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  • Makes 6 cups
  • Serving size: 1 cup
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Equal parts savory and sweet, caramelized onions are a surefire way to add a special touch to any dish. Here, creamy mashed potatoes get a boost of flavor from the deeply browned onion slices and are sprinkled with chives for an herbaceous finishing touch. But the toppings aren’t the only ingredients that make these spuds extra tasty: A blend of creamy cashews and cheesy nutritional yeast are mixed into the mash to create a velvety texture that melts in your mouth. If you want to get a head start on this recipe, you can make the caramelized onions up to three days in advance and store them in an airtight container. Pro tip: If you choose sweet yellow onions, feel free to skip the brown sugar; you’ll still get luscious caramelized goodness. 

Tip: Soak cashews in very hot water 15 minutes; drain. Rinse cashews and drain again. Place in an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator up to 5 days or freeze up to 3 months.

For more vegan caramelized onion recipes, check out these tasty ideas:

By Nancy Macklin, RDN,

Ingredients

  • 3 medium yellow onions, cut into thin wedges
  • 1 teaspoon packed brown sugar (optional)
  • 3 lb. Yukon gold potatoes
  • 2 cloves garlic, halved
  • ½ to 1 cup unsweetened, unflavored plant-based milk
  • 2 tablespoons raw cashews, soaked (see tip in intro)
  • 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
  • Cayenne pepper, to taste
  • Sea salt, to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Instructions

  • In a large skillet cook onions over medium 25 to 30 minutes or until well browned, stirring occasionally and adding water, 1 to 2 teaspoons at a time, as needed to prevent sticking. After 10 minutes, if desired, add brown sugar. When onions are done, remove skillet from heat.
  • In a large saucepan combine potatoes and garlic; add water to cover. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 25 to 30 minutes or until potatoes are very tender. Drain well. Mash until mostly smooth.
  • Meanwhile, in a small blender or food processor combine ½ cup milk, the cashews, nutritional yeast, and cayenne pepper. Cover and blend until very smooth. Gradually stir into mashed potatoes; stir in additional milk if needed to make creamy. Season with salt and black pepper.
  • Top mashed potatoes with caramelized onions and sprinkle with chives.
Nutritional Information:

Per serving (1 cup): 206 calories, 44 g carbohydrates, 5 g protein, 2 g total fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 g cholesterol, 186 mg sodium, 4 g fiber, 4 g sugar

Note: Nutritional information is provided as an estimate only.

Comments (2)

(5 from 2 votes)

Recipe Rating

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Marrianne Fenwick

Fantastic thank you so much 😊🙏

Leslie

Just finished making these. I’ll make it again. Let me suggest adding a few of the cooked potato chunks and the boiled garlic cloves into the cashew cream mixture as it helps to cream the cashews so there are no small chunks in the cashew cream. Then add the cashew cream to the whipped potatoes. I try not to use salt but it did need a good sprinkle or two.

About the Author

Headshot of Nancy Macklin

About the Author

Nancy Macklin, RDN

Nancy Macklin has a bachelor of science in dietetics from Iowa State University and a Master of Science in health services administration from the University of Saint Francis. Macklin worked as a hospital-based clinical dietitian, providing counseling for diabetes, heart disease, and weight loss and as a food service director in health care dining sites. She now serves as a test kitchen dietitian, developing 500+ recipes per year. She is a member of the Academy for Nutrition and Dietetics and International Association of Culinary Professionals. Find her on LinkedIn.
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