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Potato Milk - Affordable, Sustainable, Neutral, Creamy Coffee Companion, And More

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Potato Milk - Affordable, Sustainable, Neutral, Creamy Coffee Companion, And More

14 min read APR 28, 2026

Quick Answer

Potato milk has recently been recognized as a potential ‘new kid on the block’ in the world of plant-based milk options. A company in Sweden has made this milk a reality as they introduced DUG, a potato milk product on store shelves in some locations throughout Europe. Today we’d like to explore this curious new cow’s milk alternative, looking at flavor, homemade options, how it can be used in coffee, as well as some popular plant-based milk alternatives should you find potato milk isn’t best suited to your coffee wants and needs.

Key Takeaways

Potato Milk Basics - what is potato milk, is it popular, how do you make potato milk, can you use it in coffee
But Mom, I Don’t Like Potatoes - nondairy alternative options for those who prefer something other than potato milk (oat, rice, almond, coconut, and soy)

We’ve known for a while now that dairy is no longer the only milk option to choose from for everything from cereal topping, baking needs, savory dishes, breakfast drinks, chocolate companions, and coffee!

Listed in my best Bubba Gump voice, there’s almond milk, soy milk, pistachio milk, walnut milk, cashew milk, coconut milk, goat’s milk, oat milk, rice milk, hemp milk, pea milk, potato milk…

Ah ha! I got ya there, didn’t I?
If you’re like me, you may have raised an eyebrow or two at that last option, perhaps even thinking it was a typo, but believe it or not, potato milk is a thing!

Of course, what we’d like to know is - well - we’d like to know everything about this curious dairy alternative!

How is potato milk made?

Is potato milk a nutritious option or simply a carb king disguised as a beverage?

Why potato milk? How does it compare to other nondairy options?

And, can you use potato milk in coffee?

We’re exploring each of these questions and more today as we calm our curiosities surrounding this non-traditional, non-dairy milk alternative!

Potato Milk Basics

What is potato milk?

Well, it’s only the latest and greatest thing in the nondairy milk world!
The world is seemingly looking beyond pea protein milk and nut-based alternatives for a moment, now giving spuds a try.

So yes, potato milk is exactly what it sounds like, a milk-like beverage made from potatoes.

Currently, potato milk is sold in grocery stores in Europe, made popular by a Swedish company (DUG) bringing original, unsweetened, and barista varieties to consumers.

At first thought, I couldn’t help but turn my nose to the notion of a sweetened potato milk, but then I remembered a classic Christmas candy that was popular throughout my childhood (at least in rural southeastern Indiana) - potato candy.

Has anyone ever tried this powdered sugar, potato, and peanut butter confection?

If so, then your wheels just might be turning now, thinking of all of the wonderful things you could do with potato milk.

But, should your suspicions still be heightened, let’s put those curiosities to rest as we see what potato milk has to offer.

First, how is potato milk made?

We’ll include a full recipe in a moment, but basically, potato milk is made by boiling peeled, white potatoes until they’re tender. Then, you simply add a little salt, sweetener, and water, blending or processing the mixture until it’s smooth.

Some folks prefer adding soaked almonds to the above ingredient list for creaminess and flavor, but this isn’t necessary.

After the mixture is blended and smooth, the milk is strained through a cheesecloth or nut milk bag.

And, at this point, most recommend tasting the milk to determine whether additional sweetness is needed, more blending is required, or another strain is necessary.

Obviously, potato milk serves as another dairy free option for those seeking such, but this beverage satisfies other needs as well.

I referenced potato candy above, and this treat was said to have been born out of necessity during the Great Depression.

Most of us are familiar with the saying “necessity is the mother of invention,” and as potatoes were cheap and easy to come by during one of our nation’s most difficult economic eras, creatively using spuds (even in candy) birthed this invention which still shows up as a staple during the holiday season in many households across our country today.

And some are describing potato milk as another creative invention to lessen the strain on our wallets.

Potato milk is far more affordable than dairy milk, and it’s while it’s not available in stores in the US yet, we all know that making things at home is often a cost-effective strategy, the same being true here in the case of spud milk…can I call it that…spud milk just sounds fun!

But cost isn’t the only perk of potato milk.

Not only is potato milk cheaper to both buy and make than dairy milk and most nondairy milk options, but it also gains a giant win in the sustainability department!

Take a look:

The Swedish potato milk product, DUG, even though it also uses pea protein, flavor additions, and rapeseed oil in its making, still “has an impressively low carbon footprint at around 0.27t to 0.31kg CO2e/kg.” Obviously, this is even less when making potato milk at home, without the additive shelf-stable ingredients.
Potato milk also uses far less land than most non-dairy milk options. It “requires half the amount [of land] that farming oats need.” Producing DUG (the Swedish potato milk product) “uses 56 times less water than almond milk.”
Potatoes are also a very resilient, easy to grow crop, “making them a super sustainable crop compared to others like soybeans, almonds, or oats.”

