3 Ingredient Quick Vegan Mascarpone- No Cashews, No Tofu!
This creamy vegan mascarpone is made with just 3 simple dairy free ingredients using the traditional method. No tofu, no nuts, quick to make, and perfect for both sweet and savory!
Why this is the *only* vegan mascarpone recipe you need:
If you’re looking for the most perfect vegan mascarpone recipe, then you have *arrived.*
This recipe is it.
A super creamy, smooth, mildly sweet and lush mascarpone that’s all dairy free, and SO simple to make.
We’re talking 3 ingredients, none of which are nuts, vegan yogurt, tofu, or the like. And the result? A dairy-free mascarpone suitable for anything from your favorite vegan dessert to your favorite vegan pasta dish.
This mascarpone is especially good when paired with my vegan ladyfingers in this top rated vegan tiramisu recipe!
This mascarpone is versatile, quick to make (only 5 minutes of actual work), and just SO delicious. You’re going to love it!!
What is mascarpone?
If you’ve never had mascarpone before, then you’re in for a treat, because this one is nearly identical to the classic dairy version.
Mascarpone is essentially the Italian cream cheese. It’s very very milld, and almost sweet in flavor, and is made by coagulating and simmering heavy cream with lemon juice or an acid. Then strained and served!
While traditional mascarpone is usually just 2 ingredients and since pea milk is lower in fat than heavy cream, we’re adding some more fat back at the end to create that super creamy texture!
The only 3 ingredients you need:
When I said simple, I really meant simple– like my vegan ricotta. Here’s what you need:
- Pea milk: The lovely thing about this vegan mascarpone is that it’s both gluten-free, soy free, and nut free. Pea milk acts very similarly and a great dairy-free substitute to regular dairy milk (which is why it’s also a great substitute in vegan buttermilk!). You can use soy or almond milk (NOT shelf-stable though). However, to keep it nut free and soy free, use pea milk.
- Lemon juice: Or apple cider vinegar, white wine vinegar, white vinegar, or another vinegar. This will help curdle the proteins in the pea milk, similarly to dairy milk.
- Heavy vegan cream: Or coconut cream or full-fat coconut milk here- either or! The heavy vegan cream will help to create a super lush and smooth mascarpone texture. I like to use Plant Crock or Silk here!
And that’s truly it! In terms of equipment, you’ll also need a sieve, cheesecloth, a large bowl, a saucepan, and a food processor. Other than that, let’s get started!
Overview: Step by Step How to Make Vegan Mascarpone:
The full measurements are found down below in the recipe card. However, this is a walk through of the entire process!
Why not just use tofu?
I’ve tried to use tofu (both firm tofu and silken tofu) for a homemade vegan cream cheese and a homemade mascarpone. Personally, I really didn’t like the texture, and I felt it did taste of soy. However, previously, I did use soy milk for this recipe. And for some reason, the acid must neutralize the soy flavor, and the mascarpone does NOT taste of soy. A bonus!
What’s more, we’re honoring the traditional method of making mascarpone by using this method, and by using pea milkThis is how mascarpone is traditionally made, and I felt it was really cool to incorporate some of the longstanding traditions into our vegan baking skills!
Additionally, if my home bakers feel called to, you can even use your own homemade pea milk or soy milk- how lovely would that be?! Everything from scratch!
How to use this vegan mascarpone:
What you’ll love about this dairy-free mascarpone is that it’s not only great for vegan desserts, for for vegan savory dishes as well.
Aside from just dipped some fresh berries or fresh fruit into this vegan mascarpone cheese, here are my top 10 favorite uses for vegan mascarpone:
- make the most amazing vegan tiramisu recipe (it’s top rated!!)
- in my amazing brown sugar maple mascarpone cheesecake
- use it in a vegan mascarpone cream to top on any dessert
- mixed into whipped cream and dolloped on top of this vegan olive oil cake
- top your favorite soup recipe with it (especially this Tuscan white bean soup!)
- swap it into your favorite cream cheese frosting recipe!
- dollop it on homemade vegan pizza (or gluten free pizza!)
- incorporate it into your favorite vegan pasta sauce or dish
- on top of vegan pancakes or French toast
- as a cake or cupcake filling to your favorite cake recipe when made as a mascarpone cream
- stir it into vegan mashed potatoes in place of vegan sour cream
- spread it on toast or a homemade bagel, as you would vegan cream cheese!
