Some holidays are just sad without potatoes. Vegans – you don’t have to miss out anymore! Seriously, these are the BEST vegan mashed potatoes ever. This is the perfect side dish to bring to a potluck or Friendsgiving event. People are always amazed that these mashed potatoes are vegan. They are so simple but soooooo delicious.
Fair warning, this recipe uses A LOT of garlic. If you don’t love garlic as much as I do, I’m not offended if you don’t use all 10 cloves of garlic when making these potatoes.
Don’t forget to smother these in loads of Homemade Vegan Gravy!
If you are looking for more easy vegan Thanksgiving recipes, check out my Maple Dijon Brussels Sprouts, Vegan Pot Pie, Maple Roasted Carrots, or Wild Rice Stuffed Acorn Squash.
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Smooth & creamy – The Yukon gold potatoes and vegan butter make these mashed potatoes sooooo creamy with the perfect fluffy texture, but without the dairy!
- Easy recipe – Just peel, chop, and mix. It doesn’t get much easier!
- Simple ingredients – You should be able to find all of these ingredients at your local grocery store.
Ingredients
- Potatoes – Yukon gold potatoes are the best in my opinion. You can make this recipe with russet potatoes, but I think the Yukon golds add so much flavor and have a better, creamier texture overall.
- Garlic – Fresh minced garlic cloves is the highlight of flavor in this recipe. However, if you don’t have minced garlic, the equivalent would be 2.5 teaspoons of garlic powder (about ¼ tsp per clove).
- Vegan Butter – I love the flavor that vegan butter adds to this recipe. In a pinch, you can replace it with olive oil, but you will want to make sure you use enough salt.
- Salt – Use this to taste.
- Optional: fresh-ground black pepper or non-dairy milk (for a creamier finish)
Helpful Equipment
- Large pot
- Chef’s knife
- Immersion blender (optional)
How to Make Vegan Garlic Mashed Potatoes
This is a detailed step-by-step guide on how to make this recipe including photographs. For the quick version, skip ahead to the recipe card below!
Prep the Potatoes
Start by measuring out about 5 lbs of Yukon Gold potatoes. Wash, peel, and chop the potatoes into roughly equal-sized pieces. Don’t worry too much about the size here, just keep in mind smaller chunks will cook faster.
Next, throw the chopped potatoes into a large pot. Fill the pot with COLD water until it reaches about 1-2 inches over the top of the potatoes. Bring the pot to a boil over high heat.
Tip: Using cold water in this step allows the potatoes to soak a little longer before they reach cooking temperatures, improving the starchiness/creamy texture.
Sauté the Garlic
While the potatoes boil, sauté the garlic over low heat in a bit of vegan butter until it is golden brown but not burnt. This should only take about 3-5 minutes.
Mix and Mash
After about 10-15 minutes in the boiling water, the potatoes should be very tender and pierced easily with a fork. Remove from heat.
Next, drain most of the water out of the pot, leaving about ½ cup in with the potatoes. Add in the remaining vegan butter, roasted garlic, and salt, and mix thoroughly with the drained potatoes. Use an immersion blender or potato masher to further mash or puree. I like a perfectly smooth mashed potato, but you leave them with a bit of texture if you’d like.
That’s it! These potatoes are ready to enjoy right away!
How to Store
- Fridge: Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to one week.
- Freezer: You can also freeze them for up to 6 months!
More Tips
- Not Vegan? Use equal amounts of real butter instead of vegan butter or olive oil. Add a splash of chicken stock before blending/mashing instead of the leftover potato water.
- Try these customizations: Add sauteed diced onions; top with vegan or real cheddar cheese, chives, sour cream, etc.
FAQ
Yes! Cook the potatoes as directed per your instant pot, then add the remaining ingredients and mix to your desired consistency.
Of course! You can peel them or leave the peel on depending on your personal preference. The texture will be slightly chunkier, but the taste will still be delicious!
Of course! Mix in the chopped fresh herbs at the same time as the garlic or sprinkle on top of the finished potatoes.
Yes! Cook the peeled potatoes with the vegan butter in the slow cooker and add the sauteed garlic when you are ready to mash.
Vegan Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Equipment
- Potato peeler
- Immersion blender or potato masher
- Saute pan
Ingredients
- 5 lbs Yukon gold potatoes
- 10 cloves Garlic, minced
- ½ cup Vegan butter or olive oil
- 2 tsp Salt
Instructions
- Measure out 5lbs of yukon gold potatoes.
- Wash, peel and chop the potatoes into evenly-sized pieces.
- Place the potatoes in a large stock pot filled with enough cold water to cover the potatoes by about 1-2 inches.
- Bring the pot to a boil, and let boil 10-15 minutes until the potatoes are very tender.
- While the potatoes boil, sauté the minced garlic in a dab of vegan butter over low heat until golden brown but not burnt – about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Once the potatoes are tender, remove from heat and drain most of the water, leaving about 1/2 cup of cooking water in the pot with the potatoes.
- Add the remaining butter, sauteed garlic, and salt to the pot. Stir until mostly mixed.
- Use an immersion blender or potato masher to achieve desired consistency.
- Add salt and/or fresh ground black pepper to taste.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Use cold water to start boiling the potatoes. This allows the potatoes to soak a little longer before they reach cooking temperatures, improving the starchiness/texture.
- Not Vegan? Use equal amounts of real butter instead of vegan butter or olive oil. Add a splash of chicken stock before blending/mashing instead of the leftover potato water.
- Try these customizations: Add sauteed diced onions; top with vegan or real cheddar cheese, chives, sour cream, etc.
Nutrition
Please note, while all ingredients used in this recipe have been verified to be vegan and free of applicable allergens at the time of recipe creation, different brands may differ in their ingredients or processing procedures and may change their ingredients at any time. For some recipes, I do include ingredients that are processed in a facility that processes other allergens. Please make sure to check the ingredients and processing procedures for your specific purchases to ensure they meet your dietary needs.
Last Updated on April 8, 2025
These mashed potatoes are so good and full of flavor. My whole family looks forward to them every year!