Vegan Mashed Potatoes and Gravy

These simple, creamy, and delicious mashed potatoes pair perfectly with this gravy that you wouldn't believe is vegan! This is a staple of Thanksgiving so give it a whirl and let me know what you think!

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Mashed potatoes and gravy are the true MVPs of any Thanksgiving feast. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise, as I often feel like they are sadly neglected. I always make sure that at least half of my plate is filled up with some deliciously fluffy and buttery mashed potatoes. Then, of course, topped off with some thick and savory brown gravy. AND, of course, all completely vegan and completely delicious!

Both mashed potatoes and gravy are made with very simple ingredients, so the secret to making them taste even more delicious is to use the right ingredients.

I recommend skipping past the classic Russet potatoes and going for the Yukon gold potatoes in making your mashed potatoes. The Yukon gold potatoes will make your mashed potatoes fluffier and more buttery.

In terms of gravy, I am a huge advocate for mushroom gravy, but on a special day like Thanksgiving that just doesn’t do the holiday justice. Instead, use a vegetable concentrated base like the Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Base to create a gravy that will have many non-vegans fooled that it’s completely vegan.

Thanksgiving is already a fairly stressful day of food preparation, so it’s important to keep recipes like mashed potatoes and gravy to a minimum in terms of effort. Therefore, these recipes are great because they are easy, simple, and absolutely delicious!

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Here’s the 411 for those not familiar with the stars of this recipe:

• Yukon Gold Potatoes: Although Russet potatoes are more widely known, Yukon Gold potatoes will yield fluffier and more buttery mashed potatoes. These potatoes can be found in nearly all grocery stores.
• Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Base: This vegetable concentrate is a great item to have on hand. One container can make up to 30 cups of vegetable broth and is very affordable. This can be found in most grocery stores or easily bought online through Amazon.
• Roux: Many soup recipes require starting with a roux. This helps with thickening and in this case very important to help thicken the gravy. It’s not a complex cooking technique and only requires cooking butter and flour together. I recommend using a vegan butter and whole wheat flour.
• Vegan Butter: There are a variety of different brands you are able to find at most grocery stores such as Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, Sprouts Farmers Market, or Kroger. I use the most commonly found vegan butter brand Earth Balance. However, Miyokos vegan butter has been found to be a “better” brand with the absence of palm oil, yet it is much more expensive.

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Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 4 - 6

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INGREDIENTS

Mashed Potatoes

• 1.5 lb Yukon Gold Potatoes
• 3 Tbsp Vegan Butter
• 1 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 1/2 tsp Black Pepper

Gravy

• 3 Tbsp Vegan Butter
• 5 Tbsp Whole Wheat Flour
• 2 c Vegetable Broth
• 1/2 tsp Poultry Seasoning
• Black Pepper to taste

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INSTRUCTIONS

Mashed Potatoes

1. Peel the potatoes and cut in half.
2. Boil the potatoes until very tender, about 30 minutes.
3. Drain and dry potatoes.
4. In a bowl, mash the potatoes by hand or I prefer to use a handheld potato masher that I bought from Ikea.
5. Pour in the melted butter and seasoning. Mix up with the potatoes. Taste and add extra seasoning if needed.
6. Top with gravy and serve!

Gravy

1. Melt the butter in the microwave and pour into a pot.
2. Sift in the wheat flour and mix with the butter. There should be no chunks of flour in this roux.
3. Heat the pot and cook the roux until fragrant.
4. Add in the broth and bring to boil.
5. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and add in the poultry seasoning. Add pepper to taste.
6. Keep warm until ready to serve.

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I hope these two recipes will help you grow your appreciation for mashed potatoes and gravy. I can guarantee that you will be trying to sip your gravy from the serving bowl after a taste, so ENJOY cooking and even more so ENJOY your feast!
- Nutti Nelli