Here's an easy recipe for Mashed Potatoes, one of my favorite comfort foods! Without needing animal products, this recipe comes together very quickly (in about 30 minutes total). The gravy is also easily frozen for quick prep! A time-saving, delicious, and vegetarian/vegan Thanksgiving recipe.
Mashed potatoes are my all-time favorite comfort food. They're part of the reason Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday! Creamy, fluffy, and buttery, they are a celebration of all things cozy and a perfect complement to all other textures on the holiday plate. Not to mention, they're the ideal vehicle for a savory mushroom gravy.
What kind of potatoes are best for mashing?
The universal best potatoes for mashing are Yukon Gold potatoes. Why is this? It has a waxy, moist interior and a sweet flavor that make it ideal for boiling, baking and frying. The potatoes will also withstand grilling, pan frying, and roasting. They can also be stored for long period of time in a cool, dark location.
With that said, I still believe it's worth branching out and trying other types of potatoes with different preparation methods to find which you like the most. As an example, I am very interested in trying the German Butterball, which was featured in Bon Appetit last year.
Kitchen Hack to Never Peel Potatoes Again
1. Boil a large pot of salted water and add washed (but unpeeled) potatoes, whole. Let cook for 5-15 minutes, depending on their size.
2. Remove potatoes from boiling water once a fork can pass through with a bit of give. Add potatoes to a large pot of ice water to quickly chill for 5 minutes.
3. Using your hands, twist potato skins so that they slide right off!
How Do I Make Vegan Mashed Potatoes and Gravy?
Once you boil and peel potatoes, mash them with with butter, salt, garlic, and milk.
Then, you'll make a simple stovetop gravy with grated shallot, mushrooms, herbs, soy sauce, balsamic, and veggie broth. It's very simple and can be done in about 30 minutes! The full vegan gravy recipe can be found here.
Can you freeze mashed potatoes and gravy or make them ahead?
I would not recommend making the mashed potatoes that far in advance, as they will thicken quite a bit as they sit. That said, they can be made the day before you plan to eat them (just stored in the fridge and reheated with a bit of milk.
This vegan mushroom gravy, on the other hand, can be made in advance and frozen for up to one month!
Since we are not using cornstarch in the gravy, it reheats very easily on the stovetop.
I hope you enjoy this vegan gravy and mashed potatoes recipe! For more thanksgiving ideas, be sure to check out my upcoming Thanksgiving for Two guide or any of these recipes:
- Croissant Stuffing with Walnut and Cranberries
- Apple Cider Sangria
- Cranberry Crumble Pie
- Apple Hand Pies
- Easy Vegan Pecan Pie
- Sweet Potato Tart Rose
- Cranberry Cornbread Crisp
Uncomplicated Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 1 TBS sea salt
- 5 small Yukon Gold potatoes organic if possible (peeling optional)
- One fourth cup of vegan butter melted and divided (with a bit reserved for topping)
- Tiny dash of apple cider vinegar optional
- 1-2 teaspoon salt
- 2 small garlic cloves peeled and grated
- A few cranks of pepper
- 1 cup unsweetened plant milk like almond, divided
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Once boiling, add potatoes and boil until a fork can easily pass through. Depending on the size of your potatoes this can take anywhere from 6-15 minutes. Try not to overcook them as this can cause a "gluey" texture. As soon as they're soft enough, add to a large bowl of ice water to cool for 5 minutes. Twist skins off and discard. Set peeled potatoes aside.
- Add potatoes to a large bowl with all but 2 TBS of butter, vinegar if using (I like a slight tang), 1 teaspoon salt, and garlic. Mix to combine, using a fork to mash the potatoes together. Taste the mixture, as you'll likely need to add the second teaspoon of salt to balance flavors.
- When you have a nice mash going, begin to drizzle milk in to combine. You may not need all of the milk, but remember that as the potatoes cool they will absorb the liquid and firm up.
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