The holidays are a great time to share delicious vegan food with your friends and family – especially if they’re not vegan! There’s an unfounded belief floating around that vegans only eat lettuce and a measly handful of nuts. NOT SO! And recipes like this one – veganized versions of classic comfort foods – are a great way to showcase how flavorful (and familiar!) vegan alternatives can be!

Smooth and creamy, salty with a bit of tangy from the cream cheese and bursting with fresh flavors from the mix of herbs and spices. These mashed potatoes are a tasty spin on traditional mashed potatoes, and in my experience, most people can’t tell that they’re vegan.

This recipe makes a big batch, so if you’re planning a holiday dinner this month, it would work perfectly! You can also save 2 cups of the leftover mashed potatoes to make my Cheddar Stuffed Mashed Potato Balls recipe (coming soon!) They’re a fun twist on a traditional side dish, and just plain delicious. Make sure you check out that recipe next if you haven’t already! 

Serves 8

• 10 medium Yukon Gold potatoes
• 1 large scallion scallion
• 2 tbsp chopped parsley 
• 1.5 tbsp chopped chives 
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 2.5 tsp sea salt
• 4oz vegan cream cheese (I use Miyokos for this)
• 2/3 cup unsweetened almond milk 
• black pepper to taste

Start by setting the vegan cream cheese on the counter to soften. 

Then move on to scrubbing and peeling the potatoes. 

Chop into bite sized chunks and transfer to a large pot. Cover the potatoes completely with water and add 1/2 tsp of the sea salt to the water. Stir and bring to a boil. 

Cook until fork tender. This takes about 12-15 minutes usually (but it depends on how big or small you chopped the potatoes)

In the meantime, finely chop the scallion, chives, and parsley and set aside. Using a clean pair of scissors makes this task super easy (and weirdly fun!)

When the potatoes are fork tender, drain the excess water and return the potatoes to the pot. Season with the remaining sea salt, herbs, garlic powder, vegan cream cheese, and 1/3 of the almond milk. 

Mash well with a potato masher until the large pieces are no longer visible, then add the reaming almond milk and switch to a wooden spoon to cream the potatoes until smooth.

Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. 

Garnish with more fresh herbs – and a pat of vegan butter on top if you’re feeling extra. Enjoy!