This vegan panna cotta is silky and light, and you won’t believe how easy it is to make! With just 5 ingredients, it comes together quickly using mostly pantry staples. The panna cotta is flavored with coconut and lime, and it gets topped with a quick roasted berry sauce that is TO DIE FOR. You’re going to love this (even if you’re not vegan)!
I’ve been making this vegan panna cotta for years, not because I don’t eat dairy (I do), but because it’s so delicious. I stumbled into the recipe a few years ago when I was trying to create an easy and fast dairy-free dessert. After some experimenting, I ended up with a light yet luscious panna cotta, perfectly suited for warm weather entertaining.
Vegan panna cotta
Instead of using gelatin to set this panna cotta, it uses agar powder. Agar powder is a natural gelling agent derived from red algae. It’s vegan and flavorless, and it works as a fantastic swap for powdered gelatin in recipes (yes, you can make vegan jello!). You can easily find agar powder online or in specialty stores.
Coconut lime panna cotta
The base for this vegan panna cotta comes from coconut milk, which lends a lovely flavor. I’ve found that using one can of whole fat coconut milk and one can of light or low-fat coconut milk creates a perfectly rich yet delicate texture. A touch of lime zest brightens the dessert, giving it a subtle tropical aroma.
How to make vegan panna cotta
This recipe uses only five ingredients—coconut milk, sugar, lime zest, agar powder and a pinch of salt.
- First, all of the ingredients are whisked together in a small pot off heat (it’s important to stir agar powder into room temperature liquids to dissolve it before heating).
- The mixture is then brought to a simmer, and it cooks for a few minutes.
- Lastly, it’s poured into ramekins and popped in the fridge. After an hour of chilling, the panna cotta is ready to eat!
How to serve panna cotta
You can serve the panna cotta right in the ramekins, but I like to unmold them onto plates (check out the video below to see how it’s done!). A spoonful of the roasted berries provides a beautiful, sweet-tart contrast to the creamy panna cotta. You could also top them with diced mango, passionfruit or other berries.
Roasted berries
The roasted berries are a cinch to make and are also fabulous on pancakes, waffles, yogurt or ice cream. Blackberries, blueberries and raspberries are tossed with a touch of sugar and lime juice, and are broiled until just slightly darkened. The berries will still look whole but will feel soft to the touch. Once they cool, they’ll release some of their ruby juices, forming a gorgeous sauce.
Tips for making coconut lime panna cotta:
- These panna cotta are made in 8-ounce ramekins. You could also use small cups or bowls.
- Use 1 can of whole fat coconut milk and 1 can of light (lowfat) coconut milk to achieve a silky but luscious texture.
- Be sure to spray your ramekins with cooking spray or brush them lightly with vegetable oil (avoid using coconut oil, which will harden in the fridge). This will make it easier to unmold the panna cotta onto plates (check out the video below to see how it’s done). That being said, you can absolutely serve the panna cotta right in the ramekins with spoons for scooping!
- Instead of flavoring the panna cotta with lime zest, feel free to scrape in the seeds of ½ vanilla bean.
- For the smoothest texture, you can strain the coconut milk mixture before pouring it into ramekins. I don’t mind the specks of lime zest so skip this step.
- For the roasted berries, you can use lemon juice in place of the lime juice. Be sure to scrape the berries into a bowl right when they come out of the oven, and to allow them to cool completely before using (pop the bowl in the fridge to expedite the cooling process, if you wish).
*This post contains Amazon and other affiliate links to products I use and love (from which I earn income, at no cost to you). Thank you for supporting From Scratch Fast!
Other vegan desserts to try:
- No Bake Vegan Chocolate Tart
- Homemade Dark Chocolate Pudding
- Vegan Ice Cream Cookie Sandwiches
- No-Bake Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
- No-Churn Vegan Mango Ice Cream
- Easy Strawberry Crisp
Healthy Vegan Meals:
- Curried Red Lentil & Kale Soup
- Pan Fried Falafel
- Slow Cooker Dal
- Curried Sweet Potato Soup with Frizzled Kale
- Asian Peanut Noodle Salad
Watch the video!
Stay connected
I'd love to answer any of your questions and see what you're cooking!! Don't forget to give this recipe a star rating and leave a comment below. Follow along on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube & Pinterest, and be sure to tag @nickisizemore so that I can share your creations!
Get the recipe!
Coconut Lime Panna Cotta with Roasted Berries
Ingredients
Panna Cotta
- Neutral vegetable oil or cooking spray for ramekins
- 1 (13.5-ounce) can whole fat coconut milk
- 1 (13.5 ounce) can light (low-fat) coconut milk
- ⅓ cup natural cane sugar
- 1 teaspoon lime zest (about 1 lime)
- ¾ teaspoon agar powder
- Pinch salt
For serving
- Roasted Berries (see below)
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, whisk together the coconut milk (both cans), sugar, lime zest, agar powder and salt. Place the saucepan over medium heat, and continue whisking until the mixture is completely smooth. Bring the coconut milk to a simmer, stirring occasionally with a rubber spatula. Continue simmering until the milk thickens slightly and lightly coats the spatula (it will still look thin, but it should leave a line when you swipe the spatula with your finger—check out the video above for reference), about 4-5 minutes longer.
- Pour the liquid into a large measuring cup or a bowl with a spout (this will make it easier to pour it into the ramekins). Divide the panna cotta mixture between the prepared ramekins. Chill, uncovered, until set, about 1 hour. Do Ahead: The panna cotta can be made up to 2 days in advance. Once the panna cotta has set, cover the ramekins with plastic wrap.
- To serve, run a sharp knife around the edge of a ramekin; invert the ramekin onto a plate; and shake firmly up and down until the panna cotta slides out (you can also serve the panna cotta in the ramekins with the fruit spooned on top). Spoon the roasted berries and their juice over the panna cotta, and serve!
Notes
- If you don't have 8-ounce ramekins, you can use small cups or bowls.
- Be sure to spray your ramekins with cooking spray or brush them lightly with vegetable oil (avoid using coconut oil, which will harden in the fridge). This will make it easier to unmold the panna cotta onto plates (check out the video above to see how it’s done). That being said, you can absolutely serve the panna cotta right in the ramekins with spoons for scooping!
- Instead of flavoring the panna cotta with lime zest, feel free to scrape in the seeds of ½ vanilla bean.
- For the smoothest texture, you can strain the coconut milk mixture before pouring it into ramekins. I don’t mind the specks of lime zest so skip this step.
Roasted Berries
Ingredients
- 4 cups mixed blackberries, blueberries and raspberries
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon sugar (or to taste)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to broil with a rack in the upper third.
- In a large bowl, toss the berries with the sