All-Purpose Vegan Cream Substitute
By the QuiteRecipes team (Jamy & Kaïna) | Food Service Professional, Early Childhood Expert & Parents
A silky, versatile, and budget-friendly vegan cream substitute. Perfect for thickening soups, pasta sauces, and casseroles without dairy.
Stop overpaying for plant-based cooking creams. This one is silky, neutral, and made from pantry staples in about ten minutes — we keep it on hand for soups, sauces, and pasta that suddenly feel a little more luxurious.
🥄 Ingredients
- 🫗 1/2 cup almonds (peeled and slightly toasted)
- 🫗 2 cups water
- 🫗 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 🫗 Condiments to taste: Salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder (adjust based on your final dish)
Nutrition Facts*
*Nutritional information is an estimate and may vary based on ingredients, brands and portion sizes. Values are provided per serving.
👨🍳 Instructions
**Blend:** In a high-speed blender, combine the peeled, toasted almonds and 2 cups of water. Blend until completely smooth.
**Strain (Optional):** For an ultra-silky result, pour the mixture through a nut milk bag or fine-mesh sieve to remove any almond pulp. (If you have a powerful blender, you may skip this).
**Thicken:** Pour the almond mixture into a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the cornstarch and whisk continuously to prevent lumps.
**Simmer:** As it heats, the starch will activate and the mixture will thicken into a cream-like consistency.
**Season:** Once thickened, stir in your desired salt, pepper, garlic, or onion powder. Use immediately in your recipes.
🎥 Video Tutorial
All-Purpose Vegan Cream Substitute
Video credit: embedded from YouTube. All rights belong to the original creator, who allows sharing on other websites.
⚠️ Common Mistakes
- ✕
Cold Starch: Never add cornstarch directly to hot liquid without whisking vigorously, or it will create gummy clumps. Always dissolve it in a little room-temperature liquid first if you are worried about lumps.
- ✕
Burning: Cream sauces can burn at the bottom of the pan quickly; keep the heat at medium and stay present with your whisk.
🔄 Variations
Cheesy Cream: Add 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast to the blender for a savory, "cheesy" cream base perfect for mac and cheese.
Herbed Cream: Add a teaspoon of dried herbs like thyme or rosemary during the cooking process for a fragrant sauce.
🧊 Storage
- 📦
This will keep in an airtight glass jar in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. It may thicken as it cools; simply whisk in a splash of water when reheating.
💡 Chef Tips
Toasting: Toasting the almonds lightly before blending gives the final "cream" a much deeper, more savory flavor profile compared to using raw almonds.
Consistency Control: If you want a thicker "heavy cream" style, use slightly less water. If you want a "half-and-half" style, stick to the 2-cup ratio.
🔗 Related Recipes
About the Authors
This recipe and guide was developed, tested, and approved in our home kitchen and daily life. Jamy is a retired Food Service District Manager and Early Childhood Program Manager who spent his career overseeing multi-site restaurant operations, large-scale culinary production, and daycare menu management. Kaïna brings the ultimate real-world test: making sure it brings ease and joy to our kids on a busy weeknight.
Read more about our professional background and philosophy →