April 06, 2017 · Written by Foodtolive Team
How to Make Simple Vegan Substitute for Cream
One of the main challenges of becoming a vegan is to find alternatives to all the animal products necessary for cooking. Dairy foods, especially cream, can be very tricky as their consistency and unique chemical properties often matter in a recipe. In order to make a vegan substitute for cream, you’ll need to use cashews, avocados, tofu, onions, or beans. They’ll have to be soaked, pureed, and otherwise treated, depending on the ingredient and the type of recipe you’ll use the vegan cream in.
#1 Vegan Substitute for Cream: Cashew Cream
This type will work best for sweet recipes due to the naturally sweet flavor of cashews. However, it can also be used in creamy soups. Culinary-wise, you can use it as a thickening agent in a sauce.
Instructions:
- Soak the cashews for 12 hours.
- Puree in a blender until smooth.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for no more than a week.
#2 Vegan Substitute for Cream: Avocado
Avocados are naturally creamy due to their high content of fats. This makes them a perfect ingredient for vegan smoothies and sauces. You can also use this cream substitute in baking and as a base for ice cream or pudding. However, it doesn’t work well in soups.
To make avocado vegan cream, peel the fruit and process it in a blender. Use the product right away as it doesn’t keep well.
#3 Vegan Substitute for Cream: Silken Tofu
Due to its naturally mild flavor, silken tofu processed in a blender can be used in sweet and savory dishes. Its texture is highly creamy, so it’s perfect for all recipes where this is a particular issue, such as sauces, soups, and ice cream.
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This vegan substitute is best used for cold desserts as it retains the creamy taste and ‘feel’ even when frozen.
#4 Vegan Substitute for Cream: Onion Cream
This recipe can’t be used for sweets, but it can enhance the flavor of your vegan cream soup spectacularly. It will also work for savory sauces.
Ingredients:
- 3 onions (large and unpeeled)
- Lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
- Olive oil
- Salt
Instructions:
- Toss the onions in oil and roast them in a skillet for about 40 minutes at 400F until the insides become soft.
- Let cool and remove the peels and process onions in a blender.
- Add lemon juice, olive oil, and salt to taste.
Onion vegan cream can be refrigerated for no longer than 3 days.
#5 Vegan substitute for Cream: Beans
You can use any cooked beans as a replacement for cream in soups as they would create the texture needed in these recipes. However, bear the color and flavor of the legumes in mind. Cannellini beans are usually the best as their natural taste is mild and they ‘soak up’ other flavors well.
Add some water or olive oil to the mix when pureeing cooked beans to create the consistency you need.
Vegan Diet: Start the Right Way
It might be hard to stop eating meat and other animal products right away, but the clever use of delicious substitutes will help greatly. These tasty, nutritious, and low-fat replacements for common ingredients will ensure you enjoy your ‘new’ food and keep your resolve to go vegan.
