For years, I 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. That is, until I experimented with olive oil, roasted garlic, and rosemary in my mashed potatoes. The results are amazing! These olive oil mashed potatoes are my new go-to recipe… I actually like it better than mashed potatoes made with butter and cream!
Looking for more ways to use potatoes? Try saffron mashed potatoes and vegan saffron scalloped potatoes, too.
These olive oil mashed potatoes are so rich and creamy, you’d swear there’s butter in them, but they’re completely dairy-free. I was inspired by a recipe from the New York Times, then tweaked it until I landed on this version, which my whole family loves.
The magic is in slow-roasting the garlic in olive oil. Seriously, it gives the potatoes the best mellow garlic flavor! Sometimes I’ll even mash in a few roasted cloves if we’re craving extra garlicky goodness. Simmering the potatoes with rosemary adds just the right herby note, and the whole thing comes together into the coziest, most flavorful mash.
They’re healthy, vegan, parve, and totally comfort-food worthy. We make these on repeat around here!
Ingredients and Notes
Please be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for the complete details!
- Potatoes – I prefer to use Yukon Gold potatoes because they have a soft texture and a buttery taste. If you can’t find them, Russet potatoes will also work, but the flavor won’t be as rich.
- Olive Oil – I use Bragg Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil to impart a nice, mild garlic flavor, but any high-quality, mild-flavored extra virgin olive oil can be substituted.
- Flavor Enhancers – Garlic, rosemary, salt, and pepper infuse the potatoes with a savory, sweet, pungent taste. 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. You could also include fresh thyme or even (dairy-free) shredded cheese.
How to Make Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes
- Brown the garlic. Heat olive oil in a small skillet, and heat the garlic cloves just until the oil begins to sizzle around the edges. Be careful not to let them cook too long, or they’ll start to fry!
- Cook. Reduce the heat to low or medium-low, and cook the garlic in oil. Then, continue to cook, flipping frequently, just until the cloves are soft, tender, and golden.
- Boil. Boil the potatoes with rosemary in a pot of salted water until they’re fork-tender. Make sure to salt the water generously to infuse the potatoes with flavor!
- Drain and combine. Reserve about a cup of the cooking liquid. Then, drain in a colander and transfer the potatoes back to the pot. Use a potato masher, ricer, or electric hand mixer to mash.
- Mix. When the potatoes are crumbly, add the olive oil and a bit of the reserved cooking water. Continue to mash to achieve your desired consistency. Avoid overmashing, or your mashed potatoes will turn gummy!
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
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FAQs
Mashed potatoes with olive oil serve as a delicious side dish for a variety of main courses! Some of my favorite pairings include braised beef brisket, chicken schnitzel, and Mediterranean olive chicken.
How long do leftovers last?
Once cool, you can transfer leftovers to an airtight container and store them in the fridge for up to 4 days. I don’t recommend freezing this recipe, finding that the potatoes tend to become a little gummy once thawed.
Like your method of this recipe. What would be a sub for rosemary We are not a fan of the flavor
Thanks
Hi Eileen! You don’t need a sub for it, the garlic and olive oil provide enough flavor, so you can just omit the rosemary sprigs.
I made this recipe for the seder dinner. It was so good that it disappeared! I like garlic so I chopped it up and added it to the mashed potatoes. I didn’t add pepper or additional salt since I didn’t feel that it was needed. As for potatoes, I couldn’t find Yukon Gold and used baking potatoes instead – they tasted great. I would definitely make these again.
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