A Vegan Thanksgiving: Mashed Potatoes

Mashed potatoes aren’t usually one of the most challenging parts of Thanksgiving dinner. Boil, grind, season and ready; not much to that. However, it is difficult to predict what things will become difficult when you try to make them vegan. Apparently mashed potatoes are one of them.

I thought it would be simple. Replace dairy-based butter with non-dairy butter; substitute cow’s milk for vegetable milk. Add salt and enjoy! But, potatoes are so bland and passive in flavor that they really take on the flavor of anything you add to them, bringing out these flavors in a way I’ve never experienced.

For my first attempt at mashed potatoes, I erred towards simplicity. Mashed potatoes with olive oil is not unusual. I see them in magazines, on websites, and at the Whole Foods prepared food bar. I like olive oil; olive oil is vegan; perfect fit, right? Apparently I don’t enjoy the taste of olive oil with mashed potatoes. Focaccia bread, yes. Mashed potatoes, no. It was too herbal and almost fruity; Totally wrong for Thanksgiving dinner.

For the next batch, I went back to tradition. I melted some Earth Balance with some unsweetened almond milk and gradually added them to my mashed potatoes, seasoning with salt to taste. These were unspeakably better, but still, something was wrong. I wasn’t totally satisfied.

For the third batch, I replaced the almond milk with soy milk, to give it a slightly saltier flavor. This went a long way in achieving the mashed potatoes of my dreams. But again, there was an underlying nuttiness to the flavor that isn’t usually a part of mashed potatoes. I attributed this to the balance of the earth being based on the nut fats for this plant-based butter.

My final batch incorporated non-dairy sour cream for an enhanced creamy texture without relying on butter. I also replaced soy milk with hemp milk. Hemp milk has the most inconspicuous flavor of all the plant-based milks I’ve tried. I finished it off with several cloves of roasted garlic to give it a full, earthy flavor.

So, after two days and many hours, two trips to the supermarket, countless dishes, and a mishap with my potato masher, here is the winning recipe!

4 potatoes peeled and cut into quarters
3/4 cup non-dairy sour cream (I recommend Tofutti brand)
1 cup unsweetened hemp milk
1 head of garlic
Salt to taste

Heat the oven to 325º. Cut off the top of the head of garlic so the cloves are exposed. Place in a small baking dish and drizzle with olive oil. Bake for 1 hour, or until the garlic is golden brown and bubbly.

Place the potatoes in a large pot. Cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a knife can be easily inserted.

For the milk in a small saucepan. Heat the milk, but do not boil it.

Mash potatoes with a potato masher (duh!) or with a potato masher. You can also beat them in a stand mixer, but the results will be less uniform. Add sour cream and stir or blend until evenly distributed. Slowly add the warm milk to the potatoes, until you have achieved a smooth, moist consistency. Taste for salt. Serve immediately. If you’re serving them in the next two hours. Pour 1/4 cup of milk over the potatoes and cover with aluminum foil. Stir and reheat if needed, and serve!