Looking for a high protein side dish. Well, how about this vegan mashed potato recipe. Made with red lentils and Yukon gold for a deliciously creamy mashed potato recipe. And with the hidden red lentils there is no need to stress if this is all you kiddos want to eat. And it would make a great baby food recipe too! Read on as I share a bit about the best potato to use for mashed potatoes.
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With the winter weather in full effect here in Canada all I want is bowls of comfort. Something to ‘warm my bones’ as my mother would say! And what could be better than a hearty creamy recipe like this one! It is like a hug in a bowl!
A high protein side dish thanks to this secret ingredient
So, as usual, this recipe was created out of a kitchen experiment gone right! Actually, I was developing a Shepard’s pie recipe (find that here) and planned on adding red lentils to the ‘meat’ base. Well, I totally overcooked the lentils!
So in an attempt to not waste food, I decided to add it to the potato recipe I was already making. And to my delight, it ended up so delicious. And when Micah refused to eat anything else I didn’t worry, knowing he had just eaten lentils and potatoes (rather than just a bunch of carbs)
Best potatoes for mashed potatoes
What are the best potatoes for mashed potatoes? Actually depending on the one you choose it will greatly affect the creaminess and texture of your mash recipe. The best potatoes to use are actually Yukon gold or russets. But I personally like Yukon gold (yellow) best.
You can read a bit about common mistakes made when mashing potatoes in this article written by Good Housekeeping.
Some best practices are:
- Using the right potato (Yellow or Russets)
- Add salt to the water
- Add potatoes in before boiling the water
- Drain them well
- Don’t over mash
- Do not add cold butter, let it get to room temp
- Don’t make them to far in advance
Creamy mashed potatoes with red lentils
When you are cooking the red lentils make sure to overcook them slightly. Using my instant pot I cooked them for 15 minutes with a ratio of 1:3 cups of lentils and water. On the stovetop keep the same ratio but check often to make sure they don’t burn. It should take roughly the same amount of time, about 20-25 minutes.
You will know they are ready because when you run a spoon through them the lentils will easily mash together. Then you can simply add them to your mash. So good!
Make this vegan mashed potato recipe oil and butter free
Yes, you can totally make an oil and butter-free mash and still have it come out creamy and delicious. I actually made half of this recipe butter-free because my mother-in-law is allergic to nuts. We use culcherd vegan butter which is made with fermented cashews (and it is the best vegan butter out there!).
To make it butter-free, simply save some of your potato water and add it back into the recipe. You won’t need a lot just enough to get it to come together. Just start stirring and add the water slowly. You will see it start to become nice and creamy.
However, because the starchy water won’t be giving much flavour, I suggest adding in more salt and herbs like oregano, thyme or rosemary to help build the flavour up.
Alright, NOW ON TO THE RECIPE! I hope you enjoyed this high protein side dish recipe. If you are looking for more easy vegan family meals be sure to check out these:
- What my toddler eats in a day
- Easy meal prep lentil stew
- High protein vegan Shepherd’s pie
- 5 ingredient chocolate chia pudding
Until then, tchau
Ingredients
- 5 medium Yukon gold potatoes
- ¾ cups dry red lentils (1 ½ cups cooked)
- 2 tbsp oregano
- 1 tbsp vegan butter
- ¼ tsp salt
- reserve some of the potato cooking water
Instructions
- Wash, peel and dice your potatoes. Then fill a large pot with cold water. Add the potatoes in and a generous amount of salt. Place onto the stovetop and boil until potatoes are fork tender.
- Meanwhile, add your dry lentils to a pot with 2 cups of water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for about 15-20 minutes or until the lentils are soft and mushy. Keep an eye on the water level. You shoudl have no water by the end. If you do just drain it. Best results are with a instant pot. Cook on bean setting for 15 minutes.
- Nest, drain your potatoes very well and add back to the pan. UsSe a ricer or potato masher to start mashing. Add in the cooked red lentils, salt, oregano and vegan butter and mash to mix. If the potatoes are to dry then add in more butter or some of the potato water. Mashed potatoes are best served right away. But they will last in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Notes
Nutrition
Yes, you can. To make an oil and butter-free recipe reserve your cooking water. Then slowly add in the potato cooking water into your mashed potatoes and stir. Just add enough to make them creamy without making them soggy (about 1/4 cup for 3 cups of potatoes). You will also want to add in more spices and salt.
To make a diary free mashed potato recipe you use oat or almond milk. Alternatively you can reserve some of the potato cooking water and use that instead.
The best potatoes to use for mashed potatoes are Yukon gold or white.
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