Vegan Mashed Potatoes with Roasted Garlic and Cashew Cream
Creamy, fluffy, and flavorful Vegan Mashed Potatoes with Roasted Garlic and Cashew Cream will have everyone around your holiday table coming back for seconds! A full head of roasted garlic is blended into non-dairy cream, so every bite is perfectly seasoned.
It’s the middle of December, my kids are coming home for Christmas, and I can barely hold a thought in my head, I’m so dang excited! I have managed to narrow down my holiday menu to 1 main dish and a few sides. The sides are really the star with roasted garlic mashed potatoes at the top of the tree. I mean what could be better than a big buttery, carb and cream fest like diving into a pile of vegan mashed potatoes?
I’ve been making this recipe for a couple of years now and have streamlined the process to be super doable even in the whirling dervish of holiday cooking. Roasting garlic takes minimal effort but a bit of time, so I’ll roast a few heads beforehand and store them in the freezer to keep the oven available on the big day. The soft, mellow garlic is then blended with cashew cream which is as simple as making your morning smoothie and a realistic non-dairy alternative to heavy whipping cream. So, let’s turn up the holiday music, slip on an apron, and get cooking. You’ll have a lot of happy tummies, I promise!
Simple Ingredients You’ll need
The ingredients and their exact amounts are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of this post but here’s an overview of what you’ll need plus a few tips and tricks.
Roasted garlic-
Slow-roasted garlic is worth its weight in gold when it comes to flavoring mashed potatoes. Use the whole head of garlic. Trust me on this one. After roasting your garlic for 90 minutes, it will turn from a vampire repellant into a sweet, mellow, nutty garlic dream. Plus, it fills your kitchen with a heavenly aroma that makes you hungry even after you’ve just eaten lunch!
Golden potatoes-
I recommend using golden potatoes in this recipe for their rich nutty flavor and beautiful color. They are low in starch and less gummy when mashed than russet potatoes.
Non-dairy milk-
Soy milk is thicker than most non-dairy milks and my first choice for this dairy-free recipe. I use it in many savory recipes like Oyster Mushroom Pot Pie, Vegan Clam Chowder with Mushrooms, and Vegan Lasagna with Cheesy Cashew Cream. Feel free to substitute with your favorite non-dairy milk. Just be sure it’s unsweetened.
Raw cashews-
Choose raw cashews (not roasted or salted) which are best for soaking and blending into cashew cream.
Tips for cooking mashed potatoes-
Years ago, I would dump all my potatoes into boiling water and wonder why they would disintegrate into a cloudy mess. This was because the outside of the potatoes was cooking way faster than the inside. By the time the core of the potatoes was fork tender, the outside had flaked off into the water leaving me with gooey, watery potatoes that slid through the colander. Starting with cold water takes a little more time but the outstanding texture is well worth it!
Start with cold water. This allows the potatoes and the water to heat at the same time for even cooking. Dropping potatoes in boiling water will cook the outsides faster than the insides, leaving you with a flakey exterior and an undercooked core.
Peel and cut the potatoes into same-size chunks so that they cook at the same rate.
Bring the water and potatoes to a boil, cover, and cook until fork tender but not falling apart. This will take 7-10 minutes after the water has reached a boil.
Fully drain your potatoes using a colander. Dry potatoes will better absorb the cashew cream without tasting watery.
Salt as you go to create a depth of flavor that isn’t overly salty. Start by adding 1 tablespoon of salt to the cold cooking water. Next, add 1 teaspoon of salt to your cashew cream. Finish by salting the mashed potatoes to taste.
Do I use a hand masher, a food mill, or an electric mixer?
For silky smooth potatoes, run them through a food mill. This process is a bit fussy but makes for holiday-worthy mashed potatoes. I will hand mash for weeknight dinners and use a food mill for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner. Using an electric mixer will leave you with gooey, dense, gummy mashed potatoes.
How to Make Vegan Mashed Potatoes with Roasted Garlic and Cashew Cream
Roast the garlic:
1. Pre-heat your oven to 375 F° / 190° C
2. Start by peeling off the loose papery skins on the outside of a whole head of garlic. Cut ¼“ to ½“ off the top so you can see the tips of the cloves inside. Slide a knife in between each clove to loosen them up a bit.
3. Line a small baking dish or ramekin with a piece of tin foil that is large enough to wrap up over the top. Place the garlic head, cut side up, in the dish.
4. Drizzle the garlic with 1 tablespoon of olive oil so it reaches down into each clove. Then rub the outside with oil as well. You want the whole head to be fully saturated. Wrap the foil up and around the garlic, making a tight seal.
5. Roast at 375 F° / 190° C for 90 minutes.
6. When cool enough to handle, separate the garlic cloves and peel away the outer skins, squeezing out the soft and buttery insides. Set aside 1 full head, or 10 cloves, for the cashew cream.