Storage tips:
After you’ve made your homemade mascarpone, you can absolutely use it right away (but it might still be a little warm!). Or you can store it for later!
To store your vegan mascarpone: Spoon the mascarpone into a sealable storage container. Seal it, and keep it in the fridge for up to 7 days.
Want to save this recipe for later? Add it to your favorite recipe board on Pinterest!
If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and a rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below. This helps others to find the recipes! As always, I absolutely love to see your beautiful creations on Instagram and Pinterest, so be sure to tag me there as well!
Print3 Ingredient Quick Vegan Mascarpone- No Cashews, No Tofu!
- Prep Time: 1
- Cooling time: 10
- Cook Time: 5
- Total Time: 16 minutes
- Yield: 1 cup 1x
- Category: Cheese
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This creamy vegan mascarpone is made with just 3 simple dairy free ingredients using the traditional method. Quick to make, and perfect for both sweet and savory!
Ingredients
- 4 cups (960 mL) pea milk
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1/3 cup vegan heavy cream or coconut cream
Instructions
- Prep: Place a large sieve over a large bowl with a piece of cheesecloth. Set aside.
- Heat: Pour the pea milk into a medium saucepan, along with the lemon juice. Stir to combine, then turn the heat on to medium heat. Let the mixture cook until it’s foaming on the top, about 5 minutes. See photos in the blog post for reference. It should almost be overflowing. Those are the curdles.
- Strain: Pour the mixture into the sieve with the cheesecloth, and let stand for at least 10 minutes to cool down. Once the pea milk is easily handleable, squeeze the cheesecloth closed and gently squeeze out and drain any remaining liquid. Discard the liquid once you’ve squeeze it all out.
- Blend: Add the pea curdles to a food processor or high-speed blender along with the vegan heavy cream. Alternatively, you can use an immersion blender. Blend the mixture until consistent and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Store: Scrape the mascarpone into a sealable storage container and store in the fridge for up to 1 week. Alternatively, you can use right away, but it might be a little warm still! Otherwise, you can chill it for 30 minutes, and then use in your recipes.
Notes
Pea milk: I have tried this recipe with both soy milk and almond milk. Both will work, however, please do not use shelf stable soy milk.
Why not tofu? Please see blog post for explanation!
What would you recommend for a replacement for the Lemon Juice? I’m allergic to all Citrus
products.
No problem!! You can use white vinegar, white wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or any type of vinegar that you can tolerate/have on hand! I’ve also made this with rice vinegar. All works the same!
Hi , Sadly my recipe did not come put smooth looking like yours. It remained grainy. I used soya milk (from the fridge section). I left the curdles after straining to go cold and tried to whip it the next day. Is it best to do the whipping whilst the curdles are still warm? Thank you.
Hi Laura! Hmm did you happen to use an immersion blender or regular blender? Either would work! I wouldn’t recommend a hand mixer here, which would leave a grainy texture still!
thank you for the recipe 🙂 have you tried freezing it?
Absolutely! And yes I have, and it works!!
Have you used coconut milk instead of soy???
Hi Melissa! Unfortunately, it won’t work- coconut milk won’t curdle because it doesn’t have any protein in it. I’m so sorry!
Would oat milk work instead of soy milk? Thanks!
Hi Tori! Unfortunately not, as the oat milk won’t curdle any proteins. I’m so sorry!
Some oat milk curdles. I used Oatly (as i ran out of soy for a second batch) and it worked fine
No way!! Wait I have to try this, I had no clue oatly curdles! That’s amazing!
Hi, I tried to make this just as it said but I hardly got any soy curdles. Any ideas why that would be? Is the heat too high? Thank you.
Did you happen to use shelf stable soy milk? Because that will have issues coagulating!
Yes I did! Okay good to know, thank you!
I used oat milk we get from Cotsco, Kirkland brand, and it takes a while on the stove and a little extra lemon but it’s slowly curdling. may look like skin but pick it up with a spoon and it’s cuddles
Hi, I love this so much!
