It’s one of my son’s favorites.
We’re so happy to hear this, thank you for taking the time to leave a review! We really appreciate it.
Simple, Easy, Quick, Delicious!! All of my non-vegan family loved it!
We’re so happy to hear this, thank you for taking the time to leave a review! We really appreciate it.
So easy and delicious! Definitely putting this on repeat!
So glad to hear you are enjoying the recipe. We really appreciate you taking the time to leave a review! Have a great day!
So easy and incredibly smooth and delicious. The perfect potatoes!
OMG I made this tonight and it was DELICIOUS! I knew when you suggested using vegetable stock to boil the potatoes it was bound to be yummy. And BTW this is the first time in my life that the gravy turned out beautifully, not sure if it’s the lack of animal fat or what, but thanks so much for sharing this. 🙂
We’re so happy to hear that you liked both !
This recipe could not have been easier! I used Yukon gold potatoes and oat milk. Both the potatoes and gravy were absolutely delicious. They will be a permanent addition to my Thanksgiving menu.
So happy to hear that! Thanks for taking time to leave a review!