Vegan Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Mushroom Gravy

Ingredients

Mashed Potatoes:

• 8 cups diced potatoes (I used red potatoes)
• Potato cooking water, as needed (I used around 1/3 cup)
• 1.5 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt (or any salt)

Gravy:

• 1 medium white onion, diced
• 8 oz crimini mushrooms, diced fine
• 8 oz crimini mushrooms, sliced
• 1 tablespoon low sodium tamari (can sub soy sauce if not gluten-free)
• 2/3 cup unsweetened nondairy milk
• 2 tablespoons corn starch
• 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano (or sub all 3 for Italian Seasoning blend)
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• Water as needed (I used around 1 cup)

Method

1. Add your diced potatoes to the pot and cover with water by about 1 inch. Bring to a boil.

2. While potatoes are cooking, start the gravy by water sautéing your onion in a sauce pan over medium high heat until it starts to brown, about 4 minutes. Let your onion start to stick to the pan before you de-glaze with about 1 tablespoon of water each time. This increases the flavor and also browns the onions.

3. While the onions are sautéing, start a nonstick skillet going on medium heat. When its hot, add the sliced mushrooms. When they start to stick, add the soy sauce. After that, stir them every so often and add a small splash of water whenever they start to stick again.

4. Be patient and let them cook down. They will also release a bit of their own liquid. If you need to, you can add more low sodium soy sauce but I like to just use water. I find that when combined with the gravy, they have plenty of flavor.

5. Next add your finely diced mushrooms and saute about 3 more minutes. The mushrooms let off their own water so you shouldn’t need to add more, but if something starts to stick, go ahead and add a tablespoon of water and stir.

6. Add your spices and cook another minute. Use a fork or whisk to mix the corn starch and nondairy milk well. Add to the gravy and stir.

6. Turn the heat on the gravy down to a simmer and add the nutritional yeast and water as needed to reach desired consistency. If you like, use an immersion or stick blender to blend part or all of the gravy, according to preference.

7. When the potatoes are fully cooked, drain them in a colander set on large bowl (to save the cooking water). Transfer the potatoes back to the pot or another bowl and mash them up with some of the cooking water (add only a little at a time). When you are satisfied with the consistency, add the garlic powder and salt, stirring well.

8. Serve everything up immediately. Refrigerate leftover mashed potatoes separately from gravy, each up to 5 days in an airtight container. Freeze leftover gravy up to 6 months in a freezer safe container. When reheating gravy, add a little water to achieve a smooth consistency.