If you’re looking for a delicious spin on mashed potatoes this holiday season, these Caramelized Onion and Goat Cheese Mashed Potatoes won’t let you down. They have amazing flavor but won’t overpower all your other delicious side dishes.
For me, mashed potatoes are a must-have on the holiday table. I make them for both Thanksgiving and Christmas, and I love giving them a delicious spin. A few years ago, I shared an amazing Wasabi and Parmesan version, and today, I’m sharing these delicious Caramelized Onion and Goat Cheese Mashed Potatoes!
If you’ve been around here for a while, you’ve probably noticed I’ve been sharing many vegan recipes lately. I eat and make many vegan recipes, but I’m not 100 percent vegan. I love goat cheese, and when I decided to put the caramelized onions in the mashed potatoes, I felt goat cheese would go perfectly!
Why Your Body Will Love These Mashed Potatoes
- Vitamin C – Back in the day, potatoes were a lifesaver because they (surprisingly?) contain a lot of Vitamin C, which prevents scurvy. Now, scurvy isn’t among our common ailments. Still, we can all benefit from getting Vitamin C through our everyday foods, especially during the winter when our bodies are fighting many bugs and craving heartier foods–like potatoes!
- Blood, Brain, Bone Health – Potatoes are great when considering low-glycemic foods; potatoes release their sugars into our blood slowly, which helps regulate our blood sugar levels. They’re also a great source of magnesium, which is important for our bones, and potassium, which is an electrolyte that benefits our muscles, heart, and brain.
- Protein and Fatty Acids – Goat cheese provides the body with essential proteins and has a fatty acid profile different from cow milk cheeses. Its fatty acids offer a higher proportion of medium-chain fatty acids, which are easily metabolized by the body and are a great energy source.
Caramelized Onion and Goat Cheese Mashed Potato Ingredients and Substitutions
- Potatoes – I like to use classic Idaho potatoes when making mashed potatoes. You can also use Yukon gold or red potatoes if you like, though they tend to be smaller, so you’ll need a few more of them. I peel my potatoes for mashed potatoes because I like smooth ones, but you are welcome to leave the skins on.
- Onions – You can use any onion when making caramelized onions, but I always prefer yellow. They seem to work well, and I always have them on hand.
- Goat Cheese – I used a plain log of goat cheese since I was also adding in the onions for flavor, but you can mix it up and get a flavored one as long as it goes with the flavor of the caramelized onion.
- Garlic – I love adding a little garlic to my mashed potatoes! You can go as garlic-heavy as you like 🙂
- Butter – Although this is not a vegan recipe, I did use vegan butter because that is what I always have on hand. Regular butter is great, too. If using salted butter, make sure to taste before adding additional salt.
- Milk – I used plant-based milk because that is what I usually have, but regular milk is great, too. Even buttermilk is a good option.
- Salt and Pepper – Salt and pepper to taste! I love to go heavy on the black pepper.
How To Make Caramelized Onion Mashed Potatoes
There is an added step of caramelizing the onions for these mashed potatoes, but it is totally worth it!
- Start by caramelizing the onions. I thinly slice the onions and then add them to a pan with butter and some salt. It does take some patience to make caramelized onions. They cook for about 45 minutes – 1 hour, and you must stir them up every few minutes. You want them to sit long enough to start caramelizing, but you don’t want them to burn. You can also add a few splashes of water or white wine throughout the cooking process for more moisture.
- Once onions are nice and caramelized, add a few cloves of garlic and cook for just a minute or two so it isn’t raw. You can caramelize the onions up to three days in advance; refrigerate them until ready to make the mashed potatoes.
- Add your softened goat cheese to a food processor along with the caramelized onions. Turn the food processor on and slowly drizzle in the milk until you get a nice paste. You can also do this step ahead of time if you like.
