Don’t get me wrong, these smashed potatoes are amazing all by themselves, but when you add my new Vegan Garlic Aioli they are transformed into little bites of pure culinary awesomeness.
I’m still not sure if I want this recipe to focus on the smashed potatoes, which for me were a totally new way of eating my favorite starch, or if I just want to focus on the Vegan Garlic Aioli, because I was just so blown away by how good it is.
Let’s talk a little about both.
The smashed potatoes are simple. Boil up some baby potatoes in your favorite pot. Sure, Instant Pots are great and all, but you really don’t need one for this. Just plop some taters down in a pot with water and boil for about 25 minutes or until fork tender.
Then, we drain them and then smash them.
I’m not talking about mashed potatoes here, but smashed. In other words, find something flat and smash them down a little. That’s it.
Then you can either put them in an oven, a broiler, or an air fryer until they get crispy on the outside.
Crispy on the outside – creamy on the inside! Add a little seasoning and maybe some freshly chopped green onions or parsley…..yum.
But let’s not forget the Aioli.
Aioli is a sauce that is traditionally made with oil so I knew I’d have to get creative to keep this as low-fat as I could.
I was going to use cashews – as many vegan cream sauces do – but like I said, I was concerned about the fat.
Then, I thought, “Ok, I’ll use white beans”. But really didn’t want a BEANY flavored sauce either. Tofu? Lots of people do not like tofu or are allergic to soy. What about Cauliflower? Again, there are lots of people who won’t even look at it, let alone taste it.
So I went back to the cashew idea because I knew the flavor would be pretty neutral and I really wanted the garlic to stand out as the star of the show.
But then I couldn’t get it creamy enough, even with my Vitamix. And NOBODY wants a creamy aioli with chunks of cashews floating around. So I added the beans anyway. And oh my word – what a difference.
This sauce is SO creamy now you’d swear it was mayonnaise, and without any of that beany flavor I was afraid of.
An additional benefit of adding the beans is now I’ve essentially reduced the calorie density of my cashew sauce – a lot. Now don’t think you can just go eat the entire bowl, because that would STILL be a LOT of calories.
But as a dip or drizzle sauce? Especially for these smashed potatoes?
Perfect.
I can honestly see this sauce being used in a lot of ways. As a dip for my homemade fat-free Potato Chips, or maybe as the mayonnaise in my Vegan Tuna Salad.… all kinds of things.
If you use it for something besides these potatoes, please leave a comment below and let me know, and I’ll share it in my Facebook Group.
Ok, so with all that said – let’s smash some spuds
Smashed Potatoes with Vegan Garlic Aioli
As I said above, get a little bag of baby potatoes (I used a 24oz bag of Yukon Golds which yielded about 16 potatoes) and boil them until fork tender – about 25 minutes.
Want to use your Instant Pot? No problem. Add the trivet and a cup of water, then your potatoes. I’d go MANUAL for about 5-7 minutes.
Then we simply drain the potatoes and let them sit for about 5 minutes to cool.
Carefully take a potato and using whatever smasher you can find – gently smash the potato until it’s flattened.
I used this kind of potato smasher. I tried the old fashioned kind and it wanted to mash my potatoes, not smash them, so I reverted back to the round type. I’ll post a pic and link here to my Amazon Store so you can see what I’m talking about. (Note: Affiliate link – I’ll make a few pennies if you buy one).
Then we simply place our flattened potatoes on a parchment-lined cookie sheet and bake in a 350-degree oven until the outside edges get crispy – about 30-40 minutes.
OR – place them in your air-fryer at 325 degrees F for about 15-20 minutes.
Vegan Garlic Aioli
The aioli is easy.
Add all the ingredients in the recipe section below to your blender and blend away until super creamy and smooth. You will have to stop and scrape down the sides a few times, but take your time and it will eventually get smooth.
Notes:
- Soak the cashews for at least 1-2 hrs before – it helps then get creamier.
- Adjust the amount of garlic to your own personal taste. I used 3 large cloves – but I love garlic.
- Rinse and drain the beans, but save some of the bean liquid (aquafaba) just in case you need to thin down the sauce a little.
- The recipe will make more than enough Aioli. You can store it covered in your fridge for about 7 days. Use the extra as a mayo replacement, or dip, or maybe even a dressing.
That’s it! I’m anxious to hear what you think so please, leave those comments!
And until next week – Keep on Cookin’!
Smashed Potatoes with Vegan Garlic Aioli
- Author: Brand New Vegan
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Prep Time: 5 min
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Cook Time: 45 min
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Total Time: 50 minutes
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Yield: 16 baby potatoes
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Category: Potatoes, Sauce
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Method: Stove, IP, Air Fryer
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Cuisine: American, Vegan
Description
Don’t get me wrong, these smashed potatoes are amazing all by themselves, but when you add my new Vegan Garlic Aioli they are transformed into little bites of pure culinary awesomeness.
Ingredients
Smashed Potatoes
- 24 oz bag baby gold potatoes
- your choice of seasoning – to taste
- chopped green onion and/or fresh parsley for garnish
Vegan Garlic Aioli
- 1 cup raw cashews, soaked for 1-2 hrs
- 15oz can white beans, rinsed and drained
- 1/2 cup water
- 2-3 cloves garlic
- 2 Tbs lemon juice
- 1 Tbs nutritional yeast
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
- Boil potatoes in a large pot of water until fork tender – 25-30 min OR……..
- You can also use your Instant Pot and trivet: add 1 cup of water and potatoes, secure lid, MANUAL for 5-7 min, quick release
- Drain potatoes and let sit 5 minutes
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
- Smash potatoes flat and lay on a parchment-lined baking sheet
- Bake in the oven for 30-40 min or until edges get crispy OR
- Air fry at 325 degrees for 15-20 min
Vegan Garlic Aioli
- Add all ingredients to blender and process until smooth and creamy. You will probably have to stop and scrape down the sides a few times.
Notes
Keywords: smashed potatoes, vegan garlic aioli
Did you make this recipe?
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