A vegan mascarpone cheese-style cream made by straining soy yogurt overnight.
No dairy, no nuts — just a few simple ingredients.
Rich and smooth, it's especially useful for vegan tiramisu and other desserts that call for mascarpone.
I also enjoy it straight from the bowl with a spoon when I'm craving a rich, creamy dessert.
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🧺 About This Recipe
I originally created this vegan mascarpone cream for my vegan tiramisu — a simple version made without sponge cake or biscuits.
Because it's made from strained soy yogurt, it has a slightly tangier flavour than traditional mascarpone cheese. But once layered with coffee, cocoa, or banana, that mild acidity fades into the background and becomes much less noticeable.
The result is a rich, creamy vegan cheese alternative that works beautifully in tiramisu and other desserts.
Since the yogurt is concentrated during straining, the finished cream is surprisingly rich despite being made from such simple ingredients.
▼ More vegan cheese recipes:
🌿 Ingredients
● Soy yogurt — I use Marusan unsweetened soy yogurt, a Japanese soy yogurt made from soy milk only. Because it contains no added thickeners, it strains easily and produces a rich, concentrated cream.
If Marusan isn't available where you live, look for a plain unsweetened soy yogurt with a short ingredient list and minimal additives. In my experience, soy yogurts containing added sugar, starches, or other thickeners do not strain properly and are unlikely to work for this recipe.
● Shio koji — a Japanese fermented rice seasoning made from rice koji (steamed rice inoculated with the mold Aspergillus oryzae), salt, and water. One of the ingredients I use most often in vegan cheese-style recipes.
Its gentle saltiness and subtle sweetness help transform strained soy yogurt into a mascarpone-style cream. For the smoothest texture, mash the koji grains well before mixing. (📖 How to make shio koji)
● Powdered sugar — I use powdered beet sugar, but any powdered sugar will work. It dissolves easily into the cream and adds a light sweetness.
● Lemon juice — A small amount brightens the flavour and adds a fresh citrus note, making the cream taste more cheese-like.
Full quantities are in the recipe card at the bottom👇
🥣 Equipment
A thorough overnight straining is the key to creating a rich, mascarpone-style cream.
- Colander or strainer
- Deep bowl (deep enough to keep the strained liquid from touching the yogurt)
- Paper towels (sturdy paper towels work best)
- Weight (about 650g; stacked plates work well)
- Plastic wrap
- Rubber spatula
📖 Instructions
- Set Up the Colander
- Place a colander over a deep bowl.
- Cut two connected sheets of paper towel and place them in the colander. Let the first sheet line the inside of the colander and leave the second sheet hanging over the edge.
🌿 Position the paper towels so the seam between the two sheets isn't directly underneath the yogurt.
- Add the Yogurt
- Pour one 400g (14 oz) container of soy yogurt into the lined colander.
- Cover
- Fold the overhanging paper towel over the yogurt to cover it.
- Add the Weight
- Place a weight of about 650g on top.
🌿 If you're concerned about fridge odours, cover with plastic wrap before adding the weight.
- Strain Overnight
- Refrigerate for at least 8 hours.
- Ideally, continue straining until the yogurt reaches about 200–220g. As a guide, it will weigh around 280g after 2 hours and about 240g after 8 hours.
🌿 In a hurry, add a little more weight after 2 hours — but keep an eye on it, as too much pressure can tear the paper towel or push the yogurt through.
- Season
- Transfer 150g of the strained yogurt to a clean bowl.
- Add the seasonings and mix well.
- Chill before serving to allow the flavours to meld.
📘 Storage
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Some liquid may separate during storage. Stir it back in before using, or pour it off if preferred.
📚 FAQ
I've tested this recipe with sweetened soy yogurts containing added sugar, starches, and other thickeners, but they do not strain properly in the same way.
If you feel like whispering a thought, asking a question, or simply saying hello — the comment section is always open 📮
🧀 More Vegan Cheese Recipes
More vegan cheese-style recipes:
🥄 More Dessert Recipes
Gentle vegan sweets (👉 full list):
✏️ Recipe Card
Vegan Mascarpone Cream｜Made with Soy Yogurt
Equipment
- Colander or strainer
- Deep bowl - deep enough to keep the strained liquid from touching the yogurt
- Paper towels - sturdy paper towels work best
- Weight - about 650g; stacked plates work well
- plastic wrap
- rubber spatula
Ingredients
- 400g / 14 oz unsweetened soy yogurt (see Notes)
- ½ teaspoon shio koji (grains mashed)
- ½ teaspoon lemon juice
- 2 tsps powdered sugar (or more to taste)
Instructions
Strain the Yogurt
- Place a colander over a deep bowl.
- Line the colander with two connected sheets of paper towel, leaving one sheet hanging over the edge.
- Pour in the soy yogurt and fold the overhanging paper towel over the top to cover it.400g / 14 oz unsweetened soy yogurt
- Place a weight of about 650g (1.4 lb) on top.
- Refrigerate for at least 8 hours. Ideally, continue straining until the yogurt reaches about 200–220g.
Make the Mascarpone Cream
- Transfer 150g of the strained yogurt to a bowl.
- Add the shio koji, powdered sugar, and lemon juice. Mix well.
- Chill before serving to allow the flavours to meld.
Notes
- The straining time and final texture will vary depending on the soy yogurt used.
- I use Marusan unsweetened soy yogurt, made from soy milk only. In my experience, soy yogurts containing added sugar, starches, or other thickeners do not strain properly.
If this recipe made its way into your kitchen, and you'd like to share that moment, feel free to tag @veginveganvegun or use #vegin_vegan_vegun.
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