Cooking With Plants Recipe by Anja Cass

11 December 2025

If you’ve ever wished mashed potatoes could be creamy, flavour-packed and totally guilt-free, then you’re going to love this recipe. These fat-free herbed mashed potatoes have been a staple in my plant-based kitchen for years, and they’re perfect for weeknight dinners, holiday meals, meal prep, bowls… or honestly, just eating straight from the pot.

And guess what?
They only use simple everyday ingredients — no butter, no dairy, no oil, no fuss. Just pure, fluffy, comforting goodness.

⭐ Why You’ll Love These Mashed Potatoes

• 100% oil-free, dairy-free and plant-based

• Naturally creamy (no milk needed!)

• Uses herbs and starchy potato water for flavor

• Perfect for meal prep

• Comes together in under 30 minutes

• Child-friendly, budget-friendly, comfort-food-friendly

If you enjoy easy, fuss-free recipes like this one, they pair beautifully with the simple creations in my popular 3-Ingredient Cookbook — especially when you want quick side dishes that taste amazing with minimal effort.

🥔 The Secret: Pre-Chopped Potatoes

Here’s a time-saving trick I swear by…

When I buy my potatoes for the week, I peel and chop the whole batch at once, put them in a container, cover with filtered water, seal with a lid, and refrigerate.
They stay fresh for 1–2 weeks (sometimes longer!) without going brown.

It means:
✔ mashed potatoes anytime
✔ no peeling every night
✔ faster dinners
✔ no waste

🌿 Fat-Free Herbed Mashed Potatoes

Vegan • Oil-Free • Whole Food Plant-Based

Ingredients

• 6–8 potatoes, peeled and chopped

• Water (or the leftover starchy water from soaking)

• 1–2 tsp dried sage (or any herb you love)

• Fresh or dried basil (optional)

• A few basil leaves or celery pieces for extra flavor

• Dash of white pepper

• Pinch of turmeric (for color)

• Pinch of Celtic sea salt, or use vegetable broth instead

• Optional: nutritional yeast for extra savory flavour

Instructions

1. Boil the potatoes

Place chopped potatoes into a large pot.
Cover with water so they’re just submerged.
Add your herbs, basil, sage, celery, turmeric, salt or broth.
Bring to a boil, then reduce to a high simmer for ~20 minutes.

2. Check for doneness

They’re ready when they break apart easily with a fork.

3. Drain — but save the liquid

Place a strainer over a bowl and drain the potatoes.
This golden herb-infused broth is pure flavor!
Save it for:

• thinning your mash

• soups

• curries

• freezing into stock cubes for later

4. Mash or blend

Return potatoes to the pot.

For light, whipped mash:  Use a hand immersion blender.

For chunkier mash: Use a potato masher.

Add a small amount of the saved liquid until you reach your perfect creamy consistency.

5. Taste & adjust

Add more herbs, broth, pepper, or salt as you like.
Then try not to eat the whole pot (no promises!).

🍽 Serving Suggestions

Pair your herbed mashed potatoes with:

• Gravy or mushroom sauce

• Steamed greens

• Holiday mains

• Plant-based meatloaf

• Lentil shepherd’s pie

• Roast vegetables

And if you're someone who loves fast, delicious, minimal-ingredient recipes, this mash goes beautifully with many of the dishes in my 3-Ingredient Cookbook — especially the sauces, snacks and sides.

💛 Final Thoughts

This recipe is the perfect example of how easy whole food plant-based cooking can be.
No oil.
No dairy.
No fuss.
Just flavor, comfort, and nourishment.

If you try it, tag me — I love seeing your creations 🥔🌿

And don’t forget to grab your copy of the 3-Ingredient Cookbook if you love fast, fuss-free plant-based cooking.