I do have one question. Does it work with soy milk light too? And I use gramms instead of cups. According to Google, 4 cups of soy milk equals 1.028 grams. Now I’m confused because the recipe says 960 grams… what should I do?
Sending lots of love 🫶🏼
Hey,
I am making this macaroons cheese recipe, but I just realized that I added everything together including the vegan whipping cream into the saucepan. will this mess up the whole process?
Thank you,
Taylor Massey
Hi Taylor! So you might need to add more heavy cream after you strain the curds- I’m a little worried it might have messed up the process (only because I’ve never tested it like that, so I actually have no clue how it would turn out, but my guess would be the heavy cream gets strained out from the curds, and you’d need to add more!). Were you able to save it?
hey britt! i recently made this recipe and it ROCKED! i first used vegan heavy whipping cream but don’t have that so i have coconut cream this go around. should i refrigerate it before using so it’s cold when added?
That’s so awesome!! I’m so happy to hear it 🙂 And yes, coconut cream will work! No need to refrigerate it!
What can I use instead of Lemon Juice? I’m allergic to all citrus products.
Hi Laura! You can use apple cider vinegar instead no problem 🙂
I loved how easy this was to make and how beautiful the result. I used my emulsion blender and the end product is silky and gorgeous. I made a double batch right away to use the entire soy milk . Do you know if this can be frozen for later use? Or if freezing will ruin the texture? Thank you for sharing! 😊
That’s AWESOME!! SO happy to hear it 🙂 Thanks so much for the review!! You can freeze it, but I would probably blend it once more once it comes to room temperature to ensure it’s creamy!
I was a skeptic, but this very simple recipe really works. Based on comments already posted, I made two batches – one with soy milk/lemon juice, and another with Oatly full-fat oat milk/apple cider vinegar. I clearly prefer the version made with the oat milk! A much milder taste and I think better color/texture. The oat milk version, though, produces less curd. I weighed both batches of ‘mascarpone’ after adding the DF heavy cream, and the soy milk version produced ~10oz while the oat milk version weighed ~7.5oz. Regardless, I’ll be making the oat milk/apple cider vinegar version going forward!
Hi Brit! I have a question – is there a difference between this recipe and your homemade cream cheese recipe? I’m confused cause I can’t see any 🫣 if there’s no difference, then I could just use this as mascarpone and cream cheese when making the batter for a cheesecake 🤔 thanks in advance
Hi Dariia! So sorry for the confusion! So there’s the smallest difference, and it’s with what’s added to the soy milk after- the mascarpone uses cream to keep it softer and has a bit of a milder flavor, whereas the vegan cream cheese uses vegan butter, to keep it more firm. I would recommend using the vegan cream cheese for the cheesecake! Though in my tiramisu, I use both for that flavor!
Just brilliant! It taste just like I remember it, especially in the fantastic vegan tiramisu from this very same site. ♥️
Omgsh!! I’m so happy to hear that!! Thank you for giving the recipe a go, that just made my day!! ♥️ Enjoy!! And thanks for being here!
Sometimes you come across a vegan recipe that opens up new worlds of possibility in your cooking, and this is one of those for me – you’ve really discovered something amazing here Britt! I just threw some together with stuff I already had on hand and its so luscious and tasty! And with such cheap ingredients too 🤩 I just saw the other comment mentioning you could also make cream cheese with the soy curds and I’m so excited to try that next (I’ll be stocking up on lemons and soy milk tomorrow 😂 )
I also found out that coffee filters work totally fine for straining out the solids if you cut them open to line the sieve (and cleanup is way easier too)
Oh I love this so much 🙂 Thank you so much for such a kind review!! Enjoy!!
I am SO PLEASED with this recipe! The recipe was very easy to follow, and the pics along the way helped me to make sure mine looked right! The end result was creamy, luxurious (the best word I can think to describe it!), and tastes, literally, like the real thing. NO ONE KNEW it was vegan until I told them! I used the leftovers on a bagel the next day—so good with berry compote on top. When I had to make it again (a repeat of the tiramisu was requested!), I used coconut milk instead of cream, and it whipped up nicely.
Can you freeze this to keep for longer?
Yes you can! Up to 3 months in an airtight container 🙂
is this unsweetened soy milk or regular?
Unsweetened soy milk!
