Olive Oil and Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Delicious creamy olive oil and roasted garlic mashed potatoes are made with no cream or butter. They're dairy-free and vegan.

Recipe by Lisa Goldfinger on November 4, 2016

Prep time: PT15M

Cook time: PT35M

Total time: PT50M

Rating

5 stars ( reviews)

dairy-free mashed potatoes, mashed potatoes with roasted garlic and olive oil

1 head of garlic
1/2 cup good quality extra virgin olive oil, divided
3 pounds yellow flesh potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 cup of potato cooking water - don't forget to save it before you drain the potatoes!
2 teaspoons kosher salt plus more, to taste
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
Optional Add-ins and Toppings:
12 scallions, ends trimmed, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley and a few parsley sprigs
A drizzle of olive oil

Preheat oven to 400ºF. Slice off the top 1/2 inch off the garlic head to expose a cross-section of all the cloves. (see photo in post) Drizzle a teaspoon of oil over the exposed garlic. Wrap tightly with foil. Bake for 35 minutes. When cool enough to handle, squeeze the roasted garlic out of the skins and mash them with a fork.
Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water by a couple of inches. Add two teaspoons of salt to the water. Bring to a boil and cook for 12-15 minutes, or until potatoes are tender enough for a knife to easily slide in and out.
Save a cup of the cooking water before draining. Drain potatoes. Return them to the cooking pot over medium heat, tossing them for a minute or so, until they're dry. Add the garlic. Mash the potatoes and garlic roughly, to combine. (I recommend using a potato masher) Add 6 tablespoons of olive oil and stir through with a fork or with the masher. Thin with potato water, a little at a time, until you're happy with the texture. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
Stir chopped scallions and/or parsley into the potatoes, if using.
Serve hot. Transfer to a serving bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, if you like. (it looks nice) and garnish with some chopped parsley or parsley sprigs.

Maggie on 2016-11-04 (5 stars):
Love the idea of adding roasted garlic and olive oil into the mashed potatoes. It makes the dish so much healthier and still super flavorful. I want to try this out by combing Elizabeth's idea of adding cauliflowers. Believe it will make a great meal!
David Yavin on 2016-11-08 (5 stars):
Funny to try a new recipe for a simple, "standard" dish you've been making forever. Couldn't resist trying this one and it came out great!
Stephanie on 2017-08-31 (5 stars):
Exactly what I was looking for! Great on my vegan shepherds pie!! Thanks for sharing!
SaraORT on 2019-11-29 (5 stars):
This year for Thanksgiving I am thankful for this recipe. It is simply delicious.
Michelle on 2025-11-26 (5 stars):
I have used this recipe for the past 5 Thanksgivings! It is just delicious and, as a bonus, accommodates several food allergies in our family. Thank you!