Do you have a kid who is obsessed with a food? I do! My youngest child is a mashed potato fanatic! She couldn’t care less what day of the year it is, she just NEEDS them! A few years back my mom was clearing the Table after our Thanksgiving meal and my daughter hollered, “Do NOT touch my potatoes!” She meant it! Today I’m going to let you in on my secret recipe for the creamiest dairy-free mashed potatoes you’ve ever eaten!
Types of Potatoes
There are three basic categories, or types, of potatoes: floury/starchy, waxy, and all-purpose. Each of these types of potato is best for it’s own unique things.
Waxy Potatoes
These are usually small varieties of potatoes with thin skin and a firm, slightly waxy flesh. They are fantastic for making potato salads, slicing for casseroles, chopping up and roasting, etc. Their waxier, less starchy flesh helps them to hold their shape well while cooking. While that works in many applications, it doesn’t work quite so well for something like mashed potatoes.
Starchy/Floury Potatoes
As the name implies, these types of potato have a much higher starch content. That starchiness helps them to become nice and fluffy when cooked. They are great for baking and frying, and can work well for mashing. If you are using a highly starch/floury variety of potato for mashed potatoes you need to be careful not to overwork them or they can become heavy and gluey.
All-Purpose Potatoes
These are the ‘happy medium’ of the potato world. They are in between fully starchy and fully waxy potatoes and can cover most of your ‘potato bases’ in recipes. These are my favorite type of potato to use in mashed potatoes because they get somewhat fluffy without having to worry so much about overworking them. Of the various all-purpose potatoes, Yukon Gold is my favorite variety! They are especially good for dairy-free dishes because they almost have a buttery quality to their flavor.
Important Ingredients for Dairy-Free Mashed Potatoes
There are a few special ingredients that make these dairy-free mashed potatoes extra creamy and luscious.
Vegan Sour Cream
Dairy-free milks can tend to be a bit sweeter than regular milk, and that sweetness can carry over the dishes you make. That’s not so bad in pie, but not exactly what you want in your mashed potatoes! The slight tang of vegan sour cream will help to balance out the sweetness of the coconut milk. My favorite brand is Follow Your Heart vegan sour cream.
Vegan Cream Cheese
Honestly, I love cream cheese for just about everything. It can make foods fluffier and creamier at the same time and that’s exactly the texture you want in mashed potatoes! It also offers a bit of tang to balance out the slight sweetness of coconut milk. I’ve tried most of the widely available brands and my top two are Follow Your Heart and So Delicious brands.
Garlic
Are there any savory dishes that can’t be improved with garlic? I think not! This recipe calls for both fresh garlic cloves and granulated garlic. The two combined create an amazing depth of flavor for these mashed potatoes.
The Best Ways to Use Mashed Potatoes
Like I said before, mashed potatoes are a big deal in our family. We eat them allll the time, and they shouldn’t just be relegated to your holiday table. Here are a few absolutely fabulous uses for these mashed potatoes.
Side Dish
These mashed potatoes work well as a side dish. They are the perfect accompaniment to just about any meal, especially my glazed ham!
Shepherd’s Pie
Shepherd’s Pie has got to be one of the most delicious, comforting foods of all time. It’s a savory ground meat and veggie dish, topped with creamy mashed potatoes, then baked in the oven until everything is bubbly and amazing!
Pierogis
Pierogis are small savory dumplings from eastern Europe. They are basically a pasta dough that are filled, often with a potato mixture. So, any extra mashed potatoes can quickly be turned into a pierogi filling!
Make Mashed Potatoes Today
Fall is just around the corner and that means cozy nights, potlucks, and holiday meals. What goes better with all of those things than mashed potatoes! Make sure to whip up a batch of these dairy-free mashed potatoes as part of a tasty dinner any night!
Save RecipeIngredients
- 5 pounds (2.25kg) of potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1/2 cup (113g) vegan margarine
- 1/2 cup (125g) vegan cream cheese
- 1/4 cup (70g) vegan sour cream
- 1/2 cup (120ml) Chicken Broth or vegan broth
- 1/2 cup (120ml) canned coconut milk
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
Instructions
- Put your potato chunks and garlic cloves in a large pot of cold water and put on the stove on medium heat. Bring to a boil. Let the potatoes boil till they are fork tender (about 10-15 minutes depending on their size).
- While your potatoes are cooking, set out your other ingredients so they can begin to warm up, mixing your broth, coconut milk, salt, and garlic powder together in a large measuring cup.
- Strain the cooked potatoes, return to the pan with the margarine, and roughly mash. Meanwhile microwave your broth and coconut milk mixture in 30 second intervals till it is slightly warm.
- Add the vegan cream cheese and vegan sour cream. Add 2/3 of the broth mixture to your potatoes and finish mashing. Add the remaining broth mixture as needed (it’s especially helpful if the potatoes have to sit for a bit before serving). Serve piping hot and enjoy!
