Author: There are three main reasons why I wanted to share my recipe for Easy Vegan Lemon Curd today.
Reason 1: because it's super yum. The best reason of all! Do I need more reasons than that?
Reason 2: Mother's day is coming up and this would make a gorgeous homemade gift. This vegan lemon curd requires only 6 ingredients and takes 10 minutes to make! Pour this into a fancy jar and tie a little bow or serve as a luxurious addition to breakfast in bed or a very special dessert. Oh la la!
Reason 3: I'm planning a trip to England and I wanted to celebrate with this classic English treat. Yay travel!
This easy vegan curd is the perfect combination of tart and sweet. It's wonderful for spreading on pastries such as my Super Easy Vegan Croissants, or serving with muffins, waffles, scones, pancakes, or French Toast. Or for dolloping on non-dairy ice cream, adding it to vegan yogurt parfaits, spreading between the layers of my vegan vanilla cake. Or just eating directly out of the jar by the spoonful (I don't judge) because who can resist the mixture of perfect velvety texture and tangy flavors? This vegan lemon curd is a welcome dairy-free addition to any special occasion.
Did you see the part that said I was planning a trip to England? I just booked tickets to London with my amazing boyfriend, Adam, woot woot! Even though I have dual citizenship (Canadian and British), I've never been to England before and I couldn't be more pumped about it! We will be spending time in both London and Brighton, so let me know in the comments what vegan restaurants I should go to, vegan shops, or other fun attractions I must see. I will be celebrating my birthday while I'm there so let me know if there is something really special I should do. Excited!
If you want to come along with my travels, make sure to follow me on Instagram @itdoesnttastelikechicken where I will be posting about much of my trip.
Back to my easy vegan lemon curd...
How to Make Vegan Lemon Curd:
Start by zesting and juicing your lemons.
Now, in a small pot or small saucepan, whisk together the sugar and cornstarch. Mixing the sugar and cornstarch first will just help evenly distribute the cornstarch so that no lumps form. Now mix in the non-dairy milk (soy or almond milk will suffice), lemon juice, lemon zest, and pinch of turmeric.
Put over medium heat, whisking frequently, until the curd thickens, about 5 minutes. You may need to whisk vigorously as it thickens to ensure a smooth curd.
Remove from heat and pour into a heat safe container to cool. Enjoy warm or store in the fridge for up to 1 week. It will thicken more as it cools.
Bon appetegan!
Sam.
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Easy Vegan Lemon Curd
Servings: (makes about 1 cup)
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Ingredients
- ½ cup white sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch, (+1 teaspoon for extra thick curd, optional—reader tip!)
- ½ cup plant-based milk, (such as soy or almond)
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice, (about 2 lemons)
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest, (from about 1 lemon)
- ⅛ teaspoon ground turmeric, (optional for colour)
Instructions
- In a small pot, whisk together the sugar and cornstarch. (Use 1 tablespoon cornstarch for the consistency shown in the photos, or add an extra teaspoon for a thicker curd—a tip a few readers have recommended!) Now mix in the plant-based milk, lemon juice, lemon zest, and turmeric. Put over medium heat, whisking frequently, until the curd thickens, about 5 minutes. You may need to whisk vigorously as it thickens to ensure a smooth curd.
- Remove from heat and pour into a heat safe container to cool. Enjoy warm or store in the fridge for up to 1 week. It will thicken more as it cools.
Nutrition
⭐ Did You Make This Recipe?
I’d love if you left a rating and comment, it helps others find the recipe and makes my day! 💕
Nicole Jawad says
I love this recipe!
I was living in Saudi when I found your recipe for vegan lemon curd. I’m not vegan, but the eggs there have a distinct smell that I did not want my dessert to have. Your recipe did the trick!
Debbie says
This was amazing! So easy and flavorful! I think it was the favorite of the entire dinner. I made a double batch and need to make some more!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Yay!! So happy you loved it, Debbie! 🙂
Debbie says
Can I double or triple the recipe without changes? Making for company tomorrow with fresh fruit and vegan lemon shortbread.
