Forget plain potato mash. This Levantine inspired version with spices and olive oil is simple, cozy and a little different in the best way.
“Boil the potatoes,” he murmured. “Mash them. Bit of salt. Oil. That should do it.” The old man leaned on the counter, squinting down at the postcard propped against a flour jar. It was slightly bent from being handled too many times. His granddaughter’s handwriting curved across the back, cheerful and looping.
Grandpa, you’d love this. I forgot what it's called, though it's basically potato mash, spices and olive oil. It’s simple and delicious. I thought of you.
He smiled. He could almost hear her voice. Lebanon seemed far away, but somehow, standing in his small kitchen, it felt closer.
He mashed the potatoes, just as she’d written. The scent of cumin and fresh herbs rose into the air. He tasted a bit and nodded to himself. “Well,” he said quietly, “that’s pretty good.” From a drawer, he took out his little notebook. The pages were wrinkled, full of recipes written over years, with soups, pies, memories. He copied the new one in careful letters and glued the postcard next to it.
“This will be a feast when you’re back,” he said to the empty room. Then he rinsed his hands, found his favorite bowl, and began to serve himself, humming a tune he didn’t realize he still remembered.
Ingredients for Herbed Harissa Potato Mash
- Potatoes
- Olive Oil
- Garlic
- Basil
- Lemon
- Bahrat Spice
- Harissa
- Plant Milk
How does this recipe differ from regular potato mash?
The process of making this herbed spicy potato mash is similar to the usual butter-milk-nutmeg mash you might serve at Christmas. The difference is all in the seasoning and the fat source. Instead of vegan butter, this recipe uses olive oil as the main flavor carrier. After boiling and mashing the potatoes, heat the olive oil and pour it in while it’s still sizzling and then mix everything with salt, pepper, and fresh basil. Because of that, the flavor is much more intense than regular mashed potatoes. It doesn’t really need gravy or heavy sauces to taste complete. It’s also great on its own with some bread, or served alongside a protein-rich legume dish.
Can I make this recipe ahead of time?
Yeah, definitely. It’s a really easy dish, and most of the time goes into peeling and boiling the potatoes anyway. If you want to prep it ahead for lunch or dinner, you can finish it in the morning and keep it in the fridge until you need it. I wouldn’t store the finished mash for more than a day, not because it becomes inedible, but because it tends to dry out and lose that fresh, soft texture. If you want to get ahead without sacrificing flavor, you can also just keep boiled potatoes in the fridge for a couple of days and mash everything fresh when you’re ready to eat.
Can I adjust the seasoning or add other herbs?
You can definitely adjust the seasoning. The baharat and garlic are the base flavors that really make this dish what it is, but the fresh herbs are totally flexible. I like adding a little mint, as well as coriander. You can also play around with the level of heat. Add as much harissa paste as you like, sprinkle in chili flakes, or finish it with your favorite sriracha or hot sauce. It’s not the most traditional approach, but I love it.
What should I serve with spiced Herbed Harissa Potato Mash?
If you don’t want to eat it as a simple snack, there are lots of easy things you can pair with these mashed potatoes. I like adding lentil, chickpea, as well as bean dishes for extra protein and a bit of sauce. Additionally I like serving it with crispy chickpeas, a spoon of vegan yogurt, and some fresh bread. A good salad also works really well to balance the carbs and the slightly drier nature of the mashed potatoes. But honestly, don’t feel discouraged from eating it as a main dish on its own if you’re short on time. It’s a quick, cozy, and interesting meal all by itself.
What is Herbed Harissa Potato Mash?
Herbed Harissa Potato Mash might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think about Middle Eastern food, but there are actually a few potato dishes across the region. There’s batata kibbeh (a spiced potato mixture often shaped or baked), batata harra (spicy potatoes with garlic and cilantro, not mashed but similar in flavor), and batata bi zeit (potatoes cooked in olive oil with herbs).
This recipe isn’t a traditional version of any one dish, but more of a simple fusion inspired by those flavors. It’s basically mashed potatoes with spices, olive oil, and fresh herbs, comforting, easy, and a fun twist on the regular western-style mash. You don’t need many ingredients, just a good spice cabinet and a bit of creativity, and you’ve got a cozy side dish that tastes different from the usual buttery mash.
Herbed Harissa Potato Mash
Ingredients
- 1 kg/ 2 pounds Potatoes peeled
- 4 cloves Garlic
- 90 ml/ 1/3 cup Olive Oil
- 1 tsp Cumin
- 2 tsb Baharat Spice
- 1 tsp Harissa
- 240 ml/ 1 cup Plant Milk
- 1 handful Basil chopped
- ½ Lemon squeezed
- few leaves Mint optional
Instructions
- Peel the potatoes and cut them into large cubes. Boil them in salted water until soft.
- Chop the garlic and the fresh herbs.
- Drain the boiled potatoes and mash them through a sieve or with a potato masher. Add the plant milk and stir until the mash is smooth. Make a small well in the center of the potatoes and sprinkle in the baharat and the cumin seeds, but don’t mix them yet.
- Heat the olive oil in a small pot and gently fry the garlic and chopped herbs for about 5 minutes until fragrant.
- Pour the hot oil directly from the pot over the spices sitting in the well of the mashed potatoes. Let it sizzle until the sound stops. Add a generous pinch of salt, then stir everything together until the mash is evenly seasoned and smooth.
- Mix the harissa with a little olive oil and half a lemon's juice and drizzle it over the top of the mashed potatoes. Serve warm and enjoy!
Did you make this recipe?
Please let me know how it turned out for you, I’m super curious! You can leave a comment below and tag @lordsoftheplants on Instagram and hashtag it #lordsoftheplants for me to see! I absolutely love seeing your creations and interpretations of my recipes!
