Mashed potatoes are a must in every household. But when do you say that you made the best damn vegan mashed potatoes? Well, we say it if it is creamy, fluffy and flavorful. How to do that? A bit of vegan butter, a bit of dairy-free milk and the addition of other veggies like celery root to make it even more unique.
Mashed potatoes are such an easy side dish and it pairs with almost everything. We serve them next to our Vegan Lentil Loaf or our Vegan Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms or we top our Vegan Shepherds Pie with it. We frequently combine vegan mashed potatoes with other veggie sides like Roasted Asparagus and Mushrooms or with Grilled Vegetable Kabobs. Not to mention I haven’t met any kid who doesn’t like mashed potatoes. So if we make it, it is always a hit even if she is eating it alone.
⇒ GRAB YOUR FREE E-BOOK NOW! ⇐
What is actually mashed potatoes?
You would think that there is only one way to do mashed potatoes, but far from it. There are literally hundreds of different recipes. You can boil or steam the potatoes. If you boil, you can boil them in whole with the skin on or peeled and diced. You can use only an old fashioned potato masher to really just smash it or you can turn them creamier by using a ricer or a hand mixer. You can add butter, or milk, or cream, or all of them, or none of them at all. And don’t get me started on the seasoning…
Our favorite vegan mashed potatoes
Best potato for mashed potatoes
We recommend Yukon for its creamy texture, but Russet potatoes also work well. Huffington Post has a great article about all potato types.
The one thing we don’t recommend is using FRESHLY HARVESTED BABY POTATOES for two reasons: 1) it takes ages to peel them, and 2) if they are from a brand new harvest (beginning of the season) then the mashed potatoes will likely turn into a gooey, glue-like paste.
My grandmother always prefers old potatoes. She says the older the better and the easier to work with.
Creamy or Chunky?
We don’t mind a few chunks to be honest, but we love them CREAMY and FLUFFY!
Yes, I know that a lot of professional chefs (including Masterchef Gordon Ramsay) say that never ever use a hand mixer, always use a ricer. However, we are time-conscious home cooks, who love using a hand mixer. We haven’t had any bad experience with it. Far from it. It is a quick way to make fluffy mashed potatoes. What else is there to say about it?
Peeled or Mashed with skin?
When we were living in the UK, we noticed that sometimes mashed potatoes are made with skin on. I mean mashed with the skins, so you get to see small bits of dark brown skins within your mash. We know that the potato skin is nutritious and all, but if we are talking about our favorite mashed potatoes, we want no brown bits. Am I right?
Butter or milk or what?
Mashing potatoes alone will not give you creamy, fluffy texture. You need butter or milk or at least the cooking water of the potatoes. Our favorite mashed potatoes are with a little bit of vegan butter and a little bit of dairy-free milk.
Our favorite add-ins
If you have never tried adding other veggies to your mashed potatoes then you are in for a treat. They make your mashed potatoes so unique that your guests will wonder: What is the secret ingredient? Or why does your version taste more flavorful than their usual recipe?
Try adding celery root (aka celeriac) or rutabaga or cauliflower or parsnip. We only add one other veggie at a time and only as much as not to deviate from the potato taste, but to get an extra zing at the end.
⇒ GRAB YOUR FREE E-BOOK NOW! ⇐
How to make the best vegan mashed potatoes with celery root?
Wash, peel and dice the potatoes and the celery root.
Add the diced potatoes and celery root to an empty pot (photo #1). Boil water in a kettle and pour the boiling water on top of them (photo #2). Cook them until they are soft then drain.
Take a bowl and add the cooked potatoes and celery root (photo #3). Add milk, butter, salt, and pepper (photo #4). Mix with a hand mixer until you get creamy mashed potatoes.
Top tips to make perfect dairy-free mashed potatoes with celery root
- The smaller you dice the potatoes and the celery root, the shorter will be the cooking time.
- If you don’t want to use vegan butter and dairy-free milk, reserve the cooking water and use that instead.
- You can certainly use an old fashioned potato masher or ricer, but it is harder to make sure it is 100% creamy and no chunks remain.
⇒ GRAB YOUR FREE E-BOOK NOW! ⇐
FAQ and Substitutions
What kind of potatoes works the best?
We recommend Yukon for its creamy texture, but russet potatoes also work well. Huffington Post has a great article about all potato types.
Can you make mashed potatoes ahead of time?
Yes, you can. The mashed potatoes usually became firm after chilling in the fridge. If you are ready to serve it, heat it on a low heat and even add a little bit of milk or butter to loosen it up of needed.
How long will mashed potatoes last in the fridge?
We usually eat them within 3 days. Personally, I don’t like to eat anything after 3-4 days.
What spices and herbs go well with mashed potatoes?
Chopped herbs like thyme, parsley, spring onion, or chives go great with mashed potatoes. Garlic (roasted garlic) or caramelized onion or nutmeg makes it even more delicious.
This Mashed Potatoes with Celery Root recipe is vegan, so meat-free, dairy-free and egg-free. It is also suitable for WFPB, vegetarian, nut-free and gluten-free diets.
⇒ GRAB YOUR FREE E-BOOK NOW! ⇐
More comfort food recipes
You can browse through our vegan and gluten-free lunch and dinner recipe gallery or our Quick Vegan Meals collection or check out
SAVE THIS RECIPE ON PINTEREST FOR LATER.
You can also find a collection of our recipes here on Pinterest.
TRIED THIS RECIPE? CAN WE SEE IT?
Please share a picture with us by uploading an image to Pinterest here below ours.
Vegan Mashed Potatoes with Celery Root
Ingredients
- 16 oz Yukon potatoes 450 g
- 10 oz Celery root aka Celeriac 280 g
- ¼ cup Dairy-free milk or Cooking water 0.5 dl (we use our homemade cashew milk)
- 2 Tbsp Vegan butter
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Wash, peel, and dice both potatoes and celeriac. The smaller you dice them, the shorter will be the cooking time.
- Cook the potatoes in boiling water until soft. Depending on the size of the cubes, it can take from 15-25 minutes.
- Drain potatoes and the celeriac, BUT reserve the cooking water if you don't want to use milk and butter.
- Add the cooked potatoes, celeriac, dairy-free butter and milk, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
- We use a hand mixer to make creamy and light mashed potatoes. First, without turning on we mash them a bit, then mix them until we get the right texture.
Notes
- The smaller you dice the potatoes and the celery root, the shorter will be the cooking time.
- If you don't want to use vegan butter and dairy-free milk, reserve the cooking water and use that instead.
- You can certainly use an old-fashioned potato masher or ricer, but it is harder to ensure it is 100% creamy, and no chunks remain.
Leave a comment