- Wash, peel, and dice your potatoes. You want them all to be similar in size so they take the same amount of time to cook. Place diced potatoes into a large pot and cover with cold water. I like to add a few teaspoons of salt, but this is optional. Bring potatoes to a boil and let simmer until fork tender, 20-25 minutes. Drain potatoes and add back into the pot.
- Use a potato masher to mash potatoes lightly, and then add your butter, caramelized onion, and goat cheese mixture. Mix everything together and mash until the desired consistency is reached. I like to use an electric mixer to ensure the potatoes are as smooth as possible. Try not to over-mix, though, as they can get gummy.
- Add salt and pepper to taste, and enjoy warm!
Mashed Potato Frequently Asked Questions
- What kind of potatoes should I use? I like to use a classic russet potato when making mashed potatoes, but Yukon gold or red also work well.
- Do I need to peel my potatoes first? I prefer to peel mine, especially when using an Idaho potato, because the skin is a little thicker, but you don’t have to. If Yukon gold or red potatoes are used, the skins are thinner.
- Can I use an electric mixer to mash my potatoes? Yes! That’s usually what I use to make my mashed potatoes extra creamy.
- Can I use a food processor to mash my potatoes? No, I don’t recommend using a food processor. It will most likely give your potatoes a gummy texture.
- Can I make these vegan? To make vegan, you can either omit the goat cheese or use a vegan goat cheese alternative.
- Can I make mashed potatoes ahead of time? Yes, you can make them 1-2 days before eating and heat them in a pot or over a double boiler. You will likely need to add extra milk to loosen them up.
- Can you freeze mashed potatoes? Yes, I would recommend freezing in a freezer-friendly, air-tight container for up to three months.
Have a question I didn’t answer? Ask me below, and I’ll get back to you ASAP!
Looking For More Vegetarian Thanksgiving Recipes?
Lemon Pepper Roasted Brussels Sprouts
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Caramelized Onion and Goat Cheese Mashed Potatoes
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: 8-10 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
These Caramelized Onion and Goat Cheese Mashed Potatoes have such amazing flavor and are a really great twist on traditional mashed potatoes!
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 4 tablespoons butter, divided
- 2–3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1–2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, optional
- 6–8 cups peeled diced potatoes, I like russet but Yukon gold would work well too
- 1 (4 oz) package goat cheese, softened
- 1/3 cup plain, unsweetened almond milk, plus more if needed
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Start by caramelizing the onions. Heat a large pan over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons butter and the sliced onions. Stir and let cook for a few minutes and then add about 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Stir onions every few minutes so that they are able to brown while they cook but not burn. If they seem like they’re getting dry and sticking to the bottom of the pan more than they should, you can add a splash of water or white wine. I usually have to do that a few times during the cooking process. Onions are done when they turn a deep, dark brown color but not a black, burnt color.
- Once onions are nice and caramelized, add in a few cloves of garlic and the thyme, if using, and let cook for just a minute or two so it isn’t raw. You can caramelize the onions up to 3 days in advance if you like. Just refrigerate until ready to make the mashed potatoes.
- Add your softened goat cheese to a food processor along with the the caramelized onions. Turn food processor on and slowly drizzle in the milk until you get a nice paste. You can also do this step ahead of time if you like.
- Wash, peel and dice your potatoes. You want them to all be similar sized so they take the same amount of time to cook. Place diced potatoes into a large pot and cover with cold water. I also like to add in a few teaspoons of salt, but that is optional. Bring potatoes to a boil and then let simmer until fork tender, 20-25 minutes. Drain potatoes and then add back into the pot.
- Use a potato masher to lightly mash potatoes and then add your butter and caramelized onion and goat cheese mixture. Mix everything together and mash until desired consistency is reached. I like to use an electric mixer to ensure the potatoes are as smooth as possible. You can add in extra milk if they’re too thick.
- Add salt and pepper, to taste and enjoy warm!
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 90 mins
- Category: Side, Vegetarian
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
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