These are the best healthy mashed potatoes that deserve a spot at your Thanksgiving table! Made with fresh herbs, almond milk, garlic and olive oil, this recipe is a total crowd pleaser and you’d never know they’re vegan!
Raise your hand if you’re excited for Thanksgiving!! I am very much so looking forward to good food, time off and a large pitcher of apple sangria.
Mashed potatoes and gravy are among my favorite Thanksgiving dishes and also some of the easiest to make.
These mashed potatoes are made creamy with the help of a little almond milk, olive oil and an electric mixer.
If you want them really creamy, you can use my homemade cashew cream which will replace the cream or whole milk often found in mashed potatoes.
Greek yogurt is often used to help make them creamy, so that is an option as well. For a dairy free greek yogurt, I like the almond milk based one from Kite Hill. Be sure to check out my butternut squash mac and cheese!
How to make healthy mashed potatoes
Peel and chop your potatoes into small (roughly 1 inch) cubes and add to a large pot. Fill with 8 cups of water and 1 tablespoon of salt. I know that sounds like a lot of salt, but it’s key for flavor!
You can use an herb infuser for the rosemary or just place right in the pot. Either way, place that right into the pot and bring to a boil. Let simmer for about 15-20 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork tender.
Drain the potatoes but leave the colander in the sink for now.
Mince the garlic and add to the pot with 1 tbsp of oil. Saute until it just starts to brown, then remove from the heat and add the potatoes back in.
Use a potato masher to roughly mash, then add in the milk, olive oil, salt and pepper. Start with 1/2 cup of the milk and add more if you don’t want a thick consistency.
Use a handheld electric mixer to beat just until creamy. Careful not to over do it or the potatoes can become gummy.
Taste and adjust flavors as desired, I usually add a touch more olive oil for a richer flavor. Garnish with the chopped chives and enjoy!
Olive oil vs. Butter
I used olive oil in this recipe to keep these vegan mashed potatoes on the healthier side and it works really well as a substitute for butter.
You are welcome to use butter, vegan butter, or a mix of butter/olive oil if you prefer. The flavor profile will be slightly different, but still so delicious either way!
Do you peel potatoes for mashed potatoes?
That’s entirely up to you! I did for this recipe, but when I’m making them for Thanksgiving, I sometimes leave some skins on for texture. It depends on who I’m cooking for though since not everyone likes it that way!
Frequently asked questions
What kind of potatoes are best?
Yukon gold! I’ve experimented with all sorts of potato varieties and find that yukon gold yields the best flavor and texture every time. Russet potatoes are also popular, but Yukon gold have a naturally buttery flavor which I love.
Do they keep?
Once prepared, these healthy mashed potatoes will keep in the fridge for about 5 days. You can reheat them on the stove or microwave.
What is a serving size?
This recipe uses 2 pounds of potatoes and yields about 4 servings, depending on how hungry you are. One serving of mashed potatoes is somewhere around 1/2-3/4 cup of mashed potatoes, or 1/2 pound of raw per person.
Yukon gold are on the smaller size and generally come in bags, so don’t worry so much about the number of potatoes, but rather the weight! 1/2 pound per person is a good place to start. Better too much than too little!
Can I use oat milk?
Oat milk naturally has a higher sugar content compared to other non-dairy milks like almond or soy, so it can add a bit more sweetness to the potatoes. For that reason, I recommend sticking with almond, cashew or soy for best results!
Try these Thanksgiving favorites!
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Healthy Vegan Mashed Potatoes
by: claire cary
Ingredients
- 2 pounds yukon gold potatoes
- ¼ cup olive oil can sub for vegan butter
- 1/2-3/4 cup non dairy milk I used plain/unsweetened almond
- 6 cloves garlic, finely minced or 3 tsp minced
- 1/2-1 tsp salt I used 1
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1 bunches fresh rosemary
- ¼ cup chives
- ¼ cup cashew cream or plain, unsweetened yogurt optional
Instructions
- If you're peeling your potatoes, do so now. I peeled mine, but if you like more texture to your mashed potatoes, you can leave some, or all, of the skins on, just be sure to wash the potatoes really well.
- Chop into small (roughly 1 inch) cubes and add to a large pot. Fill with 8 cups of water and 1 tablespoon of salt (this is separate from the 1 teaspoon of salt in the ingredients). I know that sounds like a lot of salt, but it's key for flavor and some of it will be drained with the water.
- You can use an herb infuser for the rosemary or just place right in the pot.
- Either way, place that right into the pot and bring to a boil. Let simmer for about 15-20 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork tender.
- Discard the rosemary, then drain the potatoes but leave the colander in the sink for now.
- Mince the garlic and add to the pot with 1 tbsp of oil. Saute until it just starts to brown, then remove from the heat and add the potatoes back in.
- Use a potato masher to roughly mash, then add in the milk, olive oil, salt and pepper. Start with 1/2 cup of the milk and add more if you don't want a thick consistency.
- Use a handheld electric mixer to beat just until creamy. Careful not to over do it or the potatoes can become gummy.
- Taste and adjust flavors as desired, I usually add a touch more olive oil for a richer flavor and more salt and pepper.
- Garnish with the chopped chives and enjoy!
Trevor says
These were perfect. I can’t wait to make for thanksgiving!