Roasted garlic, shallots, and creamy cashews come together for this Plant-Based “Buttah”: Vegan Butter Substitute. Use as a dairy-free option. Spread it onto toast, slather on corn, or toss it into sauteed veggies.
Roasting Garlic and Shallots
Roasting is a classic cooking technique used to bring the natural sweetness of foods. Used on plants from the allium family, like garlic and onions, it mellows their strong flavors. Caramelization occurs, which creates a golden color and rich flavor. A smooth, silkiness settles in. Umami develops, which creates comfort-food flavors. There’s a reason we love the smell of garlic and onions – it reminds us of home-cooked meals and family recipes.
Shallots have even more natural sweetness than onions. If you’re ever making a recipe and the onion flavor is too strong, try swapping out for shallots. Similarly, their mellow flavor works well in raw preparation. That’s why you’ll often see recipes for salad dressings or relish using shallots instead of onion.
When looking for a plant-based substitute for many of the fattening, creamy dairy condiments we love, roasted garlic and shallots make a healthy option. Soaked cashews add a rich, buttery flavor. Use this vegan “buttah” slathered over toast. Or use it to swap out the sour cream on your baked potatoes. It also works great smeared onto roasted corn on the cob.
Finally, a healthy, plant-based substitute for butter. Enjoy!
How to Give Up Dairy on a Plant-Based Diet
A huge hurdle when beginning a plant-based whole foods diet is eliminating dairy. Dairy products are in many of the foods we’re used to eating on the Standard American Diet. Dairy is in cheese, milk, ice cream, and yogurt…just to name a few. It garnishes salads, it tops pizzas, and it’s hard to find a dessert that doesn’t use dairy. However, there are many healthy vegan options for ditching dairy.
I put together a Chef’s Guide for Plant-Based Dairy-Free Cooking. In it, my tips include:
- Identify the Dairy Foods you Enjoy
- Replace Texture and Richness…not just Foods
- Be Careful with Substitutes
- Stock Up Your Pantry and Freezer
Read MORE to get the full details and helpful recipe links
How to Make Vegan Compound Butter
In traditional cooking, compound butter is made by combining dairy butter with fresh herbs or other flavoring ingredients (like lemon zest or miso paste). You can create a vegan compound butter using this recipe as a base.
Combine with this vegan “buttah” with chopped fresh herbs like chives, thyme, and basil. Or add aromatics like lemon zest, lime zest, or red miso paste. You can try it with dried spices like smoked paprika, chipotle powder, and curry powder.
Store in the freezer and then slice off a small piece to use over grilled portobello mushrooms, baked russet potatoes, or roasted cauliflower steaks.
Watch to Learn More:
Chef Katie’s Plant-Based Cooking Tips:
Oil-Free Mission: I’m on a mission to get rid of empty calories, like those found in refined olive oil. For this recipe, water and the liquid from roasting the garlic add flavor while also keeping this fat-free.
Storage: Portion into smaller containers or wrap in a “log” and keep in the refrigerator or freezer. This will last 10 days in the fridge – up to 3 months in the freezer.
Flavor Variations: Use this as a base for various flavored butters by adding cayenne, smoked paprika, or chipotle powder.
Other Varieties of Garlic: For unique flavor twists, use this recipe as a template for other varieties of garlic. Try black garlic or elephant garlic.
Roasted Garlic Shallot Plant-Based “Buttah”: Vegan Butter Substitute
You’ll love this recipe for Roasted Garlic Shallot Plant-Based “Buttah”! It’s:
- Rich, creamy, and satisfying
- Tastes better than dairy butter
- Dairy-free, gluten-free, oil-free, vegan
- Freezer-friendly
- Kid-friendly
If you love this recipe, you’ll also love Roasted Garlic White Bean Spread, Easy Vegan Hollandaise, Easy Oil-Free Dill Avocado Dip, Smoky, Oil-Free Poblano Hummus, and Oil-Free Vegan Caesar Dressing.
Print Recipe
Roasted Garlic Shallot Plant-Based “Buttah”: Vegan Butter Substitute
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup 2.5 ounces of garlic cloves, peeled
- 2 shallots peeled and quartered
- 1/2 cup cashews soaked in water
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F degrees.
- To roast the garlic and shallots: Place the garlic and shallots in a small, shallow pan. Add enough water so that the garlic is barely covered. Cover the entire pan and roast for 20-25 minutes. When the garlic and shallots are a golden color they are done. Remove from oven.
- To make Roasted Garlic Shallot Plant-Based “Buttah”: Drain the cashews from soaking liquid and rinse well. Drain garlic and shallots from cooking liquid, but reserve the liquid. Place the cashews, garlic, and shallots in a high-speed blender or food processor, along with ½ cup of the garlic-shallot cooking liquid. Puree until smooth and creamy. Add more of the garlic-shallot roasting liquid, as needed, to get a smooth, creamy consistency. Taste to adjust seasoning.
- Enjoy warm or refrigerate/freeze for later use.
Notes
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: about 2 tablespoons
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings 16.0 | |
| Amount Per Serving | |
| calories 29 | |
| % Daily Value * | |
| Total Fat 2 g | 3 % |
| Saturated Fat 0 g | 0 % |
| Monounsaturated Fat 0 g | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat 0 g | |
| Trans Fat 0 g | |
| Cholesterol 0 mg | 0 % |
| Sodium 38 mg | 2 % |
| Potassium 24 mg | 1 % |
| Total Carbohydrate 3 g | 1 % |
| Dietary Fiber 0 g | 1 % |
| Sugars 0 g | |
| Protein 1 g | 2 % |
| Vitamin A | 0 % |
| Vitamin C | 2 % |
| Calcium | 1 % |
| Iron | 1 % |
| * The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA. | |
Shopping and Gear List
- NOW Foods Raw Organic CashewsBUY NOW
- Penzey’s Roasted Garlic granules
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