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Debbie! Yes, you can double or triple it without any changes. Sounds like a beautiful spread 🙂
Barbra says
Sam, If I wanted to make lemon tarts, should I use the lemon curd recipe or the lemon squares recipe? I've made both in the past and found them delicious, but thought I would change it up a bit this year... which would you use?
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Great question, Barbra! I’d go with the lemon curd for tarts, it works beautifully for that. Bake the tart shells first, let them cool, then fill with the curd 🙂
Barbra says
They turned out perfectly! A wonderful Easter dessert!
Thank you!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Yay!! So happy they turned out perfectly, Barbra! 🙂
lis says
you forgot the protein. if you use a high protein soymilk it hould come out at around 40g protein per litre. Protein is important, especially as people age to get around 11.2g per kg of body weight. To encourage people to go vegan we need to show them where the protein is. this can be a high protein source.
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Thanks for sharing, Lisette! If using soy milk, it can definitely add a bit of protein here too 🙂
Victoria says
How long can this sit out? I'm making some desserts for a party and was trying to find a filling beside the standard vegan ganache but the desserts will be out all day.
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Victoria! I wouldn’t recommend leaving it out all day, as it’s best kept refrigerated. For a party, you could keep desserts chilled until serving, or bring them out shortly before 😊
Nicole Jawad says
I wonder how it would keep if the bowl was placed on ice.
Rachel says
I have been looking for a non-perishable lemon curd recipe to use with the cake recipe at this link. Would your recipe work to fill and ice this cake.
I see cakes like this in grocery stores that can sit out at room temperature for 2 to 3 days. However, traditional lemon curd is perishable at room temperature, so I have always wondered what they use.
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Rachel! Great question. This lemon curd is still perishable and should be kept refrigerated, so I wouldn’t recommend it for a cake that sits out for days. Store-bought versions often use stabilizers and preservatives to make them shelf-stable. If you keep the cake chilled in the fridge until ready to serve, that would be best for food saftey. 😊
Rachel says
Thank you.
L says
love this recipe! I'm cooking for someone with a corn allergy, and was wondering if you could suggest a substitution for the cornstarch? would tapioca, potato, or arrowroot work? thanks!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi L! Yes, tapioca starch, potato starch, or arrowroot should all work well as a substitute for the cornstarch 😊
Jo says
Made lemon curd again today to deal with an abundance of lemons. So easy and so good. We store it in the ice cube tray in the freezer. Perfect portion size
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
That’s such a smart idea Jo! Perfect little portions, love that 😊
Fai says
I used arrowroot starch and it turned out beautifully. After licking the whisk, I needed meringue stat
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Fai hahaha I LOVE this 😂🍋 And I’m so glad the arrowroot worked beautifully, thank you so much for the comment!
emme says
Meyer lemons make it even better
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi emme! Yes, delicous!!
Janey says
I'm going to make this tomorrow with oat milk (as it's all I have in) love lemon curd and trying to use less saturated fats in my food.
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Wonderful, enjoy Janey! 🙂
The reluctant vegan says
Fabulous! I opted to use the added teaspoon for a thicker curd. Very good on sponge cake, scones, or fruit.
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Yay! So happy you enjoyed it!
Sandy says
My son brought us a box of organic lemons from his tree, so I had to try your recipe. It’s so easy, quick and delicious! We stay away from white sugar, so I substituted the white sugar with 1/3 cup Agave, reduced the milk by 2 tablespoons and added an extra 1 teaspoon of cornstarch. Perfect! I couldn’t wait until the cake was ready to fill so I stirred a big spoonful into a bowl of plain yogurt and topped that with fresh blueberries. Heaven in a bowl. Now I need to make more for the cake. 😂 Thanks for a great recipe.
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
That sounds incredible, Sandy! What a treat to have lemons straight from the tree 🍋 Love your agave swap too, thanks for sharing what worked!