For years I have struggled to make mashed potatoes taste buttery without dairy. I avoid using margarine in general, but capturing a creamy texture and flavor proved difficult without it. This year I experimented with olive oil, roasted garlic and rosemary in my mashed potatoes. The results are amazing! This is my new go-to recipe… I actually like it better than mashed potatoes made with butter and cream.
These Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes truly taste buttery. I got the basic idea from the New York Times cooking section, then modified the process until I found a perfect balance of flavors. The key is choosing quality ingredients and a good, mild flavored olive oil. I use Bragg Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil and it’s just right for this purpose. Yukon Gold potatoes provide the best texture and flavor. Simmering fresh rosemary with the potatoes gives them just a hint of herby flavor. Delicious!
Slow roasting the garlic cloves in olive oil is key here. This gentle process gives a lovely garlicky essence to the mash. If you like a stronger garlic flavor, chop the roasted cloves and whip them into the mash at the end. For my family, the olive oil alone has more than enough garlicky flavor.
This recipe is vegan, healthy, parve and flavorful. Prepare to be amazed!
Recommended Products:
Bragg Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
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Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes with Rosemary and Garlic
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 6 garlic cloves peeled - remove any green germs/sprouts from the cloves
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- Salt to taste
- Black or white pepper to taste
NOTES
Instructions
- Add extra virgin olive oil to a small skillet. Place the garlic cloves in the skillet. Heat the olive oil over medium for 2-3 minutes, watching carefully, until it just begins to sizzle around the edges of the cloves. Don't let them sizzle too long or you will start to fry them.
- Reduce heat to low/medium low. Stir well to coat the cloves in the hot oil. Let the garlic cook slowly for 20-30 minutes, stirring and flipping the cloves every few minutes, until the cloves are soft, tender and golden. While garlic is roasting, proceed to next step.
- Wrap the 2 sprigs of rosemary in a piece of cheesecloth and tie in a bundle.Fill a large saucepan with enough water to cover the potatoes by 2-3 inches. Boil the water.
- Add 2 teaspoons of salt to the cooking water after it starts boiling. Add the potato chunks to the boiling water along with the rosemary bundle. Let the potatoes cook for roughly 20 minutes until tender.When garlic is done roasting, remove the roasted cloves with a slotted spoon and let the oil cool.
- When potatoes are done cooking, remove the rosemary bundle and discard. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water before draining the potatoes in a colander. Return potatoes to the hot pot. Use an electric hand mixer or a potato masher to begin mashing the potatoes. Be sure to beat on the lowest speed throughout the process. When the potatoes have turned crumbly, add all of the olive oil and a bit of the cooking water (adding 1-2 tablespoons at a time) and continue mashing until the texture you desire is achieved. Add additional salt and pepper to taste as desired.
- I prefer a using an electric hand mixer for a very smooth, creamy mash. One caveat - you should ONLY mix until you achieve the desired texture. If you mix too long or on too high a speed, your potatoes will become gummy. You can also use a hand masher if you prefer, which will eliminate the risk of gummy potatoes. Hand masher tends to work better for very large batches.
- The olive oil will impart a nice mild garlic flavor to the potatoes. If you want a very garlicky mash, you can mince the roasted garlic cloves and stir them into the mash. Taste before adding; my family prefers it without the added garlic.
- Serve hot.
Nutrition
PERFECT POTATOES!!! WOW!! I used a potato masher because I try to go “old school” as often as possible. The consistency is perfect.
So glad you liked it! 🙂 I worked hard on this one too get it just right.
Can these mashed potatoes be frozen successfully
I don’t see why not.
I made this last night and as is the norm with Tori’s recipes, it was fantastic. I didn’t have cheesecloth so I used a fine mesh strainer to put the rosemary in right on top of the water and it worked perfectly. I used a potato masher and it was done in minutes. So delicious. Didn’t miss the cream and butter at all. Thank you for this new option!
We kept the garlic in. These were devoured. Best mashed potatoes ever. Will double for the next family gathering.
Thanks so much for this easy and tasty dish. i like your way to explanation of recipe. this is so easy and ready in less time. very soon i would like to make this dish at my home.
i like your website.
once again i want to thank you for all information.
I love your recipes. Please make a vegan/vegetarian cookbook; I’d really like to own it. I’d also like to gift it to all my family and friends. If you do, please feature an artistic dish and or ingredients on the cover, so that I may display it in my kitchen. Thanks for sharing your food knowledge and experience! Jill
I will keep that in mind Jill! 🙂
Can these be made day ahead?
Yes, please read my response to Daniel’s comment which answers this question. I do prefer them made fresh, but they won’t suffer much by being made a day ahead.
I have one vegan guest coming tomorrow. Definitely will be making a portion of the cooked potatoes for her with your recipe. Thank you and many Thanksgiving blessings to you and yours.
This recipe looks wonderful. Can this be prepared ahead of time, say 1 or 2 days? How would you reheat to keep flavor and consistency of the mash potato? Thank you.
Hi Daniel, yes it can. I prefer to reheat on the stovetop. Put a little water in the bottom of the pot (no more than 1/4 cup), then add the potatoes. Reheat them over medium, stirring frequently, until they return to the original texture. Add a little more water as needed.
Another great recipe. Cooked this last night and it was a hit! Simple but it tastes wonderful.
Fantastic! Glad you liked it.