From Butter To Goat's Cheese: 9 Homemade Vegan Dairy Recipes

If you’re looking to upgrade your kitchen game, these homemade vegan dairy recipes are the place to start. From rich butters to creamy yogurts and meltable cheeses, plant-based alternatives have come a long way – and they’re easy to make at home. Whether you’re new to dairy-free cooking or already obsessed with nutritional yeast and coconut oil blends, there’s something here to inspire.

Plant milks are more varied than ever. Beyond almond or soy, think creamy oat or nutty pistachio, each with their own texture and taste. You can whip up flavored versions or keep it plain for cooking. Vegan butter is just as versatile. Make it rich and spreadable, or add herbs and garlic to give it a boost.

Then there’s the cheese. From sharp and crumbly to gooey and melty, you can achieve it all with ingredients like cashews, miso, and agar. Fermenting your own plant-based yogurt adds a whole new level of flavor – and probiotics.

These homemade vegan dairy recipes are all about variety, creativity, and taking control of what goes on your plate. Once you get the hang of it, you might not miss the store-bought stuff at all. Let’s get churning, blending, and culturing.

Pistachio Milk

Pistachio milk might not be a common milk alternative yet, but there’s no denying how good this plant milk by Remy Morimoto Park looks and tastes. The simple recipe uses only pistachios, water, vanilla, salt, and sweetener to make the milk. Use it in your coffee or with cereal for a creamy, nutty taste.

Find the recipe here.

Dairy-free herb butter

a vegan herb butter with lemon zest and herbs like dill, chives, parsley for homemade vegan dairy recipes — Robert Billington Make this plant-based herb butter for an easy and flavorful spread

This herb butter by Alessandro Vitale is a speedy and versatile vegan condiment you can make in just 15 minutes of prep and some cooling time. For this recipe, choose your favorite plant-based butter, then add herbs like chives, parsley, dill, or tarragon, some lemon zest, and salt to flavor your herb butter. Roll, wrap, and put the butter in the fridge to set before use.

Find the recipe here.

Melty vegan cheese

a picture of a block of basic melty cheese next to a cheese grater — Erin Scott Flavor this cheese any way you want

Next, try this basic vegan melty cheese recipe by Joe Yonan. It’s a cashew cheese fermented with sauerkraut, Chinese bean curd, and nondairy yogurt. It takes some time to make, but the result is a cheddar/gouda-style vegan cheese worth putting on your favorite sandwich.

Find the recipe here.

Non-dairy yogurt

A nondairy yogurt should also be on your list of must-trys. This recipe from Dr Sheil Shukla uses a cashew base and unsweetened plain nondairy yogurt. To make your yogurt, ferment the blended cashew, water, and yogurt mix for up to 12 hours, then store for one week.

Find the recipe here.

Butter from scratch

A plate containing dairy-free butter made to a vegan recipe — Patricia Niven This vegan butter recipe is very easy to make

For a vegan from-scratch butter, try this recipe from Antonio Alderuccio. It’s great for spreading, stirring into risotto or pasta, but not for cooking or baking. The ingredients include almonds, cocoa butter, coconut oil, salt, and apple cider vinegar. Flavor it with dried seaweed, tarragon, coriander, or capers.

Find the recipe here.

Read more: 11 Brain-Boosting Vegan Recipes

5-minute vegan parmesan

a bowl of vegan parmesan that is dairy-free and made of nuts — Patricia Niven Nutritional yeast is a key ingredient in this vegan cheese alternative

In five minutes, you can have this vegan parmesan recipe by Antonio Alderuccio ready to sprinkle on pasta or salads. All you need for this recipe is cashews or almonds or both, nutritional yeast, tamari, and fine sea salt. You throw the ingredients into a food processor and pulse until fine and crumbly.

Find the recipe here.

Creamy oat milk

creamy homemade oat milk, vegan milk alternative, plant based milk plain and chocolate — Crow Moon Kitchen Try this easy and tasty homemade oat milk recipe that’s super creamy

Next is an easy and creamy oat milk by Crow Moon Kitchen. This oat milk is budget-friendly, takes only 10 minutes to make, and is easy to adjust to your liking. You can add cocoa, maple syrup, vanilla, or other flavorings to make the milk how you want it.

Find the recipe here.

Goat-style cheese

Make a vegan goat-style cheese next. This is another Joe Yonan recipe and is perfect for a cheese board. You can get one pound of vegan cheese out of this recipe. Again, cashews are used, but coconut yogurt and cream are also part of this recipe. The cheese is fermented with sauerkraut and the herb mixture uses parsley, tarragon, oregano, and some flaky salt.

Find the recipe here.

Cashew nacho cheese

The last vegan dairy product on this list is a cashew nacho cheese recipe from Gracias Madre. This cashew cheese sauce is tasty, versatile, and great on vegan Mexican food, as a chip dip, or on a grilled cheese. You can season this three ways with jalapeño, Himalayan salt, or chipotle powder.

Find the recipe here.

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