Spruce up your holiday menu with this delicious Mashed Potatoes with Caramelized Onion or better yet enjoy it year-round as the perfect side dish. These fluffy and creamy mashed potatoes will keep your guests coming for more!
I first had mashed potatoes with onions and coconut milk six years ago when I was very ill and recuperating from bowel surgery. My son Daevyd was about 6 weeks old and Nastasia would come in the afternoon to take care of him.
She would sing beautiful lullabies in Russian to him and would make the best vegan mashed potatoes I ever had. They had sauteed onions and coconut milk and I was blown away by how creamy and buttery they were.
It is so yummy served with Vegan Lentil Meatballs, Vegan Baked Candied Yams, Vegan Southern Collard Greens.
Recipe’s Required Ingredients
Making Mashed Potatoes with Caramelized Onion is a breeze. All of the necessary ingredients can be found in your pantry:
- Olive Oil: To saute the onion I chose olive oil because it’s healthy.
- Onions: It’s made with red onions. If you don’t have red onions on hand, white onions, yellow onions, sweet onions, or shallots can be substituted.
- Potatoes: Yukon gold potato is my favorite potato to use for making mashed potatoes because it has a natural buttery taste, but you can use Russet or whatever you have on hand.
- Vegan Butter: Because mashed potatoes aren’t complete without the blessings of butter. For this recipe, you can use any vegan butter. Personally, I like almond butter.
- Coconut Milk: Coconut milk is noted for its richness and silky smoothness. Make sure the coconut milk you use is unsweetened. This recipe can also be made with soy or almond milk.
- Sea Salt: To add a savory flavor, season with salt. Black pepper can be used for added flavor.
- Green Onions (optional)
How To Make Mashed Potatoes With Caramelized Onion
I wanted to replicate Natasia’s delicious mashed potato, so I decided to caramelize the onions to bring out their natural sweetness and added coconut milk for a rich creamy flavor.
Place peeled potatoes in a large pot of cold water. Bring to boil on medium-high heat, reduce to simmer for about 20 minutes. Drain potatoes using a colander.
Transfer to a large bowl, add vegan butter, coconut milk, salt, and mash potatoes until they are smooth and creamy. Mix in caramelized onions and green onions.
What Do You Serve With Mashed Potatoes With Caramelized Onion?
When it comes to serving mashed potatoes with caramelized onions, there are no hard and fast rules. These go great with almost anything. It goes well with roasted vegetables, Pan-fried tofu, cauliflower steaks, and vegan curries, among other things.
Believe it or not, mashed potatoes go great with a crispy slice of garlic bread or any other type of bread. Whatever you serve it with, the somewhat sweet and savory flavor will complement everything well.
Storing And Reheating
These mashed potatoes and onions can be made ahead of time, then reheated and served. You can refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Before storing them, make sure they’re at room temperature.
You can also put them in the freezer. Freeze the leftovers for up to a month in a freezer-safe container.
You can either reheat them in a pan on the stove or in a casserole dish in the oven. As needed, add more milk, sour cream, or butter.
Variation Ideas
More taste is always welcome! Here are some ideas for enhancing the flavor of this simple dish:
- Add 2 or 3 minced garlic cloves, crispy bacon, chopped parsley or cilantro, shredded cheddar cheese, or parmesan cheese.
- To get more flavor, you can add paprika, garlic powder, black pepper, etc.
- Simply swap out the potatoes for mashed cauliflower for a low-carb version of this dish.
- If you are not vegan you can substitute dairy for plant-based butter and unsweetened plant milk (like coconut milk).
- Fresh or dried herbs such as thyme, rosemary, or oregano can be used to add aroma and flavor.
- You can garnish this dish with chopped nuts.
Chef’s Notes
- To prevent the onions from burning, stir them frequently. The tastes will be richer if you leave them to caramelize for longer.
- Add a dash of water to the pan if the onions become dry and need to be deglazed.
- Cook the potatoes until they are completely tender, as undercooked potatoes will become lumpy.
- It’s never a good idea to omit the salt. Make careful to season with salt, as it will enhance the flavor of the mashed potatoes.
- Before adding the butter to the mashed potatoes, make sure it’s melted. This makes it easy to combine everything evenly and ensures that everything stays hot for longer.
- To make the creamiest mashed potatoes, use a large spoon instead of a mixer. If you use an electronic mixer, your mashed potatoes will become gooey and gluey.
- My Mashed Potato Recipe can be made in advance if you don’t feel like preparing a new batch of mashed potatoes. Alternatively, you can use up the leftover mashed potatoes in your fridge. The caramelized onions alone are enough to elevate your mashed potato recipe to new heights!
- You can leave the skin on the potatoes to give them a rustic flavor and appearance. Make sure, however, that the potatoes are clean and free of dirt.
Other Potato Recipes To Try:
Frequently Asked Questions:
What Is Mashed Potato?
Mashed potatoes are a popular side dish in the United States. This is due to the fact that potatoes were first cultivated in this region and later spread throughout the world. It is also worth noting that rice has a long history of use and popularity in Asian countries and the Middle East, as well as Africa.
Potatoes have grown in popularity as a result of their low cost of production and great nutritional value. People all throughout the world consume mashed potatoes, a versatile dish.
