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The first time I tried vegan yogurt, I was blown away. It was super creamy with a bit of tang, yet had no dairy. How could this be? I started researching what made yogurt yogurt and came up with a great new vegan yogurt recipe to share. It’s everything I love about the best vegan yogurt, without all the sugar and dairy.
I like to have enough of this recipe on hand to toss into my Yogurt Persimmon Smoothie or to cream up a Mediterranean Falafel Bowl.
Table of Contents
Ingredients For Plant-Based Yogurt
My recipe does not need a yogurt starter, and instead contains just six whole-food, plant-based ingredients:
- Cashews: Rich in fatty acids that are great for heart health
- Coconut cream/full-fat coconut milk: Lowers blood pressure and cholesterol
- Fresh lemon juice: Aids in digestion, and helps improve the quality and appearance of skin
- Pure maple syrup: A delightfully nutty, natural sweetener
- Vanilla extract: Adds a pleasant flavor (check out my book, Simple Green Meals for DIY Vanilla Extract!)
- Sea Salt: Helps brighten the other flavors for the best taste
If you prefer a more tart yogurt, simply omit the maple syrup. Eat yogurt for the toppings? I’ve got some great options, including a great fruit compote, strawberry chia jam or a superfood healthy granola.
You can also top it with simple, fresh fruit (berries are a great choice) freeze-dried fruit or coconut whipped cream. If you are looking for a protein-packed yogurt then try some homemade nut or seed butter mixed with your yogurt.
How to Make Vegan Yogurt
In this vegan yogurt recipe, all you need is a blender and refrigerator to achieve the best vegan yogurt blend.
- After soaking the cashews overnight, add all the ingredients to a blender and puree until smooth. You may need to stop blending and scrape down the sides of the blender container a few times to make sure you get every last gritty bit blended smoothly.
- Once it is thick and smooth, refrigerate while assembling the desired toppings. This is a fun after-school snack or a great breakfast if using the parfait toppings. It even serves as a great light dessert if chilled and topped with fruit compote (recipe below).
Digestive Aids in Homemade Yogurt
While I kept this recipe simple, you can also turn yogurt into a digestive aid by adding in a probiotic. Though gut health is often overlooked, it’s a super important practice. I actually dedicate an entire challenge to learning about and improving gut health in the Rawk the Year community.
If you’re looking to boost your yogurt with a probiotic, I recommend using a vegan-friendly probiotic brand. Also, make sure the probiotic is a capsule instead of a pill, so you can break it open and stir in the powder.
Per the US Library of Medicine guidelines, be sure to speak with your physician about the right probiotic for you.
Best Vegan Yogurt Brands
If you’re not ready to make this vegan yogurt recipe yet, but still want to try this incredible new concept, I’ve got you covered. Here are some of my favorite store-bought brands. You can still top it with granola, freeze-dried fruit and more!
- Trader Joe’s cultured coconut milk vegan yogurt
- Whole Foods 365 Brand almond milk yogurt
- So Delicious Oat milk and coconut milk yogurt alternatives
- Kite Hill almond milk yogurt and coconut milk yogurt
- Forager cashew yogurt
- Nancy’s oat milk yogurt
As always, read ingredient labels on any yogurt brand before buying. Yogurt can contain high amounts of added sugar, as well as thickening agents.
Have you ever attempted your own yogurt recipe before? Drop a comment below letting me know how it turned out!
Vegan Yogurt FAQs
My six-ingredient recipe is super straightforward: cashews, coconut milk, lemon juice, maple syrup, vanilla extract and a bit of sea salt. That’s it! If you want a tart yogurt, just omit the maple syrup and vanilla.
I love making my own since it is so easy and I know exactly what’s in it, Yet if you’re looking for a good store-bought brand, I recommend Forager, 365 brand or So Delicious.
It is if you make it yourself! My recipe contains only plant-based, whole-food ingredients. I even share how to add probiotics that are vegan as well. If you choose the store-bought route, make sure you read your labels. That’s the best way to get all of what you want and none of what you don’t.
More Healthy Breakfast Recipes
If you want to switch up your morning smoothie routine then give one of these nourishing options a try:
- Hearty Protein Bars: These are easy to make ahead of time and then grab on the go for a filling snack/meal.
- Almond Butter Muffins: My kids and I both love these delicious, jelly-filled muffins for a warm breakfast.
- Baked Oatmeal: This is actually a super simple recipe to make at the start of a busy week, then store it in single servings to use when you need it.
- Pumpkin Pancakes: Making a batch of pancakes, cutting them into sticks and freezing them is my go-to mom hack. Now I always have pancakes on hand for the kids, without the mess of making them every time!
I hope you love this awesome plant-based yogurt as much as I do! Don’t forget to rate and review the recipe once you’ve tried it. I can’t wait to hear your feedback.
Vegan Yogurt
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw cashews soaked overnight, rinsed and drained
- ½ cup coconut milk full fat
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- Pinch sea salt
For serving:
- ½ cup Fruit Compote
- ¼ cup Healthy Granola
Instructions
- Place pre-soaked cashews, coconut milk, lemon juice, maple syrup, vanilla and sea salt into a blender.