Inspired by these sustainability wins and the cost-effective nature of spuds, some companies are also exploring ways to convert potatoes into protein.

Potato milk is also viewed as an allergy friendly alternative to nondairy milks which aren’t good options for those with nut allergies.

Of course, dairy milk has been known to cause digestive sensitivities and allergies in some, and even oat and soy options are common allergy triggers.

To put that in list form, potato milk is:

Dairy free
Soy free
Gluten free
Vegan
Nut-free

But, for all of the wins this sustainable milk has to offer, it’s still fairly new.

And, as of now, it’s not widely available in the United States.

While it is gaining popularity in Sweden and the UK, it still hasn’t reached “mainstream staple” status.

Ah, and now for the burning question - what does potato milk taste like?

I mean, sustainability is incredibly important, but if adding potato milk to your coffee tastes like a cup of java infused mashed potatoes, that’s gonna be a hard pass for most folks, wouldn’t you say?

Thankfully, most describe potato milk as having a neutral taste and creamy texture.

Sounds perfect for a coffee addition! But, before we get to frothing (another win, as potato milk is said to froth exceptionally well), let’s learn how to make it.

We mentioned the typical potato milk making process above; however, let’s just take a few moments to simplify this in recipe form.

Homemade Potato Milk

Ingredients

1 large white potato
2-4 tablespoons raw honey or real maple syrup
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract (optional)
¼ teaspoon salt
3-4 cups filtered water
Cheesecloth or nut milk bag (for straining)

Instructions

Peel the potato and cut it into 1-inch pieces. Transfer to a medium pot, and cover with at least 1 inch of water.
Bring to a boil over high heat and cook until fork tender, but not mushy (roughly 12 minutes).
Drain the potato pieces, then place them in a blender along with the raw honey or maple syrup, salt, vanilla (if using), and water.
Blend until very smooth, then strain into a bowl or pitcher using a strainer lined with cheesecloth. (You could also use a nut milk bag to strain.)
Once strained, add more water as needed to achieve your desired consistency.
Taste the milk now and adjust sweetness if needed.
Chill in the refrigerator (for up to 3 days only) and shake or stir prior to using/serving.

*White or yellow potatoes are recommended here, and russets are typically avoided as they can yield a bitter tasting milk.

Now for one more consideration before we move on…

Since we’ve made potato milk, how can we use it in our coffee?

You may be surprised to learn that potato milk’s neutral taste actually makes it a great addition to coffee.

Why?

Because if you’re a coffee lover who really enjoys tasting the coffee you sip, as opposed to taming those typical java notes with creams and sugars, potato milk is said to provide a creamy texture which is commonly enjoyed in coffee and its flavor is, in fact, so neutral that it doesn’t mask the coffee flavor at all.

One recommendation I found was to prepare 2 shots of espresso, then froth 6-8 ounces of potato milk, topping the espresso with the frothed milk.
Potato milk is great in cold brew or iced coffee as well, and since using a handheld frother or shaker cup is said to be the best way to froth potato milk, you could easily add frothed potato milk to a tall glass of cold brew on ice to create a unique foam topper for your brew.
If you’d like to add potato milk to your hot or iced cup of joe without frothing, just remember to shake or vigorously stir refrigerated potato milk prior to using as it may settle while stored. Just remember, homemade potato milk is only said to last up to 3 days under refrigeration.

Ah, but what if you just don’t like potatoes?

Or, what if you like potatoes, but you can’t fathom the thought of making milk out of them and adding it to your coffee?

No worries, we’ve got you covered!

But Mom, I Don’t Like Potatoes…

We get it. Not everyone likes potatoes.

And frankly, some folks are simply not going to be keen on the idea of adding potato milk to their coffee.
So then, what other options are out there, apart from dairy, that make great additions to your daily cup of joe?

Below you’ll find a list of some of the most commonly used non-dairy milk options, including a few notes about their frothing capabilities, flavor, texture, and more.

This isn’t an exhaustive list, so if one of these doesn’t suit your mug, consider other plant-based milk options such as pea, pistachio, cashew, walnut, macadamia, flax seed, hemp, and even sesame seed milk.

1- Oat Milk

Like potatoes, oats are also a starch, thus their milk varieties might be more similar than you think.

Oat milk is a widely popular nondairy option, even considered the fastest growing plant based milk in the US.

Also similar to potato milk, oat milk has a neutral taste.

Since oats naturally have a touch of sweetness to them, less sugar is generally required in making oat milk than other plant-based options.

Oat milk also froths up nicely, a necessary quality when making many espresso-based drinks, foam topped cold brews, and more.

2- Rice Milk

Rice milk isn’t quite as popular as a coffee companion, especially in the US.

However, I wanted to include it here in case you were of the opinion that we simply had our timing off and shared the notion of potato milk as an April Fool’s joke.
Both oats and rice, again, like potatoes, are starchy foods, those which we would certainly not instinctively think of as coffee mates or matches.

