These roasted garlic vegan mashed potatoes and gravy are a dream come true. The roasted garlic gives it a creamy texture and a bit of smoky flavor. And the gravy? To die for.
The key to making great mashed potatoes (as I learned in culinary school anyway) is to avoid letting a lot of moisture in them while cooking. To do this, minimize surface area for water to get in by halving the yukon gold potatoes instead of cutting them into chunks. It takes an extra few minutes to cook, but trust me, its worth it! Also, start them in cold salted water. Instead of boiling them, just bring the water to a simmer. This will keep them from breaking up in the water.
I wanted the gravy to be smooth, but hearty and comforting as all gravy should be. So, we cook down my favorite trio, garlic, tomato paste and WINE! With the addition of dried mushrooms, this recipe is packed with savory umami flavor. Oh, and it is gluten free 🙂
Vegan Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes with Red Wine Gravy
Ingredients
- For the potatoes:
- 1 head of garlic
- 6 large yukon gold potatoes
- 1 cup cashews, soaked for 4-24 hours
- 1/2 cup water
- Salt, to taste
- For the Gravy:
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1/4 cup dry red wine
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 2 cups vegetable stock
- 1/2 cup dried mushrooms
- 1/4 tsp dried rosemary leaves
Directions
- Step 1 1. Preheat the oven to 325F. Cut off the very top of the whole head of garlic, removing just enough that the clove is visible. Wrap it in foil, toss it in to oven, and forget about it for 30 minutes to an hour
- Step 2 2. Peel the potatoes, halve them, and place them in a large pot. Cover the potatoes in cold salted water and simmer until tender.
- Step 3 3. Meanwhile, start the gravy. In a medium sauce pot over medium heat, add the oil. When it moves in the pan like water, add the onions and the garlic. Cook until the onions are soft and translucent. A small pinch of salt here will help.
- Step 4 4. Add the wine. When its nearly dry, add the tomato paste. Cook and stir until the mixture becomes a deep mahogany brown. This will take at least 5 minutes, so pour yourself a glass of that wine.
- Step 5 5, Add the stock, mushrooms and dried rosemary. Cook for 20 minutes longer. Then, discard the mushrooms and blend the gravy until smooth and velvety. Add more stock here to adjust to desired consistency. Return it to the pot and keep warm.
- Step 6 6. Drain the potatoes, then return them to the pot. Mash over medium heat with a wooden spoon or potato masher. This will release steam, leaving more room for flavor and creaminess. Take the roasted garlic out of the oven and allow it to cool off a bit.
- Step 7 7. Blend the cashews and the half cup of water. Add it to the potatoes. Squeeze the garlic into the potatoes as well. Stir it all up, and add salt and pepper to taste.
- Step 8 8. Serve the mashed potatoes with a large pat of vegan butter and a generous helping of vegan gravy!