Hi, what brand soy milk did you use? Are the ingredients just filtered water and soybeans?
I use Silk Soy Milk, but homemade soy milk will also work!
Hi would cashew milk work instead?
Thanks!
Hi Katie! I’m SO sorry, unfortunately this won’t work with cashew cream, as cashews contain no protein so it won’t react with the lemon juice. I’m working on a vegan oat-based cream cheese that I’m hoping to be able to spin into a mascarpone as well, but unfortunately I’m still developing it!
Hi Britt,
Thank you for this recipe. I’m looking forward to making it. A quick question, if I wanted to use this as a fruit tart filling what type of sugar would you suggest adding? And how much?
Hi! Sorry I know subs for soy milk has been asked a bunch on this post already but I’m wondering if this has been tested with pea protein? I’m curious since it has the same protein content
Pea protein works just great!! I used Ripple and it worked 🙂
Hi! So you make it as noted and then just use it in whatever dish? Add sugar or whatever to it
Hi Beth! Exactly! Now there are so me caveats as some recipes (like making a mascarpone frosting for instance) it may or may not work- I think it’s because vegan heavy cream is just not as stable as traditional heavy cream, but it DOES work in my vegan tiramisu and for savory recipes as well!
All pea milks in the UK contain rapeseed oil. Rapeseed oil before it is processed for human consumption is commonly used as a pesticide/insect killer, therefore initially is poisonous, so I do not like to have it in anything I eat. Can you recommend any other protein milks that I can use please? I love the idea of dairy-free cheese and can’t wait to try this recipe. Thank you in advance.
Hi there! You can use soy milk here 🙂 Or some say almond milk can work, I haven’t found success with it but some people in the comments section said it’s been successful!
Hi Britt!
Thank you for taking the time to share your lovely family recipe with us! I’m so excited to make it but did have one question – what brand of pea milk do you use?
Fantastic question, yes! I use Ripple pea milk- it’s lovely! 🙂
This is a great recipe, but it took me a few (4 actually!) tries to get this right:
– I first used almond milk and tried mixing with lemon juice and white wine vinegar. Neither worked great – it curdled a bit, but not enough to actually produce much
– I then tried soy milk (silk brand) based on other reviews. With lemon it was better…but with white vinegar it worked great! Exactly as described. (Turns out soy milk has more proteins than almond milk – hence it works better!)
– I also made the mistake of double layering my cheesecloth at first (I was new to using it!) Don’t do this – you’ll squeeze out too much good stuff!
– I also ended cooking for longer than the recipe said (probably 5-10 mins). Resist the urge to stir the mixture while cooking
Used this in this website’s tiramisu recipe – worked great!
My last note is that this website was incredibly difficult to use / read on chrome (it jumped around a lot and would not load properly). I almost gave up, and then found that it worked in safari. In case others are experiencing the same thing, wanted to note!
Overall, thanks for a great recipe! My dairy-free husband thanks you! 🙂
Unfortunately I have just tried with pea milk Sproud Barista and it did not curdle 😞 Any advice on why?
Will try now with fresh Alpro Soya and hopefully it works cause I need this game changer!
Hi Giada! It didn’t curdle because it was a shelf stable/non-refrigerated pea milk. The same will happen with a shelf stable/non-refrigerated soy milk. Whatever they put in there to make it shelf stable somehow prohibits the curdling of the proteins. I recommend only using refrigerated!
Oh ok, that is valid for every milk then. I misunderstood in the notes the advice to use fresh soy milk thinking that shelf stable pea milk would have been ok.
Thank you for the kind reply 😊
One more thing I noticed is that the amount of the overall final product with the heavy cream is around only 220gr for almost 1L of milk. Is that correct or should it be more on the stove to curdle more?
No it’s okay!! I’m so sorry that it failed because of that! And that is correct! It will separate the protein from the water so you’re left with a “whey” that you can actually use in soups or smoothies 🙂
Hello, I tried to male my own pea milk and it did not curdled. I tried with home made almond milk and it id not curdled. What seems to be the problem? Any suggestions?
Hi Silvia! I’m so sorry to hear that! So with any homemade milk, there’s going to be room for human error. I’m not sure what would cause your almond nor pea milk to not curdle if homemade, but store bought really works here- Ripple is my favorite!