Rosemary garlic mashed potatoes [Vegan]

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One of my favorite parts of making Thanksgiving dinner is when the mashed potatoes are almost finished, and I get to drop a hunk of cold butter into the hot potatoes and watch it melt. There’s something so satisfying about seeing the piece of butter shrink until it disappears into the potatoes.

But now that I don’t eat dairy, I miss out on that satisfaction with vegan mashed potatoes. So I decided to find another way to create a hearty, cozy mashed potatoes experience for this year’s Thanksgiving. Instead of adding the cold butter to hot potatoes, we’re going to brown the butter with the garlic and rosemary to give everything even more flavor.

How are these vegan mashed potatoes creamy without dairy?

The combination of coconut milk and vegan butter makes these mashed potatoes oh-so-creamy. I tried soy milk, almond milk, and full-fat canned coconut milk to find the option that ensures maximum creaminess. The extra fat in the coconut milk definitely makes a difference when directly compared to the other two plant milks.

Pro tip: If you’re new to canned coconut milk, make sure to buy full-fat! “Lite” coconut milk will be much too watery to give you the creaminess you’re looking for in this recipe. And before you open the can, make sure you shake it up really well first. Especially if it is cold in your house, the coconut milk will have separated into a thinner liquid and cream. I’m sure the coconut cream on its own would be delicious in this recipe too, so feel free to experiment if your coconut milk isn’t blending well.

If you don’t like coconut – don’t worry! The coconutty taste is undetectable in this recipe.

I also used vegan butter in these mashed potatoes. If you can’t find vegan butter, olive oil should work as well. Let us know if you try olive oil!

Do I have to peel my potatoes?

Listen. I’m very unmotivated to peel vegetables that have edible peelings. So I eat the peeling off of the potatoes and never look back. Peeling potatoes adds an extra step that I just don’t prioritize in my kitchen. If you absolutely hate potato peelings, then peel your potatoes! There’s no right or wrong answer here. Just know: if you don’t want to peel your potatoes, no one can make you—this is your kitchen!

Do I have to cut my potatoes before boiling?

“Have to” is a strong term, but cutting the potatoes into quarters or even halves helps them cook faster. So in my case, I cut the potatoes to speed up the process.

How do I know my potatoes are done boiling?

Once your boiled potatoes are fork-tender, they’re ready to mash! Fork-tender means exactly what it sounds like—poke a fork in one of your potato pieces (preferably the biggest one). If the fork easily slides through the potato, then they’re done!

How do I mash my potatoes?

A potato masher is the easiest way to mash potatoes. For extra-smooth mashed potatoes, some people prefer a potato ricer instead. Another great option is a stand mixer with a whisk attachment. For the simplest option (that still works well!), you can always use a fork to mash your potatoes until they’re the desired consistency.

Why garlic and rosemary?

First of all, I can’t pass up an opportunity to use garlic in any recipe. But for this recipe in particular, the browned garlic adds a slight crunch and, of course, excellent flavor. I sliced my garlic instead of mincing it to allow for larger pieces of garlic in the final product.

The rosemary adds an aromatic flavor that elevates the comfort factor for me. Something about rosemary and cooler weather feels cozy and warm. If you don’t like rosemary, you can leave it out and still have delicious garlic mashed potatoes!

Do I have to brown the vegan butter, garlic, and rosemary?

YES! I highly recommend taking the time for this extra step. Sauteing these ingredients on medium-low heat helps bring out all the flavors best. Adding raw garlic and rosemary wouldn’t get you the same results for these vegan mashed potatoes.

I used to be intimidated by browning butter and garlic. If the heat is too high, it burns—and then you have to start all over. I don’t like waiting, and I definitely don’t like starting over, so I avoided browning butter for a long time.

But I’ve found that browning butter with garlic (and in this case, rosemary) is all about playing the long game. Heat the vegan butter on medium LOW heat. Once the vegan butter is just melted, add the garlic and rosemary. Saute on medium LOW heat for 10-15 minutes, until the garlic and butter start to turn a light brown color. Then immediately remove from heat and call it a day! That 15 minutes feels like a lifetime to me, but it is SO worth it.

Finally: a word about nutritional yeast

I really liked adding nutritional yeast to these potatoes, but my partner didn’t. If you love cheesy mashed potatoes, give it a try! But the nutritional yeast doesn’t make or break this recipe, so feel free to leave it out.

These vegan mashed potatoes are a great addition to your Thanksgiving table, or just as a side in a weeknight dinner. If you’re looking for more vegan Thanksgiving sides, check out our fall salad, vegan stuffing balls, and balsamic green beans.