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These are the best homemade Dairy Free Mashed Potatoes! This easy recipe for delicious garlic mash is simple to make ahead of time. You’ll never even believe they are made without butter or cream.
Super creamy, and oh so comforting, you’re going to love these dairy free mashed potatoes! No one will be able to tell they’re made without cream or butter.
Secrets are fun!
If you’re on the hunt for other mashed potato recipes, you’ll love my Boursin Mashed Potatoes, Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes, and Mashed Potatoes With Wasabi. And if you’re looking for something without potatoes, you’ll love this Mashed Carrots.
How to Make Dairy Free Mashed Potatoes
*I’ll walk you through it here with some photos and tips, and you’ll also find a printable recipe card at the bottom of the post with exact measurements, etc. You can also click “jump to recipe” to skip down.
Fill one-third of a large stockpot with cold water, like a 6-quart cast iron dutch oven.
You can leave the potatoes peeled or unpeeled. If you don’t peel them, definitely give them a good rinse and a scrub before cooking. If you do peel them, give them a quick rinse after peeling to remove any additional dirt.
Cut the potatoes into 1-inch cubes. If you’re pressed for time, you can cut them even smaller to make them cook more quickly.
Add the cubed potatoes and the garlic to the stockpot and bring the water to a boil. Boil the potatoes for two minutes, and then reduce to medium-high and cook until the tip of a knife can pierce through one of the potatoes (~10 minutes).
Set aside ~1 cup of starchy potato water in a mug or small bowl, and then carefully drain the hot potatoes through a strainer.
In the pot where you were boiling the potatoes, add the non-dairy butter and the olive oil. Let it sit a bit so that the butter starts to get melty. Pro tip: If you start with warm ingredients, you won’t need to mix the mashed potatoes as much. Overmixing leads to a sticky texture.
For the best mashed potatoes ever, I recommend using a ricer. A ricer is essentially a large garlic press that creates ribbons of potatoes. It removes lumps and creates the perfect texture for super creamy potatoes. I’ll walk you through how to use it, but if you don’t have one, a potato masher will work too.
To use a ricer, use a large spoon to fill your ricer halfway with cooked potatoes, and press the potatoes over the pot. Repeat until all the potatoes have been through the ricer.
No ricer: use a potato masher to gently mash the potatoes but do not over mash. Do not use a stand or hand mixer as this will over-activate the starches and lead to gluey mashed potatoes.
Use a large spatula to gently combine the potatoes, vegan butter, and olive oil. You don’t want to overmix. Add in the stock, kosher salt, and your warmed non-dairy mix, and until the potatoes are the exact consistency you want.
If you need to thin them a bit, slowly drizzle in the reserved potato water or additional stock or non-dairy milk. Add in more salt if desired (I always do!) and then go live your best mashed potato life.
What Are The Best Potatoes For Making Mashed Potatoes?
You should be using a mixture of different kinds of potatoes. Starchy, waxy, and baking spuds all add their own perfect quality to this delectable side dish.
I usually use a mix of russets, golds, yellow, and a few red potatoes (those suckers are delicious but HARD to peel but worth it). We use this same mix to make Instant Pot Potato Salad.
HOW TO STORE AND REHEAT
Storing Leftovers: Allow the mashed potatoes to fully cool before storing them in an air-tight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Reheating Leftovers: You can reheat the mash for 1-3 minutes in the microwave or at 300˚F in the oven until heated through.
Freezing: Allow the mashed potatoes to fully cool before transferring them to freezer-safe containers. I prefer using 1-cup Souper Cubes and then transferring them to reusable freezer bags.
You can check out all the details in our post on Freezing Mashed Potatoes. And did you know you can freeze gravy too? It’s true! Check out our post on Freezing Gravy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! The easiest way to do this is to prep the potatoes ahead of time. Cover the cut potatoes with cold water and store them in the fridge for up to 36 hours.
You can also use frozen potatoes (releated: how to freeze potatoes), and if you’re up for a challenge you can even learn about canning potatoes for a super-fast dish.
There are so many options, but cashew milk is my absolute favorite.
Other great options are oat milk, coconut cream, coconut milk, almond, or soy milk.
I like using a mixture of non-dairy butter and olive oil.
My favorite brand of plant-based butter is Miyoko’s, but Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks and Country Crock Plant Butter are both tasty and affordable options.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH THIS RECIPE
Mashed potatoes are a great veggie dish to pair with main dishes like Instant Pot Chuck Roast, Instant Pot Beef Tips, or Dry Brine Chicken. You can also double this recipe and use it as part of this Turkey Shepherd’s Pie.
And, of course, dairy-free mashed potatoes are delicious alongside other holiday classics like Sausage Stuffing, Cheesy Green Bean Casserole, and Orange Cranberry Sauce.
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- Meal prep tip: cover the cut potatoes with cold water and store them in the fridge for up to 36 hours.
- If you aren’t dairy-free, feel free to use your favorite milk and butter in the same measurements as listed in the recipe card.
- If you don’t have a ricer, use a potato masher to gently mash the potatoes. Do not use a stand or hand mixer as this will over-activate the starches and glutens in the potatoes. Over-mashed potatoes take on the texture of glue.
- Top the mashed potatoes with these Crispy Shallots right before serving to take them to the next level.
More Side Dish Recipes You’ll Love
Dairy Free Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 3 pounds potatoes {mixture of russet, red, and yellow potatoes recommended}
- 5 cloves garlic {peeled}
- 4 tbsp non-dairy butter
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup vegetable stock
- 3/4 cup cashew milk, warmed {coconut milk or cream, soy, almond, or oat will also work}
- 1 tsp kosher salt
Instructions
- Fill one-third of a large stockpot with cold water.
- Peel potatoes and rinse.3 pounds potatoes
- Cut the potatoes into 1-inch pieces. Place the potatoes and garlic into the stockpot.5 cloves garlic, 3 pounds potatoes
- Bring the water to a boil.
- Boil for two minutes, and then reduce the temperature to medium-high and cook until the tip of a knife can pierce through one of the potatoes (~10 minutes).
- Ladle out ~1 cup of starchy potato water into a bowl or mug, and then drain the potatoes and garlic into a strainer.
- Add the non-dairy butter and olive oil to the bottom of the pot that the potatoes were just in. Allow them to sit for a minute to warm.3 tbsp olive oil, 4 tbsp non-dairy butter
- Using a large spoon, fill your ricer halfway and press the potatoes over the pot. Repeat until all the potatoes have been through the ricer.
- Using a spatula, gently fold the potatoes into the olive oil and non-dairy butter. Do not overmix.
- Slowly add the vegetable stock, warmed cashew milk, and salt until the potatoes are the exact consistency you want. You can use a bit of the reserved potato water to thin the potatoes if needed.1/2 cup vegetable stock, 3/4 cup cashew milk, warmed, 1 tsp kosher salt
- Salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
- Meal prep tip: cover the cut potatoes with cold water and store them in the fridge for up to 36 hours.
- Make sure to warm the cashew milk before adding it to the potatoes.
- If you don’t have a ricer, use a potato masher and mash just until they are smooth. Over-mashing will lead to gluey potatoes.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I can’t wait to try this recipe! Looks delicious ????Â