Why You Should Skip The Plant-Based Milk For Vegan Mashed Potatoes

Whether it's Thanksgiving, a barbecue, or a friendly weeknight dinner, it can be difficult to make vegan versions of every dish you're serving. But while your turkey and smoked ribs may not have an easy plant-based counterpart, the mashed potatoes can be made vegan quite easily, which is important since it's a universally beloved dish. Indeed, few phrases are more coveted in the plant-based community than "vegan mashed potatoes."

However, once you set out to make your mashed masterpiece, there are a few important decisions to consider, like which potatoes to use, and how you'll replace staples like cream and butter. Insider points out that you can easily substitute water for dairy-based mixers and still find a great deal of flavor from other ingredients like herbs. Garlic and non-dairy cheese aren't bad ideas, either. But if you decide to edge a little closer to more traditional recipes, there's one tip that many vegan chefs and bloggers agree on.

Though it might seem like a no-brainer to swap in almond or soy milk for the regular milk, cream, or butter, it's generally advised against by pros featured in this Kitchn article, who recommend using a little vegan butter (like Earth Balance) and herbs for flavor. According to them, reserving some of the cooking water from potatoes can lend a creamy texture to mashed potatoes. Minimalist Baker advises that if you cook the potatoes in almond milk, it just "makes them kind of mealy, and they taste like almond milk."

Kitchn posits that your mashed potatoes will hit the mark for most diners between a little browned garlic, fresh herbs, and vegan butter; some may not even realize they're vegan. However you choose to make them, mashed potatoes are always a good idea and will please even your pickiest eaters. Just make sure you avoid the non-dairy milk and opt for options that are more easily integrated into potatoes.