Mashed Potato and Mushroom Gravy Bowls with Lemony Butter Beans
Mashed Potato and Gravy Bowls with Lemony Butter Beans
Creamy yukon gold mashed potatoes are seasoned with garlic and nutritional yeast, then topped with savory mushroom gravy and lemony butter beans to create a meal that is satisfying and deeply comforting. Enjoy this healthy and hearty plant-based meal as a stand alone dinner or a filling side dish around the holidays. As always, it's oil-free, and refined sugar-free.
Mashed Potato and Gravy Bowl with Lemony Butter Beans
Ingredients:
- 1 lb Yukon Gold Potatoes
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 3 Tbsp nutritional yeast
- Unsweetened, plain soy milk, to desired texture (about 2 cups)
- Salt, to taste (about 11/2 tsp kosher salt)
- 1 15oz can butter beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 lemon, juice of
Instructions:
- Pressure cook the yukon gold potatoes for about 15 minutes (depending on the size of the potatoes), or until fork tender. See notes if you do not have an Instant Pot or pressure cooker.
- In a large bowl, mash the potatoes with nutritional yeast and garlic powder.
- Add soy milk slowly, until the potatoes reach your desired consistency.
- Add salt to taste.
- In a small bowl, combine the juice of 1/2 lemon with the drained and rinsed butter beans.
- In a large bowl, place a large scoop of the mashed potatoes. Scrape it around the sides of the bowl for a fancier presentation.
- Pour the Mushroom gravy over the potatoes.
- Add a handful of lemony butter beans to the gravy.
- Top with a sprinkle of fresh thyme and black pepper.
Notes:
Calories
277.06Fat (grams)
2.01Sat. Fat (grams)
0.33Carbs (grams)
51.30Fiber (grams)
11.86Net carbs
39.44Sugar (grams)
6.02Protein (grams)
15.93Sodium (milligrams)
193.29Cholesterol (grams)
0.12ABOUT THE RECIPE:
I was never a gravy fan. My mom never made it on holidays and the thought of mixing turkey fat with flour and broth did not seem at all appetizing. My mashed potatoes were always naked and I was fine with that.
That is, until I ate a meal at Modern Love, a well-reviewed vegan dinner and brunch spot with upscale comfort food in Brooklyn. I got their Hen of the Woods Bowl: Breaded and lightly fried Hen of the Woods mushrooms with mashed potatoes and gravy. OMG. That gravy blew my mind. It had a slight tangy, was rich and creamy and flavorful, and ADDED to the potatoes rather than distracting from them.
I couldn’t stop thinking about that gravy, so I attempted to make my own.
The tricky thing with vegan gravy is…you’re trying to mimic something that is pure umami. It’s thickened, seasoned animal fat. How can you make a gravy without animal fat equally savory?
The keys in this recipe are a host of umami bombs: mushrooms, nutritional yeast, nori, and vegan Worcestershire sauce. Combined, they leave your mouth thinking “there’s got to be some sort of meat in this.” When partially blended, it yields a gravy that is creamy and smooth, with just a bit of texture to keep it interesting.
After devouring this gravy with my usual mashed potato recipe, I realized that by not sharing the recipe for this bowl, I was depriving the world of a simple, delicious dinner. So, here it is. Plain, unsweetened soy milk makes the perfect milk substitute for mashing the potatoes, and the pressure cooked potatoes (which are naturally creamy) don’t suffer from the lack of added fats. The subtle addition of lemon-bathed butter beans makes adds a chewy texture and a delicious hint of acidity, which compliments the starchiness of the potatoes and the heavy umami-flavor of the gravy.
RECIPE NOTES:
If you’re gluten-free, use corn starch instead of flour.
My preferred vegan Worcestershire sauce brand is “Mary’s” and should be available in your local health food store (most Worcestershire sauce contains fermented anchovies…gross).
When adding the nori to the mixture, there’s no need to break it up. Put the entire half-sheet in the broth. It will infuse flavor into the pan like a tea bag. Remove before blending.
It is absolutely NOT necessary to blend this gravy. I like to blend half of it to create a creamier texture. You can blend all of it or choose not to blend it at all.
Try steaming or microwaving the potatoes if you don’t have a pressure cooker.
Don’t like soy milk? That’s fine- use any non-dairy milk you prefer as long as it is unflavored and unsweetened (check the ingredients to be sure).
I want to thank Modern Love in Brooklyn for inspiring the creation of this dish. If you ever get the chance, definitely try their Hen of the Woods Bowl.
Until then, I’m here to remind you that times are tough and IT’S OKAY TO EAT MASHED POTATOES FOR DINNER :).
Did you make this recipe? Tag me on Instagram @notlikemama! I love to see your versions of my recipes.
If you enjoyed this recipe, consider leaving a comment below! It will make me feel warm and fuzzy AND will help other readers. Win win!
Happy Cooking,
Courtney