Creamy doesn’t need cows. Once you’ve tasted what a cashew or coconut can do, there’s no going back.
Comfort food earns its reputation for one reason: rich, velvety texture that wraps you up like your favorite throw blanket.
Back when I still kept cow’s-milk everything in the fridge, I thought that texture was impossible without butter, cream, or cheese.
Then I ran my first 10-mile trail race, cut back on dairy to soothe post-run digestion, and discovered an entire secret pantry of plant-based “cream.”
Today I keep soaked cashews on standby the way my grandmother kept heavy cream—because once you taste how lush these dishes can be, there’s no going back.
1. Mac + cheese that fools the biggest skeptic
Ever swirl your fork through a pot of boxed mac only to feel the sauce break into oily puddles a minute later?
My dairy-free version stays glossy thanks to two tricks: steamed butternut squash for body and a quick blender sauce of cashews, oat milk, and nutritional yeast for that umami bite.
“As a vegan, I’m always soaking cashews because I want to make creamy things,” chef Isa Chandra Moskowitz told The Kitchn—and this bowl proves why.
2. Silky mashed potatoes you can whip with a spoon
I used to think butter was the soul of mash. Then I blended warm olive oil with a splash of aquafaba (the liquid from chickpeas) and watched the potatoes fluff like bakery frosting.
No stand mixer, no elbow grease—just a wooden spoon and a little faith.
3. Tomato soup straight from a childhood thermos
Remember tomato soup day in the school cafeteria? Mine always tasted metallic.
Now I roast Roma tomatoes with garlic, add white beans for protein, and finish with coconut milk. Ten minutes in the blender and the result rivals any can, minus the tin aftertaste.
4. Mushroom stroganoff that clings to noodles
Quote lovers, this one’s for you. Vegan cheese pioneer Miyoko Schinner told Food & Wine her goal is to craft plant creams “that rival anything made from cow’s milk.”
I lean on her philosophy here: sauté cremini mushrooms, deglaze with veggie broth, then pour in blended sunflower seeds and miso. The sauce coats every noodle like a velvet tux.
5. Corn chowder ready for flannel-weather nights
The first cold snap hits São Paulo and I crave chowder.
A base of diced potatoes, sweet corn, and smoked paprika simmers in oat milk.
Cashew cream stirred in at the end thickens the pot without muting the corn’s sweetness. Serve with crusty bread, thank me later.
6. Risotto that doesn’t need constant babysitting
I used to stir Arborio rice for 25 minutes straight—great for arm day, awful for weeknights.
These days I bake it. Combine rice, sautéed onions, hot vegetable stock, and a glug of tahini in a Dutch oven, cover, and let the oven do the work.
Just before serving, finish with a spoonful of blended cauliflower for extra silk.
7. Chickpea “chicken” pot pie with creamy gravy
Pot-pie gravy screams dairy, yet it’s shockingly simple to veganize.
Blend soaked cashews with hot broth and a splash of apple-cider vinegar, then fold it through sautéed chickpeas, peas, and carrots.
Top with a store-bought puff-pastry sheet (many brands are accidentally vegan) and bake. The filling sets like classic roux—minus the butter headache.
8. Scalloped potatoes that still bubble and brown
Layer thin potato rounds with garlic-infused coconut cream, sprinkle each tier with ground sunflower seeds and nutritional yeast, and cover.
Forty minutes later you’ll lift the foil to find bronzed edges and a sauce so thick you’ll check the label twice.
9. Chocolate pudding that doubles as post-workout fuel
After a long garden session I want chocolate—fast. Silken tofu, cocoa powder, maple syrup, and a dash of vanilla whirl into an airy mousse in 60 seconds.
Registered dietitian Tamara Duker Freuman reminds us, “There are a lot of paths to good health, and we all don’t need to eat the same diet in order to be healthy.”
I take her cue: top this pudding with berries and call it self-care.
10. Five-minute nice-cream sundae
Banana “nice cream” is TikTok famous, yet still underrated. Frozen bananas plus a spoonful of almond butter blitz into soft serve you can swirl with a spatula.
I sprinkle crushed pretzels on top for that salty-sweet hit—creamy comfort without the dairy crash.
Final thoughts
Creaminess isn’t married to dairy—it just felt that way before we had high-speed blenders and a global pantry of nuts, seeds, and clever plant milks.
Swap one of these dishes into your weekly rotation and notice how light your body—and conscience—feels afterward. Who knew comfort could be this kind to everyone involved, cows included?
Next time you reach for heavy cream, ask yourself: could a handful of cashews or a scoop of tahini do the job better?
Your taste buds will answer with a resounding yes.
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