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How to make vegan cream at home with two simple ingredients and in under 15 minutes. This non-dairy cream substitute is great to use in stews, soups, curry, pasta or anytime you need an alternative to heavy cream. Made from cashews and easy to make.
If you'd like some more creamy vegan double cream alternatives, check out this Tofu Cream Cheese, Vegan Queso or this Cashew Tofu Ricotta next.
Jump to:
- ❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
- 🧂 Ingredient notes
- 🔪 Directions
- 👩🍳 Expert tips
- ♨️ Serving suggestions
- ❄️ Storing tips
- ❓Recipe FAQs
- 🥛 More creamy vegan recipes
- 📖 Recipe
❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
This vegan heavy cream substitute is amazing because:
- it only has two basic ingredients and is super easy to make!
- it's great for people who are vegan or lactose intolerant.
- it can be adjusted to go into both sweet and savory dishes.
- it's gluten free and full of creamy and delicious flavor.
🧂 Ingredient notes
- Raw cashews - Raw cashews are the base of this heavy cream alternative. Use raw cashews instead of roasted cashews, because they have a more neutral flavor. You can buy raw cashews in in bulk online or at certain grocery stores like Whole Foods.
- Plant based milk - Unsweetened and plain non-dairy milk like coconut milk will make this vegan cream even creamier. If you want it to be extra creamy, add coconut cream, if you don't mind a slight coconut aftertaste. You can also use water if you don't have a non-flavored vegan milk on hand. Soy milk, almond milk, or cashew milk also work great.
🔪 Directions
Make sure to scroll to the recipe card for full step-by-step instructions.
Step one: Add the raw cashews to a large mug or mason jar. Boil some hot water and pour it over the cashews. Let the cashews soak for 10 minutes. Strain away the hot water.
Step two: Add the soaked cashews to blender with some plain non-dairy milk like oat milk. Blend on high speed until all the cashew pieces are well blended into a smooth texture. Add a pinch of salt for extra flavor.
👩🍳 Expert tips
To make an extra creamy texture, use coconut cream. You can also use fresh water if you don't have anything else on hand.
No need to worry about soaking the cashews over night. Just boil some water and let them soak for 10 minutes. That will do the trick if you have a regular blender. If you have a high-speed blender you might not even need to soak the cashews, since you have a powerful blender.
If you'd like to make this a coffee creamer, add a tablespoon or so of maple syrup and a teaspoon of vanilla or ½ teaspoon of cinnamon.
If you're adding this vegan heavy cream to a mac and cheese, curry or stew, know that it thickens up as it gets heated.
♨️ Serving suggestions
This dairy-free cream can be used just like regular heavy cream:
- Add creaminess to savory soups, stews, curries, pasta dishes and creamy sauces like a Vegan Alfredo Sauce. I love having this as a base to Vegan Mac and Cheese. This is an amazing base for this Creamy Orzo and Roasted Vegetable Dish.
- Add some sweetener like maple syrup or sugar and a dash of vanilla extract and use it as a vegan coffee creamer.
- Add it to desserts as a great alternative to heavy whipping cream.
- Add a little pinch of salt and garlic powder to make a nice cream to drizzle on burrito bowls or Sesame Tofu Buddha bowls.
- Make a Vegan Cashew Ranch by adding in apple cider vinegar, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and fresh herbs like parsley and dill.
- Add some maple syrup and vanilla and drizzle it over fresh fruit.
❄️ Storing tips
Fridge - Store this vegan cream in a glass mason jar with a tight fitting lid or whatever storage container with a tight lid you have on hand. This will last about 5 days in the fridge.
Freezer - I haven't tried freezing this yet, so I can't give any suggestions for this. If you try it, let me know in the comment section below.
❓Recipe FAQs
Can I use an immersion blender?
An immersion blender won't make the cream as smooth. But if that's all you have on hand, just make sure to soak the cashews longer.
Place them in a small saucepan, covered with water and boil them for 10 minutes. This will help to soften them up so an immersion blender can blend it up.
Can I make this nut free?
If you're allergic to nuts, and seeds don't bother you, you can use soaked, raw sunflower seeds or hemp seeds.
You can also use silken tofu or white beans, but these lend themselves to more savory dishes.
Why soak cashews?
Soaking the cashews helps to soften and plump them up for your blender. This helps create a smoother cream. It can also help aid with digestion.
🥛 More creamy vegan recipes
- Easiest vegan fondue (dairy free cheese fondue)
- Tofu cream cheese
- The Best Vegan Nacho Cheese Sauce (Dairy Free Queso)
- Easy Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff (Super Creamy)
If you loved this recipe, leave a 5 ⭐️ rating on the recipe card and comment below!
📖 Recipe
Easy Vegan Cream (Heavy Cream Substitute)
This non-dairy cream substitute is great to use in stews, soups, curry, pasta or anytime you need an alternative to heavy cream. Made from cashews and easy to make.
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes minutes
Servings: 6
Calories: 59kcal
Author: Maria
Equipment
Instructions
Boil some water. Add the raw cashews to a large mug or mason jar. Pour the boiled water over the cashews and let them soak for 10 minutes.
½ cup raw cashews
Strain the water away and add the soaked cashews to a blender. Add in the non-dairy milk or water. To make this extra creamy, use coconut cream. Blend on high until it makes a smooth consistency. If you want this to be more thick, only add ½ cup of liquid.
½ cup raw cashews, ¾ cup plain non-dairy milk
Notes
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for five days.
This cashew cream thickens up even more when it's heated up by adding it to soups or pasta dishes.
This dairy-free cream can be used just like regular heavy cream:
- Add creaminess to savory soups, stews, curries, pasta dishes and creamy sauces like alfredo sauce. I love having this as a base to vegan mac and cheese.
- Add some sweetener like maple syrup or sugar and a dash of vanilla extract and use it as a vegan coffee creamer.
- Add it to desserts as a great alternative to heavy whipping cream.
- Add a little pinch of salt and garlic powder to make a nice cream to drizzle on burrito bowls.
- Make a vegan ranch by adding in apple cider vinegar, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and fresh herbs like parsley and dill.
- Add some maple syrup and vanilla and drizzle it over fresh fruit.
Nutrition
Calories: 59kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 1mg | Potassium: 71mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 1mg
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The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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About Maria
Maria is the creator of the blog and YouTube channel Damn Tasty Vegan. She has been a vegetarian since 2005 and vegan since 2015. She loves showing new vegans how easy and delicious living a vegan lifestyle can be. She is passionate about animal welfare and strives to help change the way animals are viewed and treated, by helping people transition to a vegan lifestyle.
