The Best Vegan Mashed Potatoes Recipe - Build Your Bite (2024)

FAQs

How can I stiffen my mashed potatoes? ›

You can use what you have on hand: Flour, cornstarch, or powdered milk are all solid options that are probably already in your pantry. Potato flour and potato starch would work as well. Stir in the thickening agent gradually, about a tablespoon at a time, until the potatoes have reached your desired consistency.

On the other end of the problematic mashed potato spectrum, we have the dreaded stiff and gluey mashed potatoes. As already discussed, pastiness is caused by too much potato starch being worked into the mashed potatoes.

You avoid thin mashed potatoes by first draining your boiled potatoes well and then not adding too much liquid. By themselves, potatoes mash quiet thick. Adding too much butter or liquid will thin them.

Instead of regular milk, pro chefs generally use a generous helping of buttermilk and plenty of half-and-half or (even better) heavy cream in their potatoes. If you think the bartenders up front are pouring heavy, they've got nothing on the cooks in the back who are in charge of the mashed potatoes.

Adding egg yolks to a pot of mashed potatoes is an easy, dairy-free texture and taste upgrade that doesn't require any special techniques. The yolks harbor all the flavorful fats and emulsifying components and will thus effectively unify the fat and water in potatoes, translating to a smoother, uniformly creamy pot.

When too much starch gets released, the potatoes become gummy, gluey, and unappetizing. Overworking the potatoes can happen in a couple ways: either by simply handling them too much, or by using a food processor, blender, or similar tool, which mixes the potatoes too aggressively.

Whisk a little cornstarch into the warm potatoes, only a teaspoon at a time, until the potatoes thicken to your liking. The potatoes must be warm. You can also use tapioca starch or potato starch, although most cooks are less likely to have those products on hand.

You wanted fluffy, but you got soggy instead? It could be that you cooked the potatoes too long or that you cooked them too hard (i.e., in very rapidly boiling water). Potatoes cook best when they're boiled gently, not vigorously. Keep the lid off the pan when you're cooking them to monitor the boil.

James told the audience the best way to achieve the fluffiest and most flavoursome mashed potato was to use equal quantities of potato, butter and cream when in the recipe. This was just one bit of advice in an incredibly informative evening as the culinary master captivated the crowd over a thrilling two hour show.

Overworking the potatoes will cause them to get gummy, potatoes should still be light and fluffy. 6. Add the butter first. Adding the butter first helps to coat the starch in the potato, resulting in a creamier potato.

Why do you put vinegar in mashed potatoes? ›

Vinegar is also a natural preservative and can help to keep the potatoes fresh for a longer period of time. Additionally, the acidity of the vinegar can help to break down the starch molecules in the potatoes, making them creamier and easier to mix with other ingredients.

Put the lid on your mashed potato pot and gently place the pot inside the simmering water bath. Leave the stove on and allow the water to simmer for as long as you need it to keep your potatoes warm. Not only will the water bath keep your potatoes warm, but it will also keep them light and fluffy.

Mashed potatoes thicken as they cool, so they need cream to regain the right consistency. If kept warm, gently mash in heavy cream until smooth and loose again, adding more if you'd like. If cold, heat the cream in a large pot until steaming, then add the potatoes.

You can use milk, cream, half-and-half, tangy buttermilk, or chicken or vegetable stock to rehydrate your mashed potatoes. Start with ½ cup of liquid for 4 cups of mashed potatoes, and add it gradually so you don't end up with potato soup. Adding extra butter is a good idea, too.

The water must be boiling before they are put in, and a little salt is added. When fully cooked the water is poured off, then the kettle or pot is placed on the stove, with the lid removed, to allow the moisture to evaporate. By this method of cooking potatoes, I have never failed to render them dry and mealy. MES.