Make the Cashew Cream:
1. Soak your cashews in a small bowl by pouring boiling water over them. Let them sit for 20 minutes to soften. Cook your potatoes while you wait.
2. Drain off the soaking liquid and rinse the cashews with fresh water. Place them in a small cup-style blender along with the soy milk, peeled roasted garlic, salt, and pepper.
3. Blend on high until completely smooth with no cashew lumps remaining. This takes 90 seconds in a Nutribullet but may take longer depending on your blender.
Cook the Potatoes:
1. Peel and cut the potatoes so they are the same size.
Make Ahead Tip: Do this step ahead of time and store the potatoes, covered in cold water, in the fridge so they don’t turn brown.
2. Fill a 4-6 quart lidded cooking pot with 2 quarts of cold water salted with 1 tablespoon of salt. Place your potatoes in the pot, so they are covered by about 1” of water.
3. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to maintain a gentle boil and continue to cook until the potatoes are very tender but not falling apart. You’ll know they are done when they can be easily pierced by a fork, around 7-10 minutes more.
4. Drain the potatoes in a colander until all the water has drained away and the potatoes look dry. Blend your cashew cream while waiting.
Mash the potatoes:
1. Tumble the potatoes into a food mill set over a mixing bowl. Process until all the potatoes have been run through the little holes at the bottom of the mill and are collected in the bowl.
2. Fold in the cashew cream to form a smooth and creamy mass.
3. Garnish with fresh chopped chives, vegan butter, and serve straight away.
Storage-
Mashed potatoes have the best texture when served immediately. Store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days. Gently reheat them on the stovetop using additional soy milk if they become dry. Mashed potatoes do *not* freeze well.
For a perfect selection of scrumptious vegan holiday recipes, be sure to read this blog post on my new “Carol’s Vegan Holiday e-Cookbook”!
I wish you all the best with your holiday cooking and hope you have a beautiful time soaking up family and friends. I’ll be thinking of you between airport runs!
See you in the new year with a yummy little cookie recipe!
X,o,
Vegan Mashed Potatoes with Roasted Garlic and Cashew Cream
Ingredients
Instructions
- Pre-heat your oven to 375 F° / 190° C
- Start by peeling off the loose papery skins on the outside of a whole head of garlic. Cut ¼“ to ½“ off the top so you can see the tips of the cloves inside. Slide a knife in between each clove to loosen them up a bit.
- Line a small baking dish or ramekin with a piece of tin foil that is large enough to wrap up over the top. Place the garlic head, cut side up, in the dish.
- Drizzle the garlic with 1 tablespoon of olive oil so it reaches down into each clove. Then rub the outside with oil as well. You want the whole head to be fully saturated. Wrap the foil up and around the garlic, making a tight seal.
- Roast at 375 F° / 190° C for 90 minutes.
- When cool enough to handle, separate the garlic cloves and peel away the outer skins, squeezing out the soft and buttery insides. Set aside 1 full head, or 10 cloves, for the cashew cream.
- Soak your cashews in a small bowl by pouring boiling water over them. Let them sit for 20 minutes to soften. Cook your potatoes while you wait.
- Drain off the soaking liquid and rinse the cashews with fresh water. Place them in a small cup-style blender along with the soymilk, peeled roasted garlic, salt, and pepper.
- Blend on high until completely smooth with no cashew lumps remaining. This takes 90 seconds in a Nutribullet but may take longer depending on your blender.
- Peel and cut the potatoes so they are the same size.
- Fill a 4-6 quart lidded cooking pot with 2 quarts of cold water salted with 1 tablespoon of salt. Place your potatoes in the pot, so they are covered by about 1” of water.
- Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to maintain a gentle boil and continue to cook until the potatoes are very tender but not falling apart. You’ll know they are done when they can be easily pierced by a fork, around 7-10 minutes more.
- Drain the potatoes in a colander until all the water has drained away and the potatoes look dry. Blend your cashew cream while waiting.
- Tumble the potatoes into a food mill set over a mixing bowl. Process until all the potatoes have been run through the little holes at the bottom of the mill and are collected in the bowl.
- Fold in the cashew cream to form a smooth and creamy mass.
- Garnish with fresh chopped chives, vegan butter, and serve straight away.
Notes
Storage:
Mashed potatoes have the best texture when served immediately. Store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days. Gently reheat them on the stovetop using additional soy milk if they become dry. Mashed potatoes do *not* freeze well.
Make Ahead Tip:
Store peeled and sliced potatoes, covered in cold water, in the fridge so they don't turn brown.
For step-by-step instructions with photos, plus tips and tricks, see blog post!
Nutrition Facts
Calories
276.11Fat (grams)
10.25 gSat. Fat (grams)
1.71 gCarbs (grams)
40.25 gFiber (grams)
5.04 gNet carbs
35.21 gSugar (grams)
2.64 gProtein (grams)
8.25 gSodium (milligrams)
418.69 mgCholesterol (grams)
0 mgNutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators.
