This vegan homemade cultured cashew yogurt is a breeze to make and it's got all the goodness and flavor of yogurt made with milk without any of the unhealthy fats. It's thick and tangy and delicious and filled with great-for-you probiotic cultures.
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 storebought again.
You can also make vegan yogurt in the Instant Pot.
Recipes to make with vegan yogurt:
Vegan Yogurt Recipe
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)
- Either 1 tablespoon vegan yogurt to use as a starter. Be sure to use one with live, active cultures. Or you can use probiotic pills, see next ingredient
- 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.
Margaret
Can I make this with store bought cashew milk instead of making it from scratch?
Vaishali
Storebought cashew milk could work but the yogurt will be thinner.
McFIggy
I want to make it. But, was wondering if I can replace the capsules with extra vegan yogurt(and how much??). Also, can I use almonds instead? If yes, is the process the same? Do I need to strain out the solids as some recipes say?? Thank you!!
Nathalie
Hi,
This is my first time making vegan yogurt. Is it normal for the yogurt to triple in size after 6 hours? It is also a bit curdled and has liquid at the bottom. Thanks!
Vaishali
It will puff up a bit but it doesn't usually triple. You are likely in a very warm climate. Does it taste like yogurt? If it tastes off or bitter discard it.
Robbie Jones
Wow! I love this recipe! I was skeptical on the first pass. I used my Vitamix and the mixture was very runny at first. Thanks to a comment above, I thought to use a seed germination mat which usually runs 75-85 degrees (approximately the same as a stove light--unfortunately, I have an electric stove). I also used 2 probiotics instead of starter. When I checked the final product, the texture was great--nice and creamy, but I thought I'd let it get too tangy. After a few hours in the fridge, the taste had mellowed a bit and I LOVE it!! In pre-vegan days, I often used Greek yogurt instead of sour cream so the extra tang worked. I am currently making my second batch and I will play with the timing. If the way we went through the first batch is any indication, I'll have another batch in the queue soon! Thank you for an awesome recipe. I look forward to trying others on your site.
Robbie Jones
**Update-This has now become an (at least) once a week recipe for me. Soooo good--taste, texture is so much better than the non-vegan varieties. Thank you again for an amazing, easy recipe!