In other words, perhaps potato milk isn’t as far fetched as you might think.

Rice milk, like potato and oat milk, is neutral in flavor, which many prefer in their cup of joe.

Though, unlike oat and potato milk, rice milk doesn't have a creamy texture, and for this reason, some folks don’t like it in their java, particularly when served hot.

Rice milk is also not a good option for frothing - as in it won’t froth at all.

But, if you’re a cold brew fan who loves flavors or cinnamon and vanilla, without needing an overly creamy coffee, personally I’m a huge fan of adding it to cold brew, specifically in the form of horchata!

(Granted, horchata is somewhat different from rice milk as it’s a beverage made from homemade rice milk, cinnamon, sugar, and vanilla, but it is incredibly delicious in coffee.)

My mouth is seriously watering just thinking of this, so I absolutely have to share my favorite ways to use rice milk in coffee:

I like adding ice to a tall glass, then topping with 2 shots of espresso followed by enough horchata to fill the glass.
My favorite way to use rice milk and/or horchata in coffee is to use Lifeboost Cinnamon Cappuccino Coffee to make cold brew, then combining the cold brew with horchata in a tall (here, that word tall translates to “as big as your heart desires”) glass. Yum, yum, yum!

3- Almond Milk

Almond milk is the most popular plant-based milk in the US.

Generally, you can find it in unsweetened, sweetened, vanilla, and even chocolate milk varieties.

Each of these typically froth well, but making foam is a tad bit trickier due to the inadequate protein content of almond milk.

As with pretty much any plant-based milk, however, stores commonly carry barista varieties which contain additives to help the milk froth and foam more easily for use in a number of coffee beverages.

Some find almond milk tends to curdle when added to hot coffee, though this typically varies between brands.

Most prefer using almond milk in cold brew and iced lattes as its flavor is nutty and light, adding only a touch of creaminess as opposed to dairy milk which can be described as being heavy due to its fat content.

4- Coconut Milk

Coconut milk is loved for its rich and creamy taste and texture.

Some describe it as the exotic plant-based milk option, its flavor reminiscent of the tropics.

Coconut milk is naturally sweet, and while some love this attribute as a coffee additive, others find it to be too sweet for coffee, sometimes masking or overpowering the flavors in their brew.

While it is possible to froth coconut milk, it can be a little hit and miss depending on brand, type, additives, etc.

Most folks enjoy adding coconut milk to iced coffees and cold brews, though it’s important to remember, if you’re sipping a distinctive flavor such as hazelnut, vanilla, etc. the coconut flavor in the milk could potentially overpower these tastes.

And, as in the case of most other plant-based milks, coconut milk could curdle if adding to hot coffee too quickly.

5- Soy Milk

Soy milk is the second most popular dairy milk alternative, though its use has been declining as other options have become more readily available.

Soy milk is also noted as being difficult to froth, with some finding that this option commonly curdles when added to hot coffee. (As with most plant-based milks, if you’re having this trouble, it could be that you simply need to make sure your soy milk is fresh, then add it to your coffee slowly, a little at a time to avoid curdling.)

Still, its creamy texture and slight naturally sweet taste have made soy milk a good coffee companion for many years.

FAQ

1- Is potato milk a nutritious choice?

Yes, as potatoes are rich in vitamins and minerals, such as vitamins C and B6 as well as potassium, potato milk is considered a nutritious choice.

2- If I froth potato milk, will the foam be stable in both hot and iced coffee?

Most find potato milk, whether homemade or a barista/store bought version (which usually contains added pea protein and rapeseed oil), does produce a nice stable foam, great in hot and iced coffees.

However, a few individuals have reported using potato milk in hot coffee can cause separation.

This could be due to a variety of reasons, including not shaking the milk prior to use or even adding too much water or not blending and straining efficiently.

Still, most find potato milk froths better than other nondairy milk options.

3- Can you detect a potato taste when using potato milk in your coffee?

Most find potato milk to have a neutral flavor, one which cannot be detected in coffee.

That being said, taste can be subjective, and this is why a few individuals claim they can still detect a bit of potato flavor when using potato milk in a variety of ways.

Check out Lifeboost Coffee Grata Medium Roast .

"Medical Disclaimer
This content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice or to take the place of such advice or treatment from a personal physician. All readers/viewers of this content are advised to consult their doctors or qualified health professionals regarding specific health questions. Neither Dr. Charles Livingston nor the publisher of this content takes responsibility for possible health consequences of any person or persons reading or following the information in this educational content. All viewers of this content, especially those taking prescription or over-the-counter medications, should consult their physicians before beginning any nutrition, supplement or lifestyle program."

Becky Livingston Vance Content writer

Becky is a mother, educator, and content writer for Lifeboost Coffee. She has had three years’ experience as a writer, and in that time she has enjoyed creatively composing articles and ebooks covering the topics of coffee, health and fitness, education, recipes, and relationships.

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