Potato Milk Recipe

What is potato milk and how can you make it?

By
Laurel Randolph
Photo of Laurel Randolph
Laurel Randolph
A fervid lover of the culinary arts and all things Instant Pot, Laurel has been writing about food for 10 years. One of her cookbooks was the #2 cookbook of 2017.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 02/24/23
Tested by
Bahareh Niati
Bahareh Niati
Tested by Bahareh Niati
Bahareh Niati is a professional food photographer and recipe developer. Baking and sweet treats are her favorites, and she shares her creations and love for baking on her blog Baking is Therapy.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
potato milk recipe

The Spruce Eats / Bahareh Niati

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 12 mins
Total: 22 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Yield: 4 cups

The latest non-dairy milk on the scene isn't a new nut milk or a concoction using pea protein. It's potato milk! That's right, a milk-like beverage made using everyone's favorite spud, the potato. The drink is not yet sold in the U.S., but you can make your own at home with just a few ingredients.

What Is Potato Milk?

Potato milk is the latest alternative milk on the market. It is currently sold in Europe by a Swedish company named DUG. The brand is quickly winning over fans with its three varieties: original, unsweetened, and barista. Additionally, DUG has already won a handful of innovation awards.

DUG potato milks

The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

There are a number of good reasons for making the switch to potato milk. It's affordable—much cheaper to make than buying dairy milk, and much cheaper than buying or making your own nut milk. It's also sustainable. Potato milk has a carbon footprint that is 75% smaller than dairy milk and requires 56 times less water to grow when compared to another non-dairy milk crop, almonds.

How Do You Make Potato Milk?

Making homemade potato milk is simple. Boil a peeled white potato until tender, then drain and combine with sweetener, salt, and water in a blender, processing until smooth. We recommend adding soaked blanched almonds for a subtle nutty flavor, creaminess, and added protein—but you can leave them out if you like. Strain the milk through cheesecloth or a nut milk bag and taste. You can easily adjust the sweetness, flavor, and consistency to suit your palate.

Potato milk is a nice plant-based alternative to nut milk for those with allergies or anyone wanting to choose a more sustainable option. It has a mild potato flavor and a smooth mouthfeel thanks to the starch. Sweetener balances out the potato flavor, so don't leave it out.

Potato milk is best used in cold applications like granola, making chia pudding, or in a vegan milkshake. You can also use it to add creaminess to a soup after cooking. It has a tendency to curdle in hot tea and coffee, so avoid adding it to especially hot mixtures.

“If you love plant-based milks, you’re in for a treat! This milk has a mild and creamy taste with a subtle almond flavor, and it’s super easy to make. I tried it with some granola and it was excellent. I will definitely make it again.” —Bahareh Niati

Potato Milk Recipe/Tester Image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 1 large white potato (9 to 11 ounces)

  • 1/4 cup raw blanched almonds, soaked for 1 hour, optional

  • 2 to 4 tablespoons maple syrup, honey, or agave

  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, optional

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

  • 3 to 4 cups water, preferably filtered

  • Cheesecloth or nut milk bag, for straining

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    potato milk ingredients

    The Spruce Eats / Bahareh Niati

  2. Peel the potato and cut it into 1-inch chunks. Transfer to a medium pot, then cover with at least 1 inch of water.

    peeled and cubed potato in water in pot

    The Spruce Eats / Bahareh Niati

  3. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook until fork-tender but not mushy, about 12 minutes.

    potato cubes in pot of water

    The Spruce Eats / Bahareh Niati

  4. Drain the potatoes. Place them in a blender along with the soaked and drained almonds (if using), sweetener of choice, vanilla (if using), and salt. Add 3 cups of cool water.

    water and other ingredients in blender for potato milk

    The Spruce Eats / Bahareh Niati

  5. Blend until very smooth. Strain into a bowl or pitcher using a strainer lined with cheesecloth. Alternatively, you can use a nut milk bag.

    potato milk strained over bowl and cheese cloth

    The Spruce Eats / Bahareh Niati

  6. Once strained, add more water as needed to achieve your desired consistency. Taste the milk and adjust sweetness, if needed. Chill in the fridge, shaking or stirring before serving.

    water being added to final potato milk in bowl

    The Spruce Eats / Bahareh Niati

Tips

  • Use a white or yellow potato for potato milk. We do not suggest russet potatoes as they give the milk a strong and bitter flavor.
  • Soaked, blanched almonds lend the milk a bit more creaminess, a lightly nutty flavor, and add protein. You can leave them out if you like.
  • A high-speed blender works best for this recipe, especially if you are including the nuts.
  • If you don't have cheesecloth or a nut milk bag, you can strain using a strainer with a very fine mesh.
  • Adjust the sweetness level to your taste. More sweetener helps counteract the potato flavor.

Recipe Variations

  • For a flavorful variation on potato milk, make sweet potato milk. Swap the potato for a sweet potato of the same size, using a white sweet potato if you'd prefer a pale color.
  • You can make sugar-free potato milk, but a little sweetener really improves the taste. Feel free to swap for your favorite sugar-free liquid sweetener.
  • For chocolate potato milk, omit the sweetener and add chocolate syrup to taste. Stir well to combine.

How to Store

  • Potato milk will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Give it a shake or stir before using.
  • We don't recommend freezing potato milk since it will negatively affect the consistency.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
121 Calories
0g Fat
29g Carbs
2g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 121
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 152mg 7%
Total Carbohydrate 29g 11%
Dietary Fiber 2g 6%
Total Sugars 13g
Protein 2g
Vitamin C 7mg 36%
Calcium 39mg 3%
Iron 1mg 5%
Potassium 442mg 9%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)
Article Sources
The Spruce Eats uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

  1. Mekonnen, M.M. & Hoekstra, A.Y. (2011) The green, blue and grey water footprint of crops and derived crop products, Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, 15(5): 1577-1600.