Are you looking for a dairy-free substitute for Mascarpone cheese? This vegan mascarpone recipe is the best choice!
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💡 The recipe in a nutshell
- Vegan (eggless and dairy free)
- Nut free
- Made from scratch
- Healthier cheese alternative
- Easy and quick to make
- Creamy, lightly sweet and tangy
🇮🇹 What is Mascarpone cheese?
Mascarpone is an Italian dairy cream cheese that is slightly sweet, nutty, and tangy. It has a high butterfat percentage. Mascarpone is used in many recipes including tiramisu, tarts, and frostings.
💭 What is Mascarpone used for?
Mascarpone can be used for both savory and sweet dishes. One of the most popular desserts using mascarpone is Tiramisu. Some other ideas for usage include:
- Use as whipped cream substitute
- Mix with fresh fruit for a creamy, light summer dessert
- Spread on toast with fruit, or drizzles of syrup
- Use as creamy pizza sauce
- Use as/add to pasta sauce
- Add to your casserole dishes
- To top your soup, instead of sour cream or créme fraîche
- Add to your cheesecake, tarts or pies
- Use in dessert cups
🌱 Is Mascarpone vegan?
No, it is not vegan. Commercial Mascarpone cheese is made out of dairy-based heavy cream, and citric or tartaric acid. However, this recipe uses tofu and chilled coconut cream instead, which makes it entirely vegan! Woo-hoo! You can use it as a dairy-free substitute for regular mascarpone.
🍽 Ingredients
To make this dairy-free mascarpone cheese you need the following ingredients:
- silken tofu
- chilled coconut cream
- fresh lemon juice
- a pinch of salt
If you want to sweeten your mascarpone add organic cane sugar and vanilla sugar, or vanilla extract.
👩🏽🍳 How to
Making vegan mascarpone from scratch is crazy simple! All you need is a food processor (or blender) and your ingredients. Blend them all together until smooth, transfer them to a jar or air-tight container, and refrigerate.
Looking for more vegan basics and dairy-free cheese recipes? I have lots of recipes teaching you how to! How about vegan ricotta or whipped cream?
🧀 What’s the difference between mascarpone and ricotta?
The main difference is the flavor and texture. Mascarpone is sweeter, with a milkier and nuttier flavor than ricotta cheese. The texture of mascarpone is very creamy and smooth. It is similar to whipped cream but a bit denser. Ricotta cheese on the other hand is more textured and not smooth.
📋 Vegan substitute for mascarpone
If you don’t have mascarpone, you can substitute with vegan cream cheese. Mix it with a touch of plant milk to make it a bit smoother and remove the tartness. Another option is coconut whipped cream, which is good to use in desserts and when you don't mind the fluffier texture. For savory dishes use a plain plant yogurt or vegan sour cream.
Other than that, the recipe below is of course a perfect 1:1 substitution, imitating the flavor and texture of regular mascarpone.
🥣 Storage and freezing
Store in an airtight container or jar in the fridge for up to 7 days. You can freeze it for longer shelf life in a freezer-friendly container for up to 3 months. Defrost in fridge overnight and blend up again once defrosted to get back some of the texture.
📖 Recipe
BEST Vegan Mascarpone (no nuts)
Equipment
- food processor, or high speed blender
Ingredients
- 16 oz firm silken tofu* (450g)
- 5.2 oz coconut cream, chilled overnight* (200g)
- 1-2 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice
- a pinch of salt
for sweet version
- ¼ cup organic cane sugar, you can add more if you want it even sweeter (60g)
- 1 tablespoon of vanilla sugar ca. 2 packages, or 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
Instructions
- To a food processor (or blender) add silken tofu and blend it smooth. Scrape down sides if needed. Then add all other mascarpone ingredients and blend until smooth. When using the chilled coconut cream, make sure to only use the hardened cream part on the top. Discard liquid, or use in smoothies. For a sweet Mascarpone add cane sugar, and vanilla sugar (or extract).
- Transfer into a jar or air-tight container and refrigerate Mascarpone in the fridge overnight. This will thicken it even more. If you need the Mascarpone quicker, stick it into the freezer for 15-20 minutes.
Video
Notes
The provided nutritional information is an estimate per serving. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
PS: Don't forget to rate this recipe and leave a comment on your experience - this helps improve my recipes and serves you with the best instructions, tips, and substitution ideas. Plus, I love hearing about your takes on my recipes! Tag me on Instagram @thesimplesprinkle to show me your pictures
This vegan mascarpone recipe is so good and requires so little time and effort, thank you! I've been struggling to find recipes without nuts so this is perfect!
Wow! I would love to put this vegan mascarpone on my tiramisu and tarts.:) I'm excited to prepare this together with my kids. Thanks!
What a great substitute for mascarpone! This recipe is so quick and easy and ideal for so many desserts!
I made this yesterday, and had to come back and let you know that I ate the whole batch:)
I made this vegan mascarpone for the first time. It's so delicious and healthy, you are amazing!