Dairy-Free Mashed Potatoes
Creamy dairy-free mashed potatoes made with Yukon Gold potatoes, dairy-free butter, and warm unsweetened oat milk for a fluffy, classic texture without any milk or cream.
Recipe by Non Dairy Dude
Mashed potatoes were one of the first things I tried to fix when I cut dairy. The first few batches were either gluey or watery. Turns out the issue was two things: using cold liquid, and not keeping enough starchy potato water on hand to loosen the mash as needed. Once I sorted those out, these came out right.
Yukon Golds do most of the work here. They have enough natural creaminess that you don't need much liquid, and they hold together without turning pasty when you add the dairy-free butter. Warm oat milk adds the body you want without a strong flavor of its own. A splash of the reserved cooking water is your rescue move if the mash tightens up.
Serve these as a side for anything that calls for a potato base. They go directly under dairy-free mushroom gravy if you're doing a full spread, or as the topping layer in dairy-free shepherd's pie. Good with just a pat of extra dairy-free butter on top too.
Ingredients
Potatoes
- 3 lbYukon Gold potatoes, peeled if desired and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
- 1 tbspKosher salt, for the cooking water
Mash
- 6 tbspDairy-free butter, cut into pieces
- ¾ cupUnsweetened oat milk, warmed
- ¼ cupReserved potato cooking water, as needed
Seasoning
- 1 tspFine salt, plus more to taste
- ½ tspFreshly ground black pepper
Finish
- 2 tbspFresh chives, thinly sliced, optional
- 1 tbspExtra dairy-free butter, optional for serving
Instructions
- 1
Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water by about 1 inch. Add the kosher salt and bring to a boil over high heat.
- 2
Reduce the heat to maintain a steady simmer. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until the potatoes are very tender and a fork slides through the center with no resistance.
- 3
Scoop out and reserve about 1/2 cup of the starchy potato cooking water, then drain the potatoes well.
- 4
Return the drained potatoes to the warm pot. Set over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes, shaking the pot gently, until excess surface moisture steams off.
- 5
Mash the potatoes with a potato masher, or pass them through a ricer for the smoothest texture. Add the dairy-free butter and mash or fold until melted into the potatoes.
- 6
Add the warm oat milk a little at a time, folding gently after each addition, until the potatoes are creamy. Add reserved potato water 1 tablespoon at a time if you want a looser texture.
- 7
Season with the fine salt and black pepper. Taste and adjust with more salt, more dairy-free butter, or a splash more warm oat milk if needed.
- 8
Transfer to a serving bowl. Top with chives and extra dairy-free butter if using, and serve hot.
How we make it dairy-free
- Butter → Dairy-free butter (cut into pieces, added while the potatoes are still hot) gives the richness you expect. Any solid dairy-free butter stick works; avoid spreads with a high water content.
- Milk or cream → Warm unsweetened oat milk stands in for regular milk. It has a mild, slightly neutral flavor that doesn't fight the potato. Warming it first keeps the mash from cooling down and seizing up.
- Potato cooking water → Reserved starchy cooking water loosens the mash without diluting flavor. Pour it off before draining and keep a cup nearby. Use it a splash at a time if the mash is thicker than you want.
Tips & Variations
Yukon Golds are the sweet spot: They mash creamy without needing heavy cream and are less prone to gluey texture than very starchy russets. For fluffier mashed potatoes, replace 1 pound of the Yukon Golds with russet potatoes.
Start in cold water: Potatoes cook more evenly when they heat gradually with the water. Dropping chunks into boiling water can leave the outside waterlogged before the center is tender.
Salt the cooking water: The potatoes absorb seasoning as they cook. If the water tastes flat, the mashed potatoes will be harder to season later.
Steam off moisture: Returning drained potatoes to the warm pot for a minute helps prevent watery mashed potatoes.
Add butter before milk: Folding in the dairy-free butter first coats some of the starch and helps the finished potatoes taste richer.
Warm the oat milk: Cold plant milk cools the potatoes and can make the texture tighten. Warm it gently before adding.
Avoid sweet or flavored milk: Use unsweetened, unflavored oat milk. Vanilla plant milk has betrayed many innocent potatoes.
Do not overmix: A masher or ricer is your friend. A food processor or aggressive mixer can turn potatoes gummy fast.
Make ahead: Hold warm mashed potatoes in a covered slow cooker on warm for up to 2 hours. Stir in a splash of warm oat milk or potato water before serving if they thicken.
Frequently asked questions
What kind of potatoes work best for dairy-free mashed potatoes?⌄
Yukon Golds are the best pick. They have a naturally buttery texture and lower starch than russets, so they mash smoothly without getting gluey. Russets work too but need more liquid and can turn gummy if overworked.
Can I use a different non-dairy milk instead of oat milk?⌄
Yes. Unsweetened oat milk is mild and creamy, which is why it works well here, but unsweetened soy milk or unsweetened almond milk (full-fat if you can find it) are also reasonable. Avoid sweetened or flavored varieties.
Why do my dairy-free mashed potatoes turn out gluey?⌄
Usually it's from overworking the potatoes after adding liquid. Mix until just combined once the butter and milk go in. Also make sure your liquid is warm, not cold, since cold liquid causes the starches to seize and clump before they can distribute evenly.
Can I make dairy-free mashed potatoes ahead of time?⌄
They're best fresh, but you can make them up to a few hours ahead and keep them warm in a covered pot over very low heat. Add a splash of warm oat milk and stir gently before serving to bring the texture back. They reheat well in a saucepan with a little added liquid.
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