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a bowl of fluffy mashed potatoes with two pats of butter and chives in green bowl.
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The Best Vegan Mashed Potatoes

Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Servings: 8
Calories: 260kcal
Author: Nisha Vora

Ingredients

  • 1 large garlic head
  • Olive oil for roasting garlic
  • 2 pounds (910g) Russet potatoes
  • 1 pound (454g) Yukon gold potatoes
  • 1 heaping tablespoon kosher salt, plus more to taste (See Note 1)
  • 3/4 cup (180 mL) “lite” or reduced-fat coconut milk (See Note 2)
  • 8 tablespoons (112g) (1 stick) vegan butter
  • 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons white miso paste (See Note 3)
  • Freshly cracked black pepper to taste

For serving

  • Vegan butter, melted
  • Chopped fresh chives (or flat-leaf parsley), chopped

Instructions

  • Roast the garlic: Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C. Remove the outer papery layers of the garlic head and then slice off a thin layer off the top to expose the skin of the cloves. Rub the exposed cloves with a few drizzles of olive oil. Wrap in foil and then place directly on an oven rack.
    Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, or until soft and tender and lightly golden. Once cool enough to handle, squeeze the cloves out of the skin into a small bowl and mash with a fork.
  • Meanwhile, take the vegan butter and miso paste out of the fridge to soften.
  • Peel the potatoes and then rinse them in cold water. Chop the potatoes into fourths or eighths, dependent on size, so they’re roughly equal in size
  • Place the potatoes in a large saucepan or Dutch oven and add enough water to cover them. Add 1 heaping tablespoon of kosher salt (or 2 teaspoons sea salt) and stir to combine.
    Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. Simmer until the potatoes are very soft and yield no resistance when poked with a fork and almost start to fall apart, 20 to 25 minutes.
    Drain the potatoes in a colander, then potatoes back to the saucepan. Heat over low heat for a few minutes, tossing the potatoes around to prevent them from sticking. This removes any remaining moisture in the potatoes.
  • While the potatoes cook, place the softened butter in a small bowl and add the miso and mashed roasted garlic. Using a fork, cream together until well combined.
  • When the potatoes are done cooking, add the miso-garlic butter to a small saucepan and turn to medium-low heat.
    Once the mixture is almost melted, pour in the lite coconut milk. Whisk often to combine and stir until everything is melted.
    Season with a bit of freshly cracked black pepper. Continue heating until the mixture is very warm but not bubbling.
  • Add the warm potatoes to a large bowl and mash them using a potato masher (do not use a blender, food processor, or immersion blender!).
    Add about ⅓ of the warm liquid mixture, then gently fold with a silicone spatula (or wooden spoon) a few times until the liquid is absorbed.
    Repeat with the next ⅓ of the warm liquid, fold again, and finish with the final ⅓ of the warm liquid.  Be gentle and don't overmix, as it can make potatoes watery.
  • Taste for seasonings, adding kosher salt and black pepper to taste. I usually add a bit of salt, taste, add more salt, and repeat until they're perfect.
  • Garnish with chopped chives and serve warm. For extra indulgence, drizzle a little melted vegan butter on top of the potatoes right before serving.
  • Important Note: If making ahead of time or reheating leftovers, heat mashed potatoes in a heat-proof casserole pan or bowl, loosely cover with a paper towel, and microwave on 50% power, NOT high power. Stir every a few minutes for even heating. Heating at full power destabilizes the starches in potatoes, making the potatoes soupy.
    Tip: When reheating, add a few pats of butter during the last ~30 seconds to melt, then stir through.

Video

Notes

This recipe was updated in December 2024. While the original was delicious when freshly made, some users reported that when reheating leftovers, the potatoes turned soupy. This updated avoids those potential problems with a few minor tweaks and is even better than before: super fluffy yet also creamy, delightfully buttery and savory, and they reheat well too!
Note 1: I use Diamond Crystal kosher salt. If using sea salt / Morton's kosher, use 2 teaspoons. 
Note 2: If allergic to coconut milk, sub with full-fat oat milk (full-fat is important). You might need 2 extra tablespoons. Read more in the FAQ section of the blog. 
Note 3: If you love the flavor of miso, use the full 2 tablespoons. For a lighter but still lovely miso flavor, use 1 1/2 tablespoons. 
Note 4: Add warm miso butter-milk mixture to warm potatoes. If you make the miso butter-milk ahead of time, be sure to reheat it in a saucepan. If added to the potatoes while cold, the liquid mixture will be hard to incorporate.