Vegan Mascarpone Substitute

Why You Will Love This Recipe

• Made with silken tofu and plant-based yogurt - this recipe is dairy-free, egg-free, gluten-free, and nut-free.
• It is smooth and creamy in texture, similar to soft peak whipped cream, and can hold its shape for simple piped decorations.
• This recipe makes about two and three-quarter cups of homemade vegan mascarpone.

What is Mascarpone Cheese

Mascarpone cheese is an Italian cheese made from two ingredients, heavy cream, and citric acid. This simple cheese is used in sweet and savory cooking.

It is thick, creamy, rich, slightly sweet, and has a fat content of about 70%. It tastes similar to cream cheese, ricotta cheese, or creme fraiche.

Why This Recipe

This recipe came about because we wanted something healthy, dairy-free, simple, and budget-friendly.

We could have opted to make it with cashew nuts and coconut cream. But, we decided not to use cashews because they are pricey where we are.

Also, cashew nuts and coconut cream are both high in fat, which is something we wanted to reduce.

We could have also made it with two tubs of plant-based yogurt, which is easy enough to do, but after costing it, it did not fall into the budget-friendly category.

We then looked at other alternatives and decided to test it with silken tofu.

Silken tofu is budget-friendly, low in calories and fat, and can be blended silky smooth, but it can be bland and thin on its own.

To help improve the flavor and give this mascarpone alternative some thickness and body, we chose to mix it with dairy-free yogurt and were pleasantly surprised with the results.

Ingredients

Please note that below is a guide for some of the ingredients we used in the recipe. The printable recipe further down the page has the complete list of ingredients, including quantities and step-by-step instructions.

Silken tofu - is super soft and creamy in texture and can easily be blended into a smooth creamy mixture. Don't use medium or firm tofu for this because these don't have the same texture. At a stretch, you could use soft tofu.

Plant-based yogurt - try to use plain unflavored yogurt, but if you can't get plain, use vanilla or coconut yogurt.

OPTIONAL

The ingredients below are optional and will depend on the yogurt used.

• If using plain unflavored yogurt, we would add the following to make it taste better.  
• When using a flavored yogurt and it is sweet, then you don't need to use these.

Sugar - for sweetening plain unflavored yogurt. 

Baking soda - This alters the ph of plain yogurt and brings it up to neutral, making the yogurt less sour tasting.

Salt - a little bit of salt helps to balance all the flavors.

Instructions

Step 1 - Place the tofu, sugar, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric blender and blend to a smooth paste.

Step 2 - Place the yogurt into a mixing bowl, add the blended tofu, and beat well to combine.

Step 3 - Transfer the mixture to a sieve lined with a double layer of muslin and suspended over a bowl.

Step 4 - Gather sides of the muslin and twist to close. Place a flat bottom bowl on top of the twisted muslin and arrange it in a way that the bowl sits flat. 

Then add weight like a 400-gram (14 ounces) unopened can of beans or tomatoes - the weight of this will help press out some of the liquid.  

Place in the fridge and allow to drain for at least 12 - 24 hours. 

Note: Note the amount of liquid that comes out of the yogurt and tofu mixture is not very much.

Step 5 - After draining, scoop the vegan mascarpone out from the muslin cloth and transfer it to a bowl. If you think the mixture is too thick, mix back in a little of the drained liquid to get your desired consistency.

Serving Size

The serving size of this vegan mascarpone substitute is about ¼ cup (90 grams, 3.17 ounces), which is about three times more than the average 30 grams (1.06 ounces) serving of mascarpone cheese.

Calories Per Serve

A 90 grams (3.17-ounce) serving of this vegan mascarpone has about 110 calories and 6 grams of fat.

A 30-gram (1.06-ounce) serving of mascarpone cheese has about 120 calories and 14 grams of fat.

Serving Suggestions

We used this vegan mascarpone substitute in our dairy-free tiramisu. You can also use it in frostings, as a side for cakes and sweet bakes like crumbles, and in creamy sauces.

Variations

Savory foods - This mascarpone alternative is best made with unflavoured plain yogurt or coconut-flavored yogurt because these go well with savory flavors.

For sweet dishes - For desserts, use vanilla yogurt. You could also use coconut-flavored yogurt, but there will be a hint of coconut in the food.

Storage

Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days.

FAQ

More Tofu Recipes

• Silken tofu sour cream
• Sesame ginger tofu
• Scrambled silken tofu