Easy Vegan Panna Cotta with Fresh Berries
This easy vegan panna cotta recipe makes the most delicious summer dessert. It’s firm enough to hold a pile of fresh berries, yet soft enough to melt in your mouth. Using only 4 ingredients, it’s surprisingly easy to make, and tastes just like the fancy Italian dessert!
I discovered panna cotta recently while making my vegan strawberry shortcake recipe. What does the traditional Italian dessert made of cooked cream and shortcake have in common? Cream. (Yum!) Cream that has been sweetened and flavored with vanilla. (Double yum!) I decided the more recipes with sweet vanilla coconut cream the better and began testing this super easy vegan panna cotta.
Are you new to the world of panna cotta like me? Panna cotta is a popular Italian dessert made with cooked cream, sugar, vanilla, and gelatin. This healthy vegan version is made with full-fat coconut milk, maple syrup, vanilla, and the key ingredient: agar powder. Agar is a naturally gelatinous powder derived from marine red algae. It’s tasteless and dissolves quickly in liquid. To create a texture that is firm enough to be used as a mold yet soft enough to melt in your mouth, we use just ½ teaspoon of agar powder and dissolve it in the cream mixture before heating. It’s important to use agar power and not agar flakes in this recipe.
You need only a few ingredients and tips to make perfect vegan panna cotta every time.
1. Dissolve all your ingredients in a small saucepan while cold. This allows the agar powder to incorporate into the cream, so you don’t end up with weird lumps.
2. Bring the cream to a boil, turn the heat down, and stir gently so it doesn’t boil over.
3. After a few minutes, pour into jars, cool, and then chill in the fridge for one hour.
The great thing about this vegan panna cotta recipe is that it holds well and can be left out at room temperature without melting. The texture will be firmer straight from the fridge and softer as it warms up to room temperature. It’s fancy enough to serve at a dinner party or gathering but is still kid-friendly. Sweet (but not too sweet), it’s the perfect dessert to pair with fresh from the patch summer berries.
Ingredients for Easy Vegan Panna Cotta with Fresh Berries
1 can (13.5 oz. / 400 ml) of full-fat coconut milk
2 tablespoons of maple syrup
2 teaspoons of vanilla
½ teaspoon of agar powder (not agar flakes) *see note
¾ cup of fresh berries, sliced
Makes 3 panna cotta.
How to make Easy Vegan Panna Cotta with Fresh Berries
Step 1:
1. Pour the coconut milk in a small saucepan (with the heat off) and whisk until no lumps remain.
Step 2:
2. Add the maple syrup, vanilla, and agar powder to the coconut milk. Whisk until the agar powder is dissolved.
Steps 3-4:
3. Turn the heat on to medium-high and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally to prevent the agar from setting up on the bottom of the pan.
4. Once boiling, turn the heat down to low (taking care the milk doesn’t boil over) and gently simmer for 3 minutes while stirring.
Steps 5-6:
5. Remove from the heat and pour (use a funnel if it makes this easier) into 3 heat-proof serving jars. Let cool and chill in the fridge for 1 hour until the panna cotta is set.
6. Spoon sliced berries over the top and enjoy!
To make a panna cotta mold, pour the milk into small bowls and chill until set, at least 1 hour. When ready to serve, dip the bowl in very hot water for approx. 30 seconds. (You can also rub a little oil on the inside of the bowl, beforehand, for easy removal.) Slide a rubber spatula around the rim of the panna cotta, to break the seal, and invert it onto a plate. Garnish with fresh berries and serve.
If you are serving the panna cotta in jars (without unmolding it) and prefer a softer, more melty mouthfeel, reduce the amount of agar powder to ¼ teaspoon.
Looking for more recipes with fresh berries? Try these delicious ideas!
Easy Vegan Panna Cotta with Fresh Berries
Ingredients
Instructions
- Pour the coconut milk in a small saucepan (with the heat off) and whisk until no lumps remain.
- Add the maple syrup, vanilla, and agar powder to the coconut milk. Whisk until the agar powder is dissolved.
- Turn the heat on to medium-high and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally to prevent the agar from setting up on the bottom of the pan.
- Once boiling, turn the heat down to low (taking care the milk doesn’t boil over) and gently simmer for 3 minutes while stirring.
- Remove from the heat and pour (use a funnel if it makes this easier) into 3 heat-proof serving jars. Let cool and chill in the fridge for 1 hour until the panna cotta is set.
- Spoon sliced berries over the top and enjoy!
Notes
To make a panna cotta mold, pour the milk into small bowls and chill. When ready to serve, dip the bowl in very hot water for approx. 30 seconds. (You can also rub a little oil on the inside of the bowl for easy removal.) Slide a rubber spatula around the rim of the panna cotta, to break the seal, and invert onto a plate. Garnish with fresh berries and serve.
*If you are serving the panna cotta in jars (without unmolding it) and prefer a softer, more melty mouthfeel, reduce the amount of agar powder to ¼ teaspoon.
For step-by-step instructions with photos, see blog post!
Nutrition Facts
Calories
318.60Fat (grams)
28.28Sat. Fat (grams)
24.94Carbs (grams)
16.81Fiber (grams)
1.39Net carbs
15.42Sugar (grams)
10.53Protein (grams)
3.02Sodium (milligrams)
19.36Cholesterol (grams)
0.00Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators.