Mashed potatoes have a rich taste and a deliciously smooth texture that you will enjoy on a daily basis as well as on special occasions such as Thanksgiving and Christmas.
What Are The Best Potatoes To Use For Mashed Potatoes?
Because Yukon golds are naturally starchy and creamy, they’re perfect for mashing. If you don’t have any on hand, red or russet potatoes are also excellent choices.
What Should You Check For While Shopping For Mashed Potatoes?
When shopping for mashed potatoes, choose those that are firm to the touch. They should have lustrous skin that is free of bruises. Furthermore, the skin of the potato should be smooth and free of blemishes. Finally, check sure the potatoes aren’t sprouting out of control. Also, avoid potatoes with wrinkled skin or that feel rubbery to the touch.
Are Potatoes Healthy?
Potatoes are a low-cost, easy-to-grow vegetable that is high in nutrients. Because of this, they have become a staple food in many cultures. Here are a few of the most important potato benefits:
Improve Heart Health
Potatoes are well-known for being a high-fiber food. Fiber aids weight loss by keeping our stomachs full for extended periods of time. This fiber, coupled with the vitamin C, potassium, and vitamin B6 found in potatoes, also helps us maintain a healthy heart.
Control Blood Pressure
Potatoes are high in potassium, which can help to keep blood pressure in check. Potatoes also include calcium and magnesium, which have been shown to naturally lower blood pressure.
Improve Digestion
Potatoes are high in fiber, which helps with a variety of digestive disorders. Constipation and diarrhea can be treated or even prevented with fiber.
Healthy Bones
Potatoes are high in iron, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, and zinc, all of which help the body grow and maintain bone.
Maintain Healthy Immunity
The duration and intensity of a cold can be reduced by supplementing with vitamin C, according to numerous studies. Potatoes include vitamin C, which aids in the maintenance of a healthy immune system.
Are Potatoes Needed To Be Peeled Before Mashing?
It’s entirely up to you! The mashed potatoes will have a bit more texture if the skins are left on. Peel the potatoes ahead of time if you want ultra-smooth mashed potatoes.
What Are Different Ways Of Making Mashed Potatoes?
You may make mashed potatoes in a variety of ways.
- Stovetop: At home, the most popular method of cooking mashed potatoes is on the stovetop. It is a simple method, however, the problem is that this traditional method takes a long time. Furthermore, you may need to drain extra liquid, necessitating the use of a large amount of equipment.
- Pressure cooker: Most people use a pressure cooker to make mashed potatoes. It is a rather quick method of cooking potatoes. You must, however, keep track of the pressure time.
- Instant pot: Instant pot is another more convenient option to make mashed potatoes. It is quite quick. In the instant pot, mashed potatoes are ready in less than 5 minutes. It’s also a one-pot dish, which means you won’t need any additional cleaning equipment.
Is It Possible To Prepare This Dish Ahead Of Time?
It is possible to prepare the caramelized onions up to three days in advance and store them in the refrigerator in an airtight container. The mashed potatoes can also be made ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
What Can I Do With A Lot Of Caramelized Onions?
Toss them on top of any meat, including chicken, steak, or ham. Hummus with caramelized onions is delicious. Try Caramelized Onion Hummus as an appetizer at your next get-together. It can be used as a topping for pizza, flatbread, or tartlets.
Are Sauteed Onions The Same As Caramelized Onions?
The main difference between these onions and sauteed onions is time. Sauteed onions are cooked for a shorter period of time. Although they soften and brown slightly, sauteed onions only require a few minutes and preserve their strong onion flavor. Caramelized onions take time and effort to make, but they taste better.
Are Caramelized Onions Still Healthy?
Caramelized onions aren’t harmful to your health! Whether raw, cooked, or caramelized, onions are beneficial to your health. The caramelization process decreases the onion, and I used very little fat in this recipe.
Other Mashed Vegetables To Prepare
- Mashed Turnips
- Vegan Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- Vegan Mashed White Sweet Potatoes
- Red Skin Mashed Potatoes
- Mashed Ripe Plantain
- Mashed Taro
- Dominican Mashed Plantain
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Categories
- Categories: Gluten-Free, Vegan
- Course: Side Dish
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
(Per portion)- Energy: 134 kcal / 560 kJ
- Fat: 4 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Carbs: 22 g
Cook Time
- Preparation: 15 min
- Cooking: 35 min
- Ready in: 55 min
- For: 10 servings
Ingredients
Caramelized Onions
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 large onion, thinly sliced
- 3 lbs potatoes, peeled and cut in halves
- 2 tablespoons Vegan Butter
- 1/4 cup coconut milk
- sea salt, to taste
- 2 medium green onions, trimmed and sliced (optional)
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large skillet on medium heat, add onions and saute stirring occasionally to prevent burning for 15-20 minutes (may add additional water or vegetable broth to saute onions).
- Place water in a large pot, add potatoes and bring to boil on medium-high. Cover pot and reduce heat to a simmer and boil for 20 minutes until tender.
- Drain water using a colander, transfer the potatoes to a large bowl.
- Add vegan butter, coconut milk, and salt and mash potatoes until they are smooth creamy.
- Stir in caramelized onions, green onions and serve immediately.
This is very important for our health