Loaded Mashed Potato Bowl

These mashed potato bowls combine creamy vegan garlic mashed potatoes with roasted vegetables and creamy cashew sauce (or gravy). It’s delicious, nutritious, easily adaptable, cozy, comforting, and satisfying!

What is a Loaded Mashed Potato Bowl?

A loaded mashed potato bowl recipe combines creamy mashed potatoes with your toppings and sauce of choice to create a filling, satisfying meal. For many, it likely brings to mind KFC mashed potato bowls with popcorn chicken and sweetcorn, smothered in brown gravy.

While, the KFC potato bowl is a vegan’s nightmare, that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy delicious, satisfying, easy meals with mashed potatoes that are 100% free from animal products. Like this vegetarian mashed potato bowl made with buttery vegan garlic mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables (great for Thanksgiving/ Christmas leftovers) and optional cashew-cream dressing.

However, there are endless ways to adapt this vegan mashed potatoes recipe to what you have in your kitchen, so keep reading for all my top mashed potato bowl ideas!

The Ingredients

The Best Vegan Mashed Potatoes

• Potatoes: Use Russet potatoes or Yukon Gold potatoes. Avoid waxy potatoes, which won’t break down easily and may become gummy rather than creamy. You could also make sweet potato bowls.
• Garlic: I love using fresh garlic, but garlic puree or powder work in a pinch.
• Plant-based milk: Use any unsweetened milk like almond milk, soy milk, coconut milk, oat milk, etc. Use a portion of (or all) non-dairy cream / full-fat canned coconut milk for creamier vegan mashed potatoes.
• Vegan butter: It’s best to use unsalted dairy-free butter for rich, creamy potatoes.
• Salt & black pepper: Added to taste.

For more flavor, optionally cook the potatoes in vegetable stock, add a little vegan cream cheese (or nutritional yeast) to the plant-based mashed potatoes, sprinkle in a pinch of nutmeg, and/or infuse herby flavor by allowing herbs (like rosemary or thyme) to sit in the plant-based milk (heated) for 10-15 minutes.

The Roasted Vegetable Toppings

• Vegetables: I used a delicious, nutritious, colorful combination of:
  • Carrots (any color or parsnip)
  • Sweet potato (or butternut squash/pumpkin)
  • Broccoli (and/or cauliflower)
  • Zucchini (or summer squash)
  • Bell pepper (any color)
• Oil: Use a fairly neutral cooking oil, like olive oil.
• Seasonings: Just a little garlic powder, salt, and pepper are all you need. I also like to garnish with red pepper flakes (optional) for a kick.
• Fresh parsley: Or other fresh herbs, like fresh chives.

Optional Dressing

• Cashews: This creamy sauce has a base of raw unsalted cashews. Leave them to soak overnight in cold water or in boiling hot water for 20-30 minutes.
• Water: To bring the dressing to the correct consistency. Use vegetable stock or vegan chicken broth for extra flavor.
• Nutritional yeast: This adds a nutty, 'cheesy', umami-rich flavor.
• Seasonings: Smoked paprika, sea salt, and black pepper provide enough flavor for this simple yet moreish dressing. Optionally add chili/cayenne pepper or hot sauce for a kick.

Alternatively, meals with mashed potatoes pair well with BBQ sauce or vegan mushroom gravy, onion gravy, or sausage/ brown gravy.

Other Mashed Potato Bowl Ideas and Toppings?

• Protein: i.e., marinated or crispy tofu/tempeh, mock meats (like vegan chicken nuggets, shredded chicken, meatballs, bacon, or sausages), or beans/pulses (like chickpeas, kidney/ white beans, etc.).
• Spinach/kale: Sauteed or stirred into the mashed potato.
• Cauliflower: For a lighter mash, swap ¼-1/2 potato for mashed cauliflower.
• Other vegetables: There’s a whole range of veggies that you could enjoy steamed, sautéed, or roasted, over the vegan mashed potato bowls:
  • Green beans/ Asparagus
  • Red onion (roasted)
  • Cherry tomatoes
  • Eggplant
  • Cabbage/ Brussels sprouts
  • Mushrooms
  • Peas/corn (frozen or canned)
• Vegan cheese: Sprinkle over your favorite vegan melty cheese or cheese sauce.
• Pickled vegetables: For tangy crunch - pickled onions, cabbage, or jalapenos.
• Vegan KFC mash bowl copycat: Top with vegan popcorn chicken/ nuggets, corn kernels, shredded vegan cheddar, and vegan brown gravy.
• Spanish-style potato bowl: Use regular or sweet potato mash with toppings like zucchini, bell pepper, tomato, grilled corn, black beans/pinto beans, spinach, and/or avocado. I like to garnish with vegan feta, lime, and avocado crema.

How to Make a Mashed Potato Bowl

Although there are three separate elements to this mashed potato bowl recipe, it comes together in just 8 simple steps.

Prepare the Roasted Vegetables

• 1) First, preheat the oven to 400F/200C. Then dice the bell pepper, halve (lengthwise) then slice the zucchini and carrot (about ½-inch thick), cut the broccoli into even-sized florets, and dice the sweet potato (1-inch pieces).

• 2) Toss the vegetables with olive oil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper, then spread them across a parchment-lined baking tray and bake for 30-40 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are tender. Toss/shake them halfway.

Boil and Mash the Potatoes

• 3) Meanwhile, peel (optional) and chop the potatoes into 2-inch cubes and peel the garlic cloves.

• 4) Transfer the potatoes and garlic to a large heavy-based saucepan and cover with cold water.

• 5) Bring the water to a boil, then lower it to a simmer, and cook for 20-25 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.

Alternatively, steam the potatoes until tender.

6. Drain the water, then add the plant-based milk, vegan butter, and seasonings to the saucepan. Mash the potatoes with a potato masher (or large, sturdy fork) to your desired consistency.

Prepare the Dressing and Assemble Mash Potato Bowls

7. If you’re making the optional dressing, drain the soaked cashews and transfer them to a high-speed blender with ½ cup of water. Blend until smooth, adding more water if it’s too thick. Then add the seasonings, blend to combine, and set aside.

7. To assemble the loaded mashed potatoes, first add a generous base of mashed potato, top with the roasted veggies, and drizzle with the cashew cream dressing. Garnish with fresh parsley and red pepper flakes, and enjoy!

FAQs

Serving Suggestions

Fully loaded mashed potato bowls make for a hearty meal alone, though they will become more ‘complete’ with a source of protein, like:

• A vegan pie
• Vegan meatballs, meatloaf, or sausages
• Vegan chicken (popcorn, nuggets, pieces, shredded, etc.)

You could also enjoy it with a green salad (or shaved Brussels sprout salad) and/or bread or dinner rolls.

Storage Instructions

Fridge: I prefer to store any leftover vegan mashed potatoes, toppings, and/or sauce in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days (making it great for meal prep, too!).

Freezer: Allow the potatoes and vegetables to cool completely, then store them in separate airtight containers/Ziplock/Stasher bags for up to 3 months.

Reheat: I prefer to use a microwave or the stovetop to reheat the mash, adding a splash of liquid (plant-based milk, water, or stock) and vegan butter as needed. The vegetables reheat best in the oven at 375/190C (10-15 minutes).

More Vegan Dinner Recipes

• Southwest stuffed sweet potatoes
• Easy tempeh stir-fry
• Vegan corn chowder (stove, IP, crockpot)
• Vegan hummus vegetable wraps
• Vegan chorizo tacos
• Butternut squash bean burritos

If you try this easy vegan mashed potato bowl recipe (as written or with changes), I’d love to know your thoughts in the comments below. I’d also really appreciate a recipe card rating!

Photos by Alfonso Revilla