- Puree until smooth and creamy. Stop and scrape down sides as needed. If mixture is too thick, add a little more coconut milk or 1-2 tablespoons of water.
- Refrigerate 1 hour before serving to chill.
- If desired, add 1/2 cup of fruit compote (recipe below) + 1/4 cup granola to each serving of yogurt.
Notes
- To make fruit compote: place 2 cup fresh or frozen mixed berries in a bowl with 2 tablespoons maple syrup, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract. Gently toss. Let stand for 5-10 minutes.
- To make tart yogurt, simply omit the maple syrup and vanilla extract.
- To add in a probiotic, gently break open a vegan probiotic capsule and add in during the puree stage.
I have a ninja food processor and it took me quite a while to blend until there was no more grainy taste. Good flavor….it just took longer than I expected to process it.
I just made my own homemade dairy yogurt. Im going to have to make this one as well. To see the difference. Thank for the recipe
I have a nut allergy. Is there any substitute for the cashews?
Hi Robin! Great question – what about sunflower seeds? I would love to know how it turns out if you give it a shot!
I made 2 batches, one with coconut milk, and one with coconut cream. Both turned out delicious! The only change I made was that I added my whole mini can (5.6oz / 165ml) can of coconut cream. That batch is thinner than the coconut milk version, but I like it’s consistency better. I’m hopeful that my in-laws, who can’t have dairy, like this. I certainly do, and that’s coming from a dairy lover! Now I wonder how I could change up the recipe for other flavors. Any suggestions out there?
Hi Tracey! Try blending your yogurt with some fresh fruit. You could also use frozen fruit, but make sure it’s completely thawed before blending.
Not a yogurt, not even fermented and cultured? How did you have 5 star rating lol
My daughter is allergic to nuts. Thoughts on what to use as a substitute for cashews.
Jen, would like to add a probiotic to this yogurt. How much of the probiotic powder do you recommend adding? Would like to not guess.
I would just recommend mixing in 1 daily dose of your chosen probiotic to each serving of yogurt as you’re going to eat it. Great question!
Can’t wait to make this. Canned coconut milk, or bottled? Thanks!
I’ve used canned coconut milk and it was amazing!
Sorry, but I do not see how this is yogurt?
It is not probiotic. It is not cultured
Hi there Rose, very good point. There is a short section of this article that mentions adding a vegan probiotic to this recipe to provide some of those health benefits. You can absolutely make non-dairy, cultured yogurt from home in many ways – the recipes out there are endless. This is a quick and simple recipe to help people find something that functions similarly in a parfait recipe, for example.
Just made a triple batch of this to use in the smoothie challenge recipes. It’s so smooth and good! Since I made a big batch, I used the Vitamix to get it silky smooth.
I made one batch as is in my Vitamix with great results!
If I make a larger batch how long would this be good for in the refrigerator?
This vegan yogurt recipe would be good in the fridge for up to a week, and longer in the freezer. So when making larger batches, def take advantage of freezing it to get the longest use out of what you made. We love making parfaits with this and taking frozen made-ahead yogurt out to assemble parfaits as needed.
Okay. This is a recipe I have been looking for, well, for a long time!! As I am getting older, I am finding that my body does not tolerate Greek yogurt or cheese, or basically dairy. I made my own yogurt for a few years, but eventually switched to a lactose free yogurt and milk, but still experience issues with bloating. I love yogurt for the protein and the calcium, but recently thought I’d have to give up the lactose free yogurt, too, and just resign myself to living yogurt free. 🙁 But, today, I came across this awesome recipe! I am going to make it and see how it works with my bloating and digestion. I’ll get back to you! Thank you, Jen!!
I’m so glad you found us + this recipe, Coco! Please do make it and come back to let us know how you liked it and how you felt after giving it a try! 🙂
Hi, are the calories per serving for the compote alone or compote+yoghurt combined?
Thanks
The calories are for the yogurt only.
Huh, i see this read as a yogart, yet no probiotics. Am i wrong? I’d retitled the name to whipped topping, although I’m very pleased to see it is high in protein and iron!
Just my thoughts.
Thank you for your emails.
Kay
In Sarasota, Florida
Hi Kay. Thank you for your thoughts!
Jen kept this recipe simple but, you can also make vegan yogurt more of a digestive aid by adding in a probiotic. Though gut health is often overlooked, it’s a super important practice. Jen actually dedicates an entire challenge to learning about and improving gut health in our Rawk the Year community. If you’re looking to boost your yogurt with a probiotic, Jen recommends using a vegan-friendly probiotic brand. Also, make sure the probiotic is a capsule instead of a pill, so you can break it open and stir in the powder. And, per the US Library of Medicine guidelines, be sure to speak with your physician about the right probiotic for you. 🙂
This is different (and easier) then other vegan yogurt recipes I’ve seen. Just got some coconut milk to try this!
Awesome! Come back after you make some and let us know how it went!