Smashed Potatoes with Roasted Garlic Cream
Fall weather calls for comfort food, and there’s really nothing more comforting that a potato. Vegan Smashed Potatoes with Roasted Garlic Cream are warm and cozy, and will help keep out the chill of the long autumn evenings. They're the perfect side dish for just about any dinner, and they're wonderful for Thanksgiving or Christmas.
Ingredients
For the Garlic Cream
- 1 bulb of garlic
- ½ teaspoon olive oil
- pinch of sea salt
- pinch ground black pepper
- 1 cup raw cashews soaked for two hours and drained
- ½ cup water
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
For the Potatoes
- 1 pound baby potatoes
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt divided
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ cup parsley chopped
Instructions
Make the Garlic Cream
- Preheat the oven to 400°.
- Peel most of the paper off of the garlic, but make sure you keep the bulb intact. Use a sharp knife to cut the top part of the garlic bulb off. You’ll want to trim about ¼” off.
- Drizzle the tops of exposed cloves with the olive oil, and sprinkle with the salt and the black pepper. Cover the bulb with foil and bake for about 40 minutes, until the cloves are soft. The garlic is done with deeply golden brown and completely soft. If you're using an air fryer, you can cook it on 400° for 20 minutes.
- Allow the bulb to cool about 10 minutes.
- Squeeze the roasted garlic out into a food processor or blender. Add the rest of the Garlic Cream ingredients and mix until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides as needed. If you’re using a blender, start slow and then build up to a high-speed, otherwise the ingredients might get stuck. If the mixture seems too thick, add a little more water, a teaspoon at a time. The mixture will thicken as it sits.
Make the Potatoes
- Place the potatoes in a large pot with water along with ¼ teaspoon of salt and the bay leaves. You’ll want enough water to cover the potatoes plus about two inches
- Cook until the water boils and the potatoes are fork-tender, about 15-20 minutes.
- While the potatoes are boiling, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 400°.
- Drain the potatoes and place them on the baking sheet. Be sure to remove the bay leaves.
- Use a potato masher, flat spatula, or the bottom of a jar to gently smash each potato. The potatoes should be flat, but still in one piece.
- Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown and crispy.
- Drizzle generously with the Roasted Garlic Cream and garnish with the chopped parsley. Serve hot.