This vegan and dairy-free cultured cashew yogurt is a breeze to make. It’s thick and tangy and delicious and filled with great-for-you probiotic cultures.
I love this 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.
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 tbsp 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 (instead of the vegan starter. I've linked to the brand I use)
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.
Nutrition
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Recipes to try with vegan yogurt:
Cucumber Raita
Mushroom Biryani
Tofu Tikka Masala
Hi, Thank you so much for this recipe. I tried it last night in my instapot, and was wondering if you have ever encountered spots of pinkish coloring? I scraped off the top and it looks like it is just in the top layer and so I’m eating the rest. It is tangy.
Hi, do you think it would be possible to use the same strategy with oats?
Hi Vaishali! thank you for sharing your recipe! IT SOUNDS SUPER HELTHY AND DELICIOUS!
I have a question, I’m using vegan yoghurt starter which is streptococcus thermophilus and lactobacillus delbrueckiiwith and other probiotics but I am not sure what kind of container to use.. to keep the warmth I’m tempted to use a thermos ut don’t know if metal or stainless steel can kill the culture.
Thank you!
I tried the cashew yogurt, after about 6 hours it didn’t have any tangy taste, it was the same taste it had. What could have happened.
You need to keep it in a warm spot and give it time to fernent. It will take more or less time depending on temps and conditions where you are.
I just made the cashew yogurt in IP using a water bath for 9 hrs as a commenter advised. So easy and now I’m on to round two of your Biryani and this time I get to add non dairy yogurt! Thank you!!
I found when I added the cashew yogurt to the Biryani, after cooking the biryani, the yogurt ‘broke’ or separated. It didn’t look very appetizing, but didn’t affect the taste. I was pleased with the yogurt’s consistency prior to adding to finished dish, however. It may have been more useful to just make the cucumber raita, I am guessing. By the way, I combined two of your biryanis to use what I had…and added edamame, mushrooms, carrots, french green lentils. Delish!!! I love your recipes to help me prepare Indian foods as a vegan!
If I made this recipe and added fruit and maple syrup to it, could it still be used as a starter for future yogurt batches? Or does it need to be plain to be used as a starter? Thanks!
Plain.
Hello, Vaishali:
Thank you for posting this recipe. I ordered the probiotic you suggested in the recipe because I wanted a tangy cashew yoghurt. Could I have a slight clarification for Steps 3 and 4? In step 3, you say to cover the bowl in cling wrap and place in a warm spot, and, in step 4, you say to let stand 6 hours or overnight. Would it be 6 hours or overnight in the warm spot just to get tangy? I was thinking at one point I would want to move it to a refrigerator so that it could thicken.
I’ve been looking for a cashew yogurt recipe, so thanks! Because of the shopping situation I can’t make it yet…gotta save the cashews for something else.
When I can stock up at TJs again, I want to try this.
Question though: before I started cutting down on soy, I would make two quarts of yogurt every other week. I used soy milk heated then cooled, Belle and Bella vegan starter, and my eurocuisine yogurt maker. Is there any reason why I can’t make this recipe in the yogurt maker? I see it’s not necessary, but I’m very fond of the the whole ritual.
I am sure you can, but I can’t help you with how to since I haven’t used a yogurt maker.
Hi! I’m very excited to find this recipe and will try tonight, using Forager cashew plain yogurt (not my fave, but does the trick). I’m wondering if I’m successful if I can keep using the yogurt I have made as the starter/probiotic and never have to buy yogurt again? Or would you recommend a fresh batch of probiotics each time it gets made?
Thanks so much!
Hi Amy! I’ve made this yogurt multiple times using the yogurt I made (also used Forager cashewgurt) as a starter..it worked perfectly!
Hi Vaishali,
Thank you for sharing your recipe! I’ve made cashew yogurt twice and it came out great! The first time, I didn’t pay close enough attention to the water amount or the time (I let mine ferment for 12hrs, which was super tangy and perfect for avial), then I did it for 9hrs and it was just right (for my preference). The only change I made was to use one probiotic pill (renewlife ultimate Flora). I used the IP yogurt setting and did a water bath, and this helped set my yogurt (I’ve had issues in the past using the oven or finding a warm enough spot).
Again, thanks for this recipe. It’s helped me veganize a few Kerala style dishes.
Left mine for 6 hours, very bubbly on top but didn’t thicken. Thoughts?
It will thicken when you refrigerate.
hi, I love Forager brand cashew milk and coconut cashew milk products. My fav is the plain yogurt which is perfect for recipes including raita and curries, cornbread and biscuits. I thought why not use it as a starter isn’t that the old way? and stir it into the last of Forager milk before it can go bad.
How does that sound? With the shortages right now and long lines at WF I am going to try it.
thanks so much
peace ~
Yes, you can definitely try it, although the yogurt might not be very thick.