A deliciously tangy, creamy and sweet vegan lemon curd without butter and eggs! Make it in under 10 minutes and use it in all kinds of goodies, from tarts to cakes to cookies. You can also smear it on a piece of toast, vegan scones or vegan pancakes.

Lemon curd is one of those recipes that, at first, might appear hard to veganize because its unique, gooey texture is traditionally created with eggs. But in reality, as one often finds out with baked goods, the eggs are eminently dispensable.
Today I have for you a vegan lemon curd recipe made from scratch that is not just easy, it also needs just six ingredients, and once you have gathered your ingredients in a small saucepan it comes together in under five minutes.
This is a delicious curd: tangy, sweet, creamy. And there are so many things you can do with it:
But first, let's begin with the basics.
What is lemon curd and what is it made of?
Lemon curd is a thick, gooey, usually rich topping or spread. It is comfortingly creamy and startlingly tart, all at the same time. Lemon curd is usually made by whisking together butter and egg yolks with lemon and sugar.
Lemon curd can be eaten by itself, although it is usually used as a topping or spread in breakfast and dessert dishes.
To make a vegan lemon curd, we will replace the dairy (butter) and the eggs with plant-based ingredients, for a result that's very similar to the original.
Ingredients for vegan lemon curd
- Tapioca starch: Traditionally the unique texture of lemon curd is created by heating eggs with other ingredients, like butter and sugar. As the proteins in the eggs heat up, they thicken or coagulate, creating a thick but still slightly runny and gooey curd. For this vegan lemon curd recipe we'll replace the eggs with a starch. I used tapioca starch (cornstarch or arrowroot starch are fine too).
- Nondairy milk: Oat milk, which is thick, gives a nice creaminess, so use that if possible. Soymilk is a fine option. I am not a big fan of using coconut milk because the flavor of coconut competes with the lemon, but you can get a decent lemon curd with it, so use if that's your only option.
- Lemon juice and lemon zest: A large lemon would yield enough zest and juice (about three tablespoons) for this recipe.
- Sugar: I add six tablespoons because, remember, you want to balance the sweet and the tangy in this recipe. You can add less--or more.
- Vegan butter: Just two tablespoons. It adds creaminess and the richness.
- Turmeric: Albeit an unusual ingredient here, the turmeric adds the beautiful yellow color you would otherwise get from the egg yolks. Don't add a lot--a fourth of a teaspoon is enough to add color and disappear without changing the flavor. Too much turmeric will make the curd bitter.
How thick should lemon curd be?
I tried out the lemon curd with different amounts of starch to vary the thickness, and here's what I found.
A tablespoon and a half of starch make a thicker curd that works great in tarts.
A tablespoon of starch makes a runnier but still thick and viscous curd that is wonderful as a spread for pancakes, waffles, toast, etc. and as a topping for a cake.
In the image comparison below the picture on the left is one made with a tablespoon of tapioca starch and the one on the right is made with a tablespoon and a half. As you can see, the one on the right is more opaque and thicker.
Both taste amazingly good, with a great balance of tart and sweet.
One thing to keep in mind is that the curd will thicken further as it cools down, so it's best to leave it just a bit runnier than you'd like it when you turn off the stove.
Uses for vegan lemon curd
There is no end to the amazing ways in which you can guzzle down this vegan lemon curd.
You can smear it on a piece of toast, vegan waffles, vegan pancakes or vegan scones. You can bake it up into a tart (or tartlets). You can even use it to top this scrumptious vegan lemon cake or a vegan lemon pound cake or these vegan cream cheese cookies!
Storage tips
You can store the vegan lemon curd in an airtight jar or container for three to four weeks in the fridge. You can also freeze the lemon curd in an airtight container for longer storage. Thaw and whisk before using.
Vegan Lemon Curd
Equipment
- Small saucepan
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice (from 1 large lemon)
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1½ tablespoons tapioca starch (can use corn starch. Use 1 tablespoon starch for a runnier, more spreadable curd and for cake toppings)
- ½ cup oat milk (Soy milk is fine too. Almond milk would work at a pinch but is not as creamy)
- 6 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
Instructions
- Place the starch in the saucepan with the lemon juice and zest and turmeric and whisk. Slowly trickle in the milk, whisking as you do that, to make a smooth mixture. If you add the milk all at once you might have trouble breaking up the lumps, so always trickle it in slowly.
- Add the sugar and the butter, cut into pieces, to the saucepan. Place the saucepan over medium low heat and stay right by it, whisk in hand. Whisk it a few times as it heats up.
- As soon as you see bubbles appear on the sides of the saucepan, begin whisking the curd. It will start to thicken at this point, and will progress really fast once the curd comes to a boil, so don't walk away.
- As soon as the curd is thick enough to form a ribbon when you drop it from a spoon turn off the heat. Pour into a container.
Recipe notes
- A tablespoon and a half of starch make a thicker curd that works great in tarts. A tablespoon of starch makes a runnier but still thick and viscous curd that is wonderful as a spread for pancakes, waffles, toast, etc. and as a topping for a cake.
- In the image comparison in the recipe post above you will see that the lemon curd on the left is made with a tablespoon of tapioca starch and the one on the right is made with a tablespoon and a half. As you can see, the one on the right is more opaque and thicker. Both taste great.
- One thing to keep in mind is that the curd will thicken further as it cools down, so it's best to leave it just a bit runnier than you'd like it when you turn off the stove.
Susan Benson
I just made this and it is awesome!I have been trying to perfect lemon curd for a while and this is by far the best I have made! Definitely reminds me of my mothers! Thank you! I used a oat creamer I had on hand, no other substitutions. Can't wait to get it in the tart shells!
Rita
Hands down the best vegan lemon curd I've ever made!
Vaishali
Awesome,so happy to hear!
Suchi
Can this be made in larger quantities (have a lot of Meyer lemons) and canned for shelf stable storage? Made this -turned out yummy!
Vaishali
Absolutely! It should keep in the fridge for about four weeks in an airtight container. I would say canning would preserve it much longer.
lillian
I just made this for afternoon tea with my family on this beautiful Sunday and am so impressed by how awesome it turned out ? thanks for the recipe. You are a genius ?
Vaishali
Lillian, so happy to hear! Thanks for letting me know. 🙂
Mia
Oh this looks perfect Vaishali ..my husband has been craving lemon Meringue pie or tarts .he also has a nut allergy so this is works!
Instead of Meringue I guess I could use coconut whipped cream.
Thanks !
Vaishali
Hi Mia, so happy to hear. Let me know if you try!
Elissa
Have you ever tried making meringue substitute from aquafaba? It's fantastic!
Melanie
I love your recipes! Indian cuisine is my favorite.
In this recipe there is a discrepancy in the amount of turmeric to be used. In the Ingredients in Vegan Lemon Curd section, in the turmeric description, it says 1/4 tablespoon. In the actual recipe it says 1/4 teaspoon.
Vaishali
It should be 1/4th teaspoon--I have corrected! Thanks for flagging. And thanks for the kind words. 🙂