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A bowl of vegan mashed potatoes topped with melted butter, black pepper, and chopped chives on a wooden surface.
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5 from 7 votes

Perfect Dairy-Free Mashed Potatoes

The absolute most fluffy, buttery dairy-free mashed potatoes are the result of technique, and a couple of small details more than anything else. Follow this guide carefully and you will have silky-smooth mashed potatoes that’ll become your go-to for holiday dinners, and comforting winter-time meals.
Prep Time7 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time27 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 360kcal
Author: Adam Sobel
Cost: $6

Ingredients

Optional Additions:

Optional Garnishes:

Instructions

  • Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover by at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) with cold water.
  • Over high heat, bring the pot to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and boil gently for 15-20 minutes, until the potatoes are fork-tender.
  • Drain the potatoes and briefly rinse them with hot tap water to remove extra starch.

Mashing Method:

  • Add the cooked, drained potatoes back to the pot they were cooked in, along with the vegan butter (or olive oil), milk, salt, and any additional ingredients such as roasted garlic or vegan cream cheese you may want to add.
  • Using a potato masher, mash and stir the potatoes until smooth.

Food Mill Method (my personal fave):

  • Add the cooked, drained potatoes back to the pot they were cooked in, along with the vegan butter (or olive oil), milk, salt, and any additional ingredients such as roasted garlic or vegan cream cheese you may want to add.
  • Using a large liquid measuring cup, scoop up the mixture to add to a food mill suspended over a large bowl. Depending on the size of your food mill, and whether or not you multiplied the recipe, you may need to add more of the seasoned potato mixture to the food mill as you go.
  • Run the potatoes through the food mill into the bowl. When finished, make sure to use a rubber spatula to get any potato purée that is stuck to the bottom of the food mill.
  • Check and adjust the seasonings. Give the potatoes a gentle stir with a rubber spatula to combine, but don’t go crazy. You don’t want to get rid of the aeration you have created with the food mill. That’s what makes this method fluffy.

Serve the Mashed Potatoes:

  • Transfer the mashed potatoes to an attractive serving dish and garnish if desired with extra vegan butter, herbs, coarsely ground black pepper, and chives.

Notes

🎤 Work That Body, For Me:
Once you add fat and liquid, keep mixing to a minimum. Overworking releases starch, turning your mash into a gluey disaster. Stick to gentle mashing for fluffier potatoes.
🥔 Potat-oh No You Didn’t:
The right potato makes all the difference. Russets give you that perfect creamy texture, while waxy varieties like Red Bliss can turn gummy. Yukon Golds are an okay substitute, but russets are your best bet.
🧈 Butter Shape Up, ‘Cause I Need A Man:
Always use room-temperature or slightly warm plant-based milk and vegan butter. Cold liquids can cool down the mash too fast and mess with the texture, while warm butter blends smoothly without overmixing.

Nutrition

Calories: 360kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 805mg | Potassium: 1030mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 830IU | Vitamin C: 47mg | Calcium: 99mg | Iron: 2mg