The most delicious Fluffy Buttermilk Vegan Mashed potatoes ever! Creamy, light, fluffy and better than dairy and yet, oil-free! Dairy-free and made with yukon gold potatoes!
Let’s be real here. Mashed potatoes are the epitome of comfort food. When I asked this question on Facebook, mashed potatoes was one of the biggest responses. I agree too. I love them. I love them fluffy, not overly blended or with too much moisture/liquid.
But, I also love simple. On the day of Thanksgiving, or any day really, I don’t want to fool with a bunch of steps and techniques. These mashed potatoes are delicious, easy and quick. No weird ingredients, just simplicity.
HOW TO MAKE VEGAN MASHED POTATOES
The key to the best mashed potatoes is well, the potato! It HAS to be yukon gold or yellow potatoes in my opinion. Why? Well, because they are the creamiest and I swear they taste like they have butter in them. I’m not a fan of russet potatoes or red potatoes for making mashed potatoes, as they are dry and bland as can be in flavor, so you need to add too many ingredients to spruce them up.
You’ll only need 4 main ingredients (+ salt/pepper):
- yukon gold potatoes
- canned “lite” coconut milk
- garlic powder
- apple cider vinegar
I love a little fresh thyme on top of my mashed potatoes, but it most definitely is a necessity in my gravy as well. It gives a wonderful flavor and aroma. Fresh thyme is more potent, so use dried if you prefer.
These vegan mashed potatoes are also oil-free and low-fat, but they sure don’t taste it. My secret is flavoring the water you boil the potatoes in with garlic and salt. It adds overall depth to the potatoes!
To complete the perfect mashed potatoes, is gravy. Not just any gravy guys, the best gravy I’ve ever had!! It is my Thyme Cabernet Gravy and you will want to drink it, it is so good. So basically, you need to make it too.
Fluffy Buttermilk Vegan Mashed Potatoes pair beautifully with my Spicy BBQ Lentil Loaf!
MORE VEGAN POTATO RECIPES
- Vegan Scalloped Potatoes
- Low-Fat Smoky Broccoli Potato Soup
- Miso-Glazed Sweet Potatoes
- Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto with Smashed Potatoes
MORE VEGAN SIDE DISHES
- Vegan Oil-free Zucchini Fritters
- Best Roasted Brussels Sprouts
- Vegan Scalloped Potatoes
- Skillet BBQ Baked Beans
If you make this recipe, be sure to leave feedback below and share your pic on Instagram or Facebook and tag me @thevegan8 #thevegan8!
Fluffy Buttermilk Vegan Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
Seasoning for cooking potatoes
- 2 lbs yukon gold potatoes (7-8 medium sized ones, this is the key to the buttery flavor, so I wouldn't recommend using another potato)
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Flavors added to cooked potatoes
- 1/2 cup lite canned coconut milk, lukewarm (only brand I use is Thai Kitchen, See note below for subs)
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar (If you don't want a buttermilk flavor, just omit)
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon fine ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (this gives a nice kick of garlic flavor, use half if you want less of a pronounced garlic flavor)
- Optional garnish: fresh or dried thyme
Note
- Coconut milk is the creamiest milk for potatoes and will yield the best result taste/texture wise. It makes them so creamy and no, it doesn't leave any coconut taste. If you can't have or don't want coconut, please do NOT add almond milk, it won't work the same and the taste will kind of ruin them. If you don't mind soy milk, use that instead, or even cashew milk, but make sure it is unsweetened/flavored.
Instructions
- Peel and chop up your potatoes into 1/2 inch chunks. Add them to a large pot with 6 cups water. Bring to a boil and once boiling, add both the teaspoons of salt and garlic powder and give it a quick stir. This tip really flavors the water, so that the potatoes have depth of flavor. Turn the heat to medium-high, so they don't cook too high of heat. Cook for about 15 minutes until they are fork tender. Drain and let sit for 5 minutes to release some of the water. Tip: While the potatoes are cooking, add the coconut milk and vinegar to a cup and stir. Let sit for a few minutes.
- Add the salt, pepper and garlic powder to the milk and stir.
- Add the potatoes to a large serving bowl and roughly mash with a potato masher to break them up.
- Now add the reserved coconut milk mixture and mash again until very smooth or until desired consistency. If you want yours less fluffy/more creamy, add more milk, but you'll need more spice. Taste and add any extra salt/spices if desired. I added just another pinch of salt, as it was really wonderfully flavored. I garnished mine with fresh thyme because I love a fresh element added, but dried thyme or any of your favorite herbs would work. Fresh thyme is more potent, so use dried if preferred. Feel free to add vegan butter if desired. I personally don't add it, but know some like it. Serve with my Thyme Cabernet Gravy!
I made this recipe as I found it in your cookbook. First off, I’ve made quite a few recipes from your cookbook and all have been very, very good. These mashed potatoes are the best I’ve ever made and tasted. My husband loved them. My son came over and I gave him some food to take home. He tasted the potatoes and said they were really good. These will become a staple in my home. Simple to make and the flavor! And to think there isn’t a drop of butter in them, yet the creaminess makes them taste so rich.
Thank you so much Jeannie for the amazing comment, so happy to hear how much you are loving the book and how much you loved these potatoes! Yay!
Love your cookbook and this is by far my most-made recipe since getting it last year! I doubled the recipe last Thanksgiving for my entire meat/dairy-loving family and they LOVED them!! Kept asking me what kind of butter and cream I used 😆. My grandma said they were the best she’s ever had. Phenomenal recipe and my family just loves your cookbook! Made the blueberry muffins today. Thanks for this easy and delicious recipe and all of our other favorites!!
So very happy to hear that Elle, yay!
We are fairly new to the vegan lifestyle and was looking for something to go with a lentil loaf. Was a little skeptical that mashed potatoes could taste so good with coconut milk, vinegar and spices – but I’m certainly a believer now. Everyone at dinner – vegans and non-vegans alike – loved these mashes potatoes. There were no leftover mashed potatoes so I will be sure to make more next time.
Oh that is just so wonderful to hear Diane, thank you for the feedback!
This recipe looks amazing! I’ve been vegan for years, but always make mashed potatoes with dairy for the family on Thanksgiving and I miss out. I’m testing this on Sunday and making potatoes that I too can eat this year! 🙂 I will be cooking for 8 (including 4 teenaged boys!) and we will want leftovers. I will double it for sure, but do you think I can safely triple in a large stock pot? Off to check out your gravy recipe now!
Hi Kristi! Sounds wonderful! Yes, if you have a really large pot, I think you should be fine. Just make sure you use the listed weight amounts and water amounts and salt/garlic powder for the boiling water so your potatoes are seasoned correctly, obviously tripling everything if that’s what you’re doing!
Made these for Thanksgiving and not one person missed, or even noticed, that these weren’t filled with cream and butter! They were delicious.
That is amazing to hear Marzgirl, thank you for sharing!!
Can you taste the coconut milk?! If so, is there an alternative “milk” that is dairy free that won’t leave the taste behind?
Hi there, please read the Note on the recipe card. It addresses this. You want to stick to the lite coconut milk for the best results.
I just made these because I didn’t have any cream or milk and I am blown away! They are so amazing! Creamy garlicky I could eat the whole bowl. Thanks for sharing
Yay Stephanie, so glad you loved these so much!! Yes, you really do not need butter or cream!
OMG these are SO GOOD!!!Made this with her peppercorn gravy. OUTSTANDING! Seved with steamed peas, green beans, broccoli and some cooked white beans that i cooked with the onion,thyme and s&p. The gray was DELISH on the peas.
please excuse the typos!
I made this and my husband and I both wolfed down the potatoes. They were delicious. I made a few minor changes: I added several cloves of fresh garlic to the water in which I boiled the potatoes (and mashed them with the potatoes), and I used 1/2 coconut milk and 1/2 soy milk. Excellent — I will definitely make these again. Thanks!
So glad you loved these, thank you Sandy!
This is the ONLY recipe I use for mashed potatoes since going plant based in 2017. The coconut milk mixed with the apple cider vinegar make it the perfect sub for buttermilk. We love this recipe and everyone, vegan and non love it every year at Thanksgiving.
This is THE vegan recipe I have shared the most. When I type “fluff” in my browser, Google finishes it as Fluffy Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes, because it knows I’m headed to your page to copy the link. These are THE BEST mashed potatoes. We make them once or twice a month, all year round! I’ve taken them to 39 person Thanksgiving, where my family of 4 are the only vegans, and everyone there has tried them, liked them, and come back for seconds!
The last pinch of salt helped cut the garlic and pepper – glad you suggested it. Next time, I will cut the garlic in half and omit the pepper.
Honestly the best mashed potatoes I’ve ever had, including pre-vegan. This is by far one of my favorite recipes of all time. It is an absolutely must try.
These were phenomenal! Now I have a good recipe for mashed potatoes that the family loves and was planning on making them as per usual. When I happened on this recipe I knew I wanted to use it, without even a test run. How was I able to do that? Because you have proven, time and time again that your recipes are just that good. Out of all the recipes I’ve made (and it’s a lot) there have been none that weren’t worth making again and again and most go into a regular rotation. These are my new go-to mashed potatoes.
Thess are delicious. The only way I will make mashed potatoes from now on!
This recipe helped me tremendously. The canned lite coconut milk is the way to go! Thank you for posting the brand and full name! I can’t have dairy, so which milk to substitute in recipes is always a debate in my family. Everyone loved it!
Stumbled across this recipe looking for a non-dairy mashed potato option. I’m no way vegan but this recipe tasted just like buttermilk. It came out so creamy and smooth with a hint of garlic. My husband gobbled it up! Highly recommend
This is so amazing to hear, thank you so much Eviana!
My dad has been making me all sorts of delicious vegan recipes and I can’t wait to try this one this weekend! This may be a silly question, but for the coconut milk…do you just use the solidified coconut milk or the liquid portion too? Thank you!
Hi! Not silly at all! You just shake up the whole can (before opening) of lite coconut milk really well, then open and measure.
I love how easy you make cooking recipes!! I’ve never made homemade mashed potatoes before, so I was nervous my inexperience would be a problem, but they turned out amazing!! Thank you for all the great recipes!
I’m so happy to hear this!!
Hi, I want to make this for Thanksgiving. Can it be prepared ahead of time and reheated? If so, how many days ahead and how to reheat?
Can’t wait to try this! Thank you!
Hi! Unfortunately, potatoes do not taste very good reheated! They take on a funny taste and are best fresh, so I really don’t recommend it!
Absolutely delicious… best vegan mashed potatoes EVER! I’ve tried so many recipes and this is by far my favorite. Thanks again Brandi.
Aww yay, thank you Kimberly, so glad to hear that!!