Vegan Substitutions for Milk and Cream
I love creamy sauces. LOVE THEM. The more cheese and butter, the better. In my pre-vegan days I was an avid gobbler of Fettucini Alfredo, and actually sold my recipe to EHow for Shrimp Alfredo at one point. But, with those days behind me, I had to get creative to find ways to get the same flavor without the fat, calories and cholesterol. If you’re in the same boat, try these.
Vegan Substitutions for Dairy Heavy Cream
Coconut Cream
Such a versatile food! Allow a can of full fat coconut milk to settle (about 1/2 hour). The coconut cream will rise to the top and can easily be skimmed off. To substitute cream in recipes, use equal parts coconut cream for the dairy cream. This work particularly well in sauces for seafood and poultry. Of course, already prepared Coconut Cream can be purchased in stores (usually found in the Asian food section), or online.
Low Fat Soy Cream Alternative
Blend silken tofu until smooth. This works as an excellent cream substitute when a thickener is needed in sauces and soups. Choose medium firm or firm varieties for a thicker “cream”. Pureed tofu can be substituted for heavy cream using a 1:1 ratio and is a much healthier, lower fat option.
Milk + Oil Heavy Cream Equivalent
Blend 2/3 cup of soy or rice milk with 1/3 cup melted dairy free margarine or oil (we like extra light olive oil for cooking). This will equal 1 cup of heavy cream for your recipes, but it will not whip.
Substitutions for Dairy Sour Cream
Soy Sour Cream
Firm silken tofu has a wonderful sour cream consistency when blended, and can be used plain or jazzed up for a sour cream-like flavor.
Nutty Sour Cream
For a delicious soy-free sour cream alternative, many vegans like to make sour cream using cashews or sunflower seeds as the creamy base.
Vegan Yogurt
Use a plain unflavored variety of dairy-free yogurt as a 1:1 sour cream substitute. Works best in dips and salad dressings.
Gluten Free Vegan “Sour Cream” Recipe
10 1/2 ounces carton of firm silken tofu
1 tablespoon oil
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon sweetener
1/2 teaspoon salt
Crumble tofu and all other ingredients into a food processor and process for several minutes, until smooth. Stored in an air-tight container, it will keep up to 5 days in the fridge.
Category: Vegan Recipes, Veganism and African Americans
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