Best Red Skin Mashed Potatoes

Name: Best Red Skin Mashed Potatoes
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 3 pounds red skin potatoes ($1.59); 1 tablespoon salt ($0.01); ¼ cup vegan butter ($0.58); ¾ cup plant milk ($0.34); 1 teaspoon garlic powder ($0.02); 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste ($0.01); ½ teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste ($0.01); Fresh chives or green onions

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Red skin mashed potatoes offer a rich, buttery, and hearty side dish that perfectly rounds out any meal. Infused with cracked black pepper and garlic, this recipe is mouthwateringly delicious. You’ll be licking your plate clean!

Table of Contents

🏆 Why this recipe works

Quick to prep: Mashed potatoes come together quite quickly. With the thin red skin, you don’t even need to peel them!
Few ingredients: Only 5 ingredients (including salt and pepper) are needed to make this recipe.
Allergen-friendly: This version of red skin mashed potatoes is vegan and gluten-free, making it suitable for friends and family with allergies.
Customizable: Use this recipe as a blank canvas to make your own tweaks and customizations. There are so many ways to change it around!

🥔 What are red skin mashed potatoes?

Red skin mashed potatoes are simply made by mashing skin-on potatoes with milk, butter, garlic, salt, and pepper. Because red skin potatoes are a waxy variety, this recipe turns out thick, rich, and satisfying.

Potatoes are such a versatile ingredient to have on hand, especially for recipes like potato soup, stewed potatoes, or mashed potatoes.

So if you’re in need of a quick and easy side dish recipe, look no further! It’ll be on the dinner table in less than 30 minutes.

📜 History

The story of mashed potatoes begins with Antoine-Augustin Parmentier, who was a French army pharmacist. During the Seven Years’ War, he was captured by Prussian soldiers and imprisoned.

At the time, potatoes were seen as livestock food and were believed to cause leprosy. But, his only two choices were to starve to death or live off of potatoes.

Much to his surprise, consuming potatoes was not a punishment at all! In fact, he enjoyed them in various preparations, including mashed potatoes.

After his release from prison, he returned to France and spread the good news about this delicious tuber.

🌱 Are mashed potatoes vegan?

Most mashed potato recipes feature a combination of milk, cream, and butter, making them suitable for vegetarians only.

Nowadays, there are so many choices for vegan products that emulate the flavor and texture of dairy products. It couldn’t be easier to make a plant-based version!

In this recipe, we use soy milk and vegan butter. Let us be the first to tell you that you won’t be able to tell any difference in flavor or texture.

Red skin potatoes, plant milk, garlic, salt, pepper, butter. — Use regular or baby red potatoes

🛒 Ingredients & substitutions

Red skin potatoes — Both regular and baby red potatoes work well for skin-on mashed potatoes. Either way, you don’t have to waste time peeling the skin!

Dairy-free butter — Opt for dairy-free brands like Earth Balance, Country Crock, Milkadamia, Miyokos Creamery, Melt, or whichever one is available. Vegan butter should not be replaced with coconut oil for this recipe.

Plant milk — Soy milk is our preferred choice since it provides a rich and creamy consistency. If you don’t have soy, try pea milk or hemp milk.

Garlic powder — Adds savory, toasty, and caramelized notes that make these red skin mashed potatoes so addicting! If you use fresh garlic cloves, it’s best to roast them for this recipe.

Salt & pepper — Season with sea salt and cracked black pepper to taste.

For a complete ingredient list and step-by-step guide, scroll down to our recipe card.

📝 Instructions

Step 1 — Rinse, scrub, and cube the potatoes, then add them to a large stock pot. Cover the potatoes with water to about an inch above them.

Red skin potatoes in a pot. — Cut the potatoes in chunks like this

Step 2 — Bring the potatoes to a boil, then add a tablespoon of salt and lower the heat to medium. Cook them until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork. This shouldn’t take more than about 10 minutes.

Red skin potatoes and water in a pot. — Boil the potatoes in salted water

Step 3 — In the meantime, heat the vegan butter, milk, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a small saucepan over low. Keep a close eye on the mixture, and remove it from heat when it’s just melted.

Soy milk, vegan butter, and spices in a pot. — Careful not to burn the milk and butter

Step 4 — When the potatoes finish cooking, drain the water and mash them with a potato masher to your desired consistency. We prefer ours on the chunkier side, but it’s a personal preference.

Roughly mashed potatoes in a pot. — Mash them as much or as little as you want

Step 5 — Add about half of the milk and butter mixture, then mix until the potatoes absorb it.

Melted butter pouring into a pot of potatoes. — Only add the first half of the melted butter first

Step 6 — Repeat the same process with the rest of the milk and butter mixture.

Mashed potatoes in a pot. — Combine until the butter mixture is incorporated

Step 7 — Taste and season the potatoes with more salt and pepper to your liking, then serve immediately while warm with chives on top. Happy eating!

If you have questions about this red skin mashed potatoes recipe, check out our FAQs or leave a comment down below!

🥗 What to serve with mashed potatoes

Pair these red skin mashed potatoes with other holiday-inspired side dishes for the ultimate spread:

Air fryer green beans — Crispy green beans that are ready in 20 minutes.

Air fryer zucchini — A simple, healthy, garden-fresh side dish.

Calabacitas — Mexican-style zucchini made with melty cheese, sweet corn, and other crunchy vegetables.

Chipotle fajita veggies — Vibrant and flavorful veggies, just like Chipotle does it.

Vegan gravy — A rich, savory, and complex sauce made in mere minutes!

Ocean Spray cranberry sauce — Made from whole cranberries, water, and sugar.

🔥 How to keep them warm

If you’re timing your dishes to come out together, use these tips to keep your potatoes hot and ready:

Cover with foil — If you’re planning to eat the potatoes within 30 minutes, cover the pot with a lid or wrap it in foil.

Keep them in the slow cooker — Need more time? Transfer the potatoes to a slow cooker or instant pot, and set it to “keep warm.” This will buy you at least a few hours. Just don’t forget to give them the occasional stir.

Store them in the oven — No slow cooker? No problem. Transfer the potatoes to an oven-safe dish and cover them with a lid. Keep them warm on the lowest setting your oven has. Similar to the slow cooker option, stir the potatoes occasionally to make sure they don’t burn or stick to the dish.

🌡️ Storage & reheating

For any leftover red skin mashed potatoes, follow these storage tips:

Fridge — Once the mashed potatoes have cooled completely, keep them in an airtight container for up to a week in the fridge.

Freezer — For easier reheating, store the potatoes in single or double portions in freezer-safe containers or bags. This way, you only need to heat a few servings at a time. This recipe is freezer-safe for up to 3 months.

Reheating — If frozen, thaw the potatoes in the fridge overnight. Reheat them on the stovetop, in the oven, or in the microwave. On the stovetop, heat them in a pot over low-medium, stirring frequently until warm. In the oven, heat them at 350 degrees F in a covered baking dish for 30 minutes. For the fastest option, microwave them in 30-second bursts, stirring in between.

Spoonful of mashed potatoes. — Chives make an excellent garnish

♻️ Variations

Different potatoes — Skin-on mashed potatoes also work with other waxy potatoes. Try baby Yukon Gold, white, or fingerling potatoes.

Other seasonings — Transform the flavors of this recipe by adding different herbs and spices like thyme, rosemary, basil, oregano, horseradish, green onions, or parsley.

Roasted garlic — For an extra caramelized garlic taste, roast a head and mash the cloves into the potatoes. You can also try mixing in some caramelized onions for bursts of sweet flavor.

Cheesy and creamy — Incorporate dairy-free cheese varieties like cream cheese, parmesan, or even dairy-free sour cream.

🧑‍🍳 Top tips

Even-sized cuts — Make sure to cut the potatoes a similar size so they cook evenly.

Rinse before cooking — Rinse the potatoes until the water runs clear before boiling them. Too much starch can cause gummy mashed potatoes.

Salt the water — Don’t forget to salt the water while boiling the potatoes. It truly gives them a better flavor that you can’t do without.

Completely drain the water — Ensure all of the cooking water is drained after boiling the potatoes or the mash may turn out watery.

Adjust the consistency — We prefer our mashed potatoes on the chunkier side, but the texture is very customizable depending on your preferences.

Don’t over-mash — Overmashing potatoes can make their texture gluey and unpleasant.

💬 FAQ

Why are my mashed potatoes gummy?

Your potatoes are likely gummy because you mashed them too much or too vigorously. While the texture may be off, the flavor will still be good.

Do you need to peel red skin potatoes?

You do not need to peel red skin potatoes. Red potatoes have a thin skin, making them ideal for this skin-on mashed potato recipe.

What is the best way to mash potatoes?

The best way to mash potatoes will depend on how you like the end result. We prefer using a hand masher for this recipe so a few chunks remain. If you prefer them whipped, you can use an electric mixer.

🍴 More recipes with potatoes

If you enjoyed these red skin mashed potatoes, be sure to check out our other potato-forward recipes:

Mexican-style potatoes: Spicy potato cubes mixed with green chiles, tomatoes, and onions.
Pambazos: Chile-dipped bread stuffed with vegan chorizo and tender potatoes.
Air fryer hash browns: Crispy potato cakes that are perfect for dipping.
Tortitas de papa: Thick Mexican potato patties crisped up on the stove.
Air fryer sweet potatoes: Crispy, tender, and healthier-for-you sweet potato cubes.