Potato Milk

Potato milk is a new plant-based milk option. With only a few ingredients you can make a good batch of surprisingly rich and creamy plant-based milk. It’s also a super sustainable plant-based milk.

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Let me start by saying that as a vegan I think there are already plenty plant-based milk options available. Oat milk, soy milk, almond milk, hazelnut milk, and coconut milk are just a few delicious examples. When new plant-based milk hits the shelves I’m usually not super excited. Until I heard about potato milk.

WHAT IS POTATO MILK

Potato milk is a plant milk made from potatoes. The texture is milky, and the taste is mild.  A Swedish food researcher and a Lund University professor found a way to turn the simple potato into a potato drink. The Swedish company DUG is currently selling potato milk in a few countries. It is a blend of water, potatoes, rapeseed oil, sugars, and a few other ingredients such as an emulsifier, vitamin D, and an acidity regulator.

The Swedish company DUG won the 2021 World Food Innovation Awards for its potato drink products. DUG’s potato-based drink was the winner as ”Best Allergy-Friendly Product” and reached a high position in three other categories, such as a highly commended award for ”Best Plant-Based Beverage” . 

A glass with potato milk on a little plate on a light grey backdrop with a potato and a bottle of potato milk next to it.

WHY IS POTATO MILK BETTER

Here is where it gets interesting. Potato milk is far more sustainable than any other plant-based milk currently available. Growing potatoes is according to DUG ”very kind to the environment”. Compared to soybeans, almonds, oats, or regular dairy, potatoes are twice as land efficient, which reduces the climate impact by 75%. And compared to almonds, potatoes use 56 times less water in order to be produced. Preserving water is important to prevent shortages and droughts.

And potatoes contain a lot of minerals, vitamins, but also carbs and fiber. It’s an amazing food and definitely something that’s on my weekly grocery list.

However, just like any other at-home plant-based milk recipe, the recipe below is not fortified with extra vitamins, such as the store-bought version.

If you are interested in a plant milk option producing considerably less CO2 than other plant milk options, keep on reading.

Potatoes in boiling water on a grey backdrop in a stainless steel pan.

POTATO MILK INGREDIENTS AND METHOD

My first thought was, how can I make this new low-climate footprint potato-based drink? Because let me tell you one thing, it’s not as easy as blending water and potatoes. That makes a very bitter drink, nothing close to a smoothie, soup, or even a milk alternative. The amount of sweetener and water is important to make this milk that rich, creamy potato milk.

The recipe below is how I find that rich, sweet and creamy balance.

The hardest part about this recipe is the idea that you are drinking potatoes. Potatoes are delicious when baked, fried, or turned into hash browns. But drinking potatoes may take a little bit to get used to.

POTATOES

This recipe is with russet white potatoes. But I encourage you to try different potatoes, such as sweet potatoes. If you use sweet potatoes, you are almost making a version on Goguma Latte (고구마 라떼), a Korean Sweet Potato Latte. For that recipe, you will need the purple skin potatoes with white flesh. The traditional recipe will require the addition of milk and a sweetener, but this potato is also great to make potato milk with. Just follow the recipe below.

Boiled potatoes in a blender from the top.

WATER

For this recipe, you will need a liquid to create a perfectly smooth texture. Too much water and the flavor will be diluted and somewhat bitter. Too little water and the texture will be too thick. You can use the water in which you have boiled the potatoes to make a perfectly warm drink and include some extra nutrients as well.

SALT

A pinch of salt is a good way to balance out all flavors.

ALMONDS

The potato milk available in the store contains 6% potatoes and quite a bit of oils and sugars. A source of fat is a good way to add extra nutrients, but it can also help with texture and flavor.

SWEETENER

A sweetener is important to balance out the bland flavor. Once you have found the perfect amount of sweetener for your recipe, stick to it. It’s pretty personal.

Store-bough versions tend to go for a sweet and fatty flavor as that appeals to most. But since you are making this yourself, experiment with the number of nuts and the amount of sweetener you are using. I use maple syrup, but any other sweetener will be good too. Some examples are coconut sugar, date syrup, stevia, xylitol, or white/brown sugar.

STRAIN

Once all ingredients are blended, it’s important to filter the fiber out of the mixture to create a smooth and rich texture. I use a nut milk bag, but feel free to use a cheese cloth instead or a very fine sieve.

Potato milk in a blender from the top.

POTATO MILK SERVING SUGGESTIONS

You can use potato milk just like other plant-based milk. So use it in your breakfast cereal or morning coffee.

You can make hot or cold potato milk. For warm potato milk simply reserve the boiling water (from the potatoes) to blend with the boiled potatoes. Or heat up the cold potato milk to serve warm.

For cold potato milk drain the potatoes and add fresh cold water to the blender to blend the potatoes.

A milk bottle with potato milk next to a full glass with potato milk on a little plate with a few potatoes and a napkin and a white tile backdrop.

SUSTAINABLE PLANT-BASED MILK OPTION

Potatoes are a super sustainable crop. Compare it to soybeans, oats, hemp or almonds and potatoes are twice as sustainable. This could be the new plant-based milk.

If you give potato milk a try, I would love to hear your feedback. Do you think potato milk is the future of plant milk?

A milk bottle with potato milk next to a full glass with potato milk on a little plate with a few potatoes and a napkin and a white tile backdrop.
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A milk bottle with potato milk next to a container from a blender with a few potatoes and a napkin and a white tile backdrop.

POTATO MILK

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  • Author: Bianca
  • Prep Time: 5
  • Cook Time: 15
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 1 liter 1x
  • Category: drinks
  • Method: stovetop and blender
  • Diet: Vegan

Description

Potato milk is a new plant-based milk option. With only a few ingredients you can make a good batch of surprisingly rich and creamy plant-based potato milk. It’s also a super sustainable plant-based milk.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 260 gram / 1 ½ cup raw peeled potatoes
  • 3 ½ cup water
  • 12 tbs almonds (ground almonds)
  • pinch salt
  • 4 tbsp maple syrup
  • optional: vanilla

Instructions

Peel the potatoes to remove the skin.

Boil the potatoes until soft. They should still be tender, but not fall apart. Make sure they are not raw. Depending on the size of the potatoes cook for about 15 minutes.

For warm potato milk

Reserve the cooking water from the boiling potatoes.

To a blender add the potatoes and the reserved cooking water. If you have drained the potatoes and you have not 3 1/2 to 4 cups water then add more fresh water.

For cold potato milk

Drain the potatoes.

To a blender add the drained potatoes and fresh cold water.

Add enough water, but start slowly. A total of about 3 ½ cups should be enough, but for a thinner texture 4 cups might be more preferable for you.

Add the other ingredients to the blender too. The salt, vanilla, almond, and sweetener, and blend for approximately 5-7 minutes. Strain through a nut milk bag or cheesecloth.


Notes

This potato milk doesn’t freeze well, but it can be kept in the fridge for a few days. Potato milk can be heated like any other plant milk.

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