Easy Vegan Butter Recipe [European-Style, No Soy] - The Simple Green (2024)

This easy vegan butter recipe is creamy, rich and flavorful with a taste similar to European cultured butter. It comes together quickly in a blender and requires very little setting time. This recipe is ideal for spreading on toast, scones etc. or dolloped over roasted vegetables; it melts beautifully and contains no soy products.

Why make vegan butter

Although I have used them in the past, conventional vegan butter replacements aren't always that great. They often contain hydrogenated oils (making them margarine instead of butter), and the non-hydrogenated versions may contain palm oil, which is sadly attributedto rain forest destruction. But what about sustainable palm oil,you ask? I don't know if that really exists or if it's green-washing.

Nevertheless, vegan butter is easy to make at home and yields a final product similar to dairy butter—spreadable, creamy, smooth and rich tasting. Moreover, if you're not into soy milk, this recipe is also contains no soy products.

Ingredients notes and substitutions

• Raw cashews: these create the foundation for this recipe. Cashews are creamy, neutral tasting and, when blended with a small amount of liquid, create a viscosity similar to dairy cream.

• Unsweetened almond milk: this is one of the liquid portions in this recipe and will help make the recipe creamy and smooth. I find unsweetened almond milk to be the best for this recipe, however, I have also made it with coconut milk, but this does change the flavour somewhat.

• Apple cider vinegar: this creates the tangy "cultured" or fermented flavour which similar to European cultured butters. It also aids with emulsifying the recipe. You can use regular white vinegar, however, this can make the final recipe a bit more "sharp" tasting.

• Sea salt: this recipe calls for either ¼ or ½ teaspoon of sea salt which can be adjusted depending on your personal preference or taste. If you want a salted butter, go for a ½ teaspoon.

• Nutritional yeast: this helps create a depth of flavour which mimics cultured butter. It also adds a hint of cream colour to the final product.

• Extra virgin olive oil: this adds smoothness and density to the final recipe. It also helps the recipe set up nicely.

• Coconut oil: this also adds smoothness and density to the final recipe and helps it set up. The flavor of coconut oil will not come through in the final product so long as you use refined coconut oil.

How to make this recipe

This recipe comes together in about 5 minutes and requires about 35 minutes of setting time. A high powered blender is necessary to ensure the cashews are fully creamed and the liquid components emulsify well. For the full detailed instructions, see the full recipe card.

STEP 1: In a high powered blender blend the cashews, non-dairy milk and apple cider vinegar until smooth, creamy consistency is achieved.

STEP 2: Sea salt, nutritional yeast, olive oil and melted coconut oil are added in and blended until smooth and emulsified.

STEP 3: Pour the mixture in a freezer and refrigerator safe mold.

STEP 4: Place the mold in the freezer for 15 minutes to set. After the elapsed time, move it to the fridge for another 20 minutes to finish setting up.

Uses for this recipe

This recipe is excellent for adding to steamed vegetables, potatoes (mashed or roasted), scones, toast, pancakes, waffles etc. It's a perfect spreading butter and melts beautifully and smoothly.

However, this vegan butter isn't ideal for baking. Other variations of vegan butter contain lecithin (not as scary as it sounds) which ultimately helps the butter hold a shape at room temp and allow it to be whipped/pipped. I have used it for cooking, so long as it's not high heat, otherwise, the cashew component of this butter will burn.

If you're looking for recipes to slather this vegan butter on, you can try it on a toasted slide of my maple oat spelt bread, on a slab of my rosemary date and walnut bread, or harvest apple crunch loaf.

Storage

After prepping the butter mixture, pour it into a mold or container with a lid. You can use a silicone ice cube tray, but once it is set, transfer the portions to a freezer and fridge safe container with a fitted lid for storage. Alternatively, you can use a sterile 250ml mason jar with a lid as a mold which also works as a storage container.

This recipe must be kept in the fridge and served cold. This recipe should last about 5 days covered in the fridge. For additional information on safe food handling and storage, please visit: the Government of Canada Food Safety website, USDA Food Safety Inspection Agency website or your country's official food safety website.

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