This quinoa cream is a great alternative to heavy cream, half and half and whole milk. It is naturally gluten free and easily made vegan!
One day, when Skye was in a Miss-Independent mood, and I found myself in a rare moment of catching up on magazines.
I was flipping through an older copy of Cooking Light on my iPad, and I saw an article on using rice in place of heavy cream in recipes.[clickToTweet tweet="Looking for a healthy alternative to cream? Try this #quinoa cream! Gluten Free & Easily #Vegan." quote="Looking for a healthy alternative to cream? Try this #quinoa cream! Gluten Free & Easily #Vegan."]
It got me thinking - could quinoa also be used as a heavy cream substitute?
I was excited and ran to the kitchen to give it a try...and I wasn't disappointed.
In fact, I was thrilled with the results.
I may have even chased my husband down with a spoon in hand insisting that he try it. It was 6:30 am - he wasn't amused. Just because Skye and I had been raring to go since 5:00 am, doesn't mean he was. 🙂
This quinoa cream is fantastic in soups and pasta dishes. It is an excellent way to keep your calories in check, and also perfect for vegans or those who don't have access to organic dairy. (Unsweetened Almond and Cashew Milk both work here!)
One of these days, I'm going to try this with apple just for use in sweet dishes. Until then, let me know what you think of this savory quinoa cream.
Quinoa "Cream"
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup quinoa rinsed
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup milk of choice unsweetened - I used almond
Instructions
- Bring quinoa and broth to a boil. Cover and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 25 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to sit for another 5 to 10 minutes.
- Add milk to blender and then carefully transfer quinoa mixture. Puree for 2 to 3 minutes, until smooth. Use in place of heavy cream, half and half and/or whole milk in savory recipes.
Notes
Nutrition
Quinoa Cream was originally published in 2015, updated 2017.
Wendy Polisi
Yes - I've made it with all kinds of milk including almond milk and it works just fine.
jpln
How much quinoa cream will this make and how long will it last if refrigerated.
Wendy Polisi
It is about 3 1/4 cups. I keep it in the fridge for two days or freeze it for longer. Re-heat prior to using so that everything gets mixed up well.
jill
I will try this soon! When you say apple...do you mean apple juice instead of broth to cook the quinoa or in another way? This sounded interesting.
Lauren
This cream is fantastic! I will use this for biscuits and gravy!