Milk gives mashed potatoes a creamy smooth texture, but it is not the only ingredient in your pantry that can produce tasty results. For your convenience, I have separated my 11 recommended substitutes for milk in mashed potatoes into three categories; dairy, vegetarian, and broth.
Dairy Substitutes for Milk
As you probably expected, dairy substitutes will be the closest match in replacing milk.
1. Any Cream
All kinds of creams will work as a substitution for milk: including heavy cream, half-and-half, and light cream. When adding cream, you will want to slowly fold the cream into your cooked potato clumps until you reach your desired consistency.
How Much Cream to Use: When you use cream, you will only need a quarter of the amount of milk you typically use—the more fat in the cream, the stronger the flavor of your mashed potatoes.
Did you know that you can buy heavy cream powder? Here are some excellent options, available on Amazon.
Related Can I Use Heavy Cream Instead of Milk?
2. Buttermilk
Use the same amount of buttermilk as you would milk in your recipe. You will notice a sharp taste connected with this ingredient, especially if you use a whole buttermilk product compared to a low-fat option.
3. Sour Cream
This tangy milk alternative can be used to make creamy mashed potatoes. Just make sure that you only use half a cup of sour cream for every cup of milk noted in your recipe.
4. Greek Yogurt
This ingredient will make your potatoes light and fluffy. Using Greek yogurt instead of milk helps reduce the calories in this yummy side dish. Use half a cup of greek yogurt in place of 1 cup of milk.
5. Melted Butter
Add the same amount of melted butter as you would milk into your mashed potato recipe.
Vegetarian Substitutes for Milk
Plant-based products can be added to your mashed potatoes to give them a punch. Using plant-friendly milk alternatives allows your vegan friends to enjoy them as well.
6. Almond Milk
This replacement adds a nutty taste to your side dish. You will want to make sure you add a cup of almond milk for every cup of milk you substitute.
7. Soy Milk
You may need to add some vegan butter to your soy milk to get the rich texture you want with this substitute. Replace on a 1:1 basis.
Related How To Make Hamburger Helper Without Meat & Still Taste Good.
8. Coconut Milk
This adds a unique flavor to your mashed potatoes. Some people really love this addition, while other people think the taste is a bit strange. You may want to mix it with another option or even some water to dilute the intense flavor. Add slowly until you get the desired consistency.
9. Vegan Butter
Just start with a few teaspoons and mix them into potatoes. You can continue to add this ingredient until your mashed potatoes reach the right consistency.
Broth Alternatives to Milk
Broth is probably my favorite thing to substitute or add to mashed potatoes to make the end result a bit less heavy. This is something I recommend that you try, even if it’s not for substituting purposes.
How much broth to substitute: If you substitute broth for milk, you can keep the same measurements that you use for milk.
10. Vegetable Broth
This will work to add some moisture back into your boiled potatoes. Sodium-rich vegetable broth works best with potatoes, and it gives more flavor. Due to the thin texture, you may want to add slowly until you reach the consistency you want.
11. Chicken Broth
Add chicken broth to your side dish to cut the fat down substantially. This will result in a lower-calorie side dish. I mean, who doesn’t want that?
Can I Use Water Instead of Milk for Mashed Potatoes?
The starchy water that is left over when you finish boiling your potatoes can be used instead of milk in your mashed potato recipe. You can even use regular tap water. The texture may not be exactly the same with water because no fat will be absorbed into the potatoes; however, it does make for a calorie-smart dish.
You can add some butter to the dish to give it a more familiar consistency if you find the texture lacking.
Related Can I Use Water Instead of Milk in Cheese Sauce?
Does the Recipe Need to Be Altered if a Substitute for Milk Is Used?
Depending on the substitute used for milk, the recipe may need to be slightly tweaked because some replacements have a richer flavor or texture. If you are unsure of the amount to add, tread slowly. After all, it is easy to add more of something than to remove it from the recipe.
Cream, for example, is more potent than milk, and you need less of it than you do milk. So the best recourse is to add a fraction of your substitute first and see if you need more.
Vegan butter can always be added to any substitute to give it a creamier feel.
Why Substitute for Milk in Mashed Potatoes?
Milk substitutes are usually introduced for three reasons: lactose intolerance, vegan diet, and convenience. With a few adjustments to your mashed potato recipe, all your friends and family can enjoy them.
Final Thoughts
This list is by no means exhaustive. These are just the replacements that I could think of off the top of my head. Let me know if you have any other ideas; I’d love to test it out!
Thanks for stoppin’ by!
Jelly Grandma
Related The Best Substitutes for Milk in a Recipe | Ultimate Guide.
Anne James has a wealth of experience in a wide array of interests and is an expert in quilting, cooking, gardening, camping, mixing drinks (worked as a professional bartender), and making jelly.
Anne has a professional canning business, has been featured in the local newspaper as well as on the Hershey website, and has been her family canner for decades. Anyone growing up in the South knows that there is always a person in the family who has knowledge of the “old ways,” and this is exactly what Anne is.
With over 55 years of experience in these endeavors, she brings a level of hands-on knowledge that is hard to surpass. Amazingly, she doesn’t need to reference many resources due to her vast wealth of experience. She IS the source.
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