Creamy, tangy, and vibrant green goddess mashed potatoes get a kick from classic green goddess herbs – parsley, chives, and tarragon. This dish is part of my gluten-free vegetarian Thanksgiving menu. Get all the recipes here!
While stuffing is Jay's favorite Thanksgiving side dish, mashed potatoes are mine. And I've become very particular about my mashers thanks to styling what felt like dozens of potato recipes for The New York Times over the years. Great mashed potatoes require three components in my book: yellow potatoes, tangy dairy, and chives. Not to mention lots of butter, but that goes without saying.
Green Goddess Mashed Potatoes
This version takes things a step further by blending in parsley and tarragon to make a vibrant green goddess flavored puree. Green goddess dressing is thought to hail from San Francisco nearly a century ago when the chef of the Palace Hotel concocted one in honor of the hit play The Green Goddess. It's traditionally flavored with tarragon, parsley, and chives along with anchovies and mayonnaise. I left those last two out of the mashed potatoes though – you're welcome.
Green Mashed Potato Ingredients
- Yellow potatoes such as Yukon gold or yellow finn have dense, rich flesh that makes the most luxurious mashed potatoes.
- Butter makes these potatoes rich and creamy.
- Crème fraiche adds tangy richness and milk adds moisture.
- Parsley, chives, and tarragon add a beautiful green color and bright, herbaceous flavor.
- Fresh garlic gives them a kick along with salt and pepper.
How to Make Green Goddess Mashed Potatoes
Peel your potatoes and boil them in salty water until tender and starting to fall apart. Drain and return to the pot. Add the butter, and mash gently with a potato masher or a large fork. Meanwhile, puree the herbs, garlic, and dairy together until smooth. Stir the herb mixture into the mashed potatoes, add salt and pepper plus more dairy if you like.
Setting a Colorful Holiday Table with Green Mashed Potatoes
Fall and winter foods tend to live in the beige/brown/orange family. But these green mashed potatoes add a pop of color to any plate. As Jay put it, "I love that the most colorful thing on the table isn't the salad."
Despite their wholesome color, these green goddess mashed potatoes still taste as decadent as any. Creamy, rich, and full of bright herbs sharpened by fresh garlic. Plus they make the perfect pillow for shiitake mushroom gravy. Stay tuned for the recipe!
Find more colorful vegetarian gluten-free Thanksgiving recipes here!
Get the other recipes - and other sides - for my gluten-free vegetarian Thanksgiving dinner here:
- Vegetarian Gluten-Free Stuffing with Leeks & Goat Cheese
- Marinated Grilled Tofu
- Easy Maple Cranberry Sauce {refined sugar-free}
- Gluten-Free Apple Cake with Brown Butter & Hazelnut
- Roasted Delicata Squash with Brown Butter, Pomegranate & Pistachios
- Gluten-Free Shiitake Mushroom Gravy
- Miso-Harissa Roasted Carrot and Two-Potato Salad
- Roasted Turnips with Wilted Turnip Greens
*Bojon appétit! For more Bojon Gourmet in your life, follow along on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest, purchase my gluten-free cookbook Alternative Baker, or subscribe to receive new posts via email. And if you make these green goddess mashed potatoes, I’d love to see. Tag your Instagram snaps @The_Bojon_Gourmet and #bojongourmet.*
Green Goddess Mashed Potatoes
Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
- 2 pounds (910 g) Yukon gold or other yellow potatoes
- 3 tablespoons (42 g) butter, plus a little more for topping
- 2 medium cloves garlic, peeled
- ½ cup lightly packed chopped parsley
- ¼ cup snipped chives, plus a little more for topping
- 2 packed tablespoons chopped tarragon leaves
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) crème fraiche, more as needed
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) milk, more as needed
- salt and pepper, as needed to taste
Instructions
- Peel the potatoes, cut them into 1-2 inch chunks, and place them in a large saucepan. Add water to cover by an inch or two and 2 teaspoons salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are very tender and just starting to fall apart, 10-20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, combine the garlic, parsley, chives, tarragon, crème fraiche, and milk in the bowl of a blender. Blend on medium-high until very smooth, about a minute.
- When the potatoes are cooked, drain them and put them back into the warm saucepan. Add the butter. Use a potato masher to mash the potatoes until fairly smooth. Mash gently and stop immediately if the potatoes start to feel sticky or gluey as overworking them can do. Alternatively, you can push the potatoes through a ricer to get them really smooth.
- Pour the herb puree into the potatoes and stir gently to combine, adding more milk if the potatoes need it. They will continue to firm up as they sit, so you may wish to add more milk after a little while. Taste, adding pepper and more salt if you like.
- If your potatoes are overly lumpy, push them through a colander with the back of a ladle and into a large bowl.
- Serve the potatoes right away, topped with a drizzle of melted butter and a sprinkle of chives and pepper. See the make-ahead instructions below.
Notes
Nutrition
More green goddess recipes:
- Green Goddess Sandwiches
- Green Goddess Potato Salad
- Vegan Green Goddess Salad
- Vegan Green Goddess Dressing
- Verdant Lady {Gin & Green Chartreuse Cocktails}
Dana says
This is brilliant AND gorgeous.
Alanna says
YOU are. <333
Katherine says
Just waiting for that mushroom gravy ;).
Going to be a fabulously delicious and beautiful thanksgiving!
Alanna says
Yay! Coming right up. ;)
Sabrina says
what a fun alternative, think it would work with sweet potatoes? the blended color may be a bit strange but prefer them to standard yukon or similar potatoes
Alanna says
Hm not sure about that. BUT you could totally try using Japanese sweet potatoes which are white and sweet. Let me know if you try it!
Melanie says
I've done it today and it is delicious! Thanks for the recipe.
Alanna says
So glad you liked them!