This vegan cashew yogurt is thick, tangy and delicious with healthy probiotic cultures. It has all the benefits of regular yogurt, but it's even healthier!
You might also like this recipe for vegan Instant Pot yogurt.
I love this vegan cashew yogurt so much, it has pretty much replaced the quick, non-cultured yogurt I'd blend up in the past to eat or add to various dishes.
I loved yogurt in my pre-vegan days and I've never really been able to wrap my head around storebought vegan yogurts, which just don't taste right and their texture is almost always completely off. Call me picky.
So the last time I bought a cashew yogurt off the shelf that had live cultures, I decided to try making my own. Partly so I didn't have to spring six bucks for a small tub of yogurt, and partly so I didn't have to rush to Whole Foods each time I needed some.
I also wanted a thicker yogurt, and the storebought ones are too thin for my liking.
I loved the result, and I started to make my own, using some of the storebought yogurt as a starter.
This is really a very simple recipe -- all you need are the cashews and the starter (any vegan yogurt with live bacterial cultures will do), a bowl, and a blender, and you're all set. The result is a thick, creamy, tangy yogurt that tastes gorgeous.
I love eating this yogurt by the spoonful, but I especially love stirring in some berries, or using it to top granola. It also works great in Indian curries, raitas and biryanis, when the recipe calls for yogurt.
Try making some today. It takes minutes, and it is, like any homemade yogurt, a gift that keeps on giving. You'll never need store-bought again.
Storage instructions
- Refrigerate: refrigerate the yogurt after it's set. You can store it this way for up to a week.
- Freeze: the yogurt can be frozen in an airtight container for up to two months.
Recipes to make with vegan yogurt
Recipe card
Homemade Cultured Cashew Yogurt
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw cashews or cashew pieces
- 1 cup filtered or distilled water (this helps the cultures grow faster than chlorinated tap water would)
- 1 tablespoon vegan yogurt for use as a starter. Be sure to use one with live, active cultures, OR
- 2 vegetarian probiotic pills (if not using the vegan starter. I use the Now PB8 Probiotic Acidophilus capsules, which are vegan.)
Instructions
- Place the cashews and water in a blender and blend to a very smooth paste.
- Place the cashew paste in a ceramic or glass bowl. Microwave for 10-15 seconds or until slightly warm. You can skip this step, but I like that it gives the bacteria a head start.
- Stir in the starter or, if using probiotic pills, open the capsules and empty the powder into the cashew paste. Cover the bowl with cling wrap and place in a warm spot, like a cold oven with the pilot light on, or, in hotter temps, on the countertop.
- Let it stand for six hours or overnight. The set yogurt should be very thick and tangy.
Notes
- You need either the probiotic pills or the starter yogurt, not both.
Nutrition Information
To print recipe card without images, uncheck "instruction images" after clicking the "print recipe" button.
Amy E says
Did you use store bought yogurt initially as the starter and some leftover from your homemade yogurt for the starter thereafter?
Vaishali Honawar says
Yes, you can either do that or use probiotic capsules, as described in the post.
Megan H says
Oh, I am SO glad I found this recipe!! I have been making yogurt from coconut milk, and have not been very happy with it. I've had to add gelatin and have always ended up with 85% liquid and only a little yogurt on the top. But this cashew yogurt is much easier to make, and the whole thing comes out a creamy tangy yogurt! I heated the cup of water to boiling and addedthe cashews, then let it sit for 1/2 hour. Put it in the blender and once it was creamy, checked to make sure it wasn't over 110 degrees F, so I wouldn't kill the yogurt culture. I added the 1T yogurt and separated it into the different jars of my yogurt maker. Next time I will double the recipe. I put it in my yogurt maker, and forgot about it, ha ha! So it was in for about 20 hours, and is very very tart. Will check it next time around 8 hours. Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful recipe!
Heather says
I’ve made this several times (vegan yogurt as a starter) and the last batch was incredible and thick. All of the batch’s were good, but the best batch was left on my drier and for 12-16 hours. It’s incredibly thick and tart. Thank you for the recipe!
Vaishali says
That's a great tip. So happy you've enjoyed the recipe!
Kay Sockol says
Hello Vaishali, This is a wonderful cashew yogurt recipe!! It turned out even thicker than I had imagined and not as tangy as store-bought, and really creamy! Thank you!!
Liz says
I have a nut allergy. Can sunflower or pumpkin seeds substitute well for the cashews?
Vaishali says
Hi Liz, I haven't tried it with pumpkin seeds but I would guess this recipe would work well with them.
Olexi says
Cashews aren’t nuts but seeds 🙂
Dana says
This is a very good recipe, but it would be helpful to include the temperature needed before adding probiotics or yogurt. If cashews are blended in Vitamix, they can get TOO hot, over 130 degeres. Is the correct temperature the same as for dairy yogurt making? 108-112 degrees F?
Janet says
I made the cashew yogurt with a TBSP starter of vegan cashew yogurt. I've had it in the refrigerator for a couple hours now (after being in oven with light on for 6 hours). Honestly, it tastes like whipped cashews; a bit thinner than when I use cashews to use as a soup thickener. Did I do something wrong? Is this really a yogurt? Would a probiotic pill provide a different result? Any suggestions helpful. THANK YOU!
Vaishali says
Hi Janet, six hours would not be enough in cooler climates. Also it's possible the starter yogurt you used was not active enough. Probiotic pills are effective, but again it depends on how old they are and if they have enough active bacteria.
Wendy says
Leave it for longer. Six hours is a minimum for yogurt. The longer you ferment the more yogurty it will be. I run mine for 12 hours. I also use the yogurt function on my instant pot. I just jar the yogurt in sterilized glass jars with lids and put the jars in the instant pot. No water in the bowl. Just dry. Put the lid on and go about your day. I run mine overnight.
Riawna says
How long does this last for in the fridge?
Noreen Norton says
I must be missing something...how do you get eight servings from 1 cup of cashews and one cup of water?
Vaishali says
A quarter of a cup serving, approx.
Tabia from Detroit says
This was unbelievable and sooo delicious. Thank you Thank you Thank you (I've made it 3x).
P says
Hi. Do you think cocojune brand yogurt will work for this? Or what vegan yogurt brands do you use? Also, what is the ideal temperature for fermenting this? Thanks so much! Seems like a wonderful idea to me. Excited to try!
Julie says
Could I use my Euro Cuisine yogurt maker for this?
Vaishali says
Yes absolutely!
Anonymous says
This came out VERY yeasty. It tastes like eating dough. Any idea what I did wrong to get that result?
Vaishali says
That’s very strange, I’ve never had yogurt taste like dough. Maybe something to do with the probiotics or starter you used?
Anonymous says
Thank you for making your recipes print friendly!
Mesia says
So I did mine and it came out watery. I followed your measurements. Not sure what happened or what I did wrong. Would love some advice.
Vaishali says
Refrigerate it. It should thicken after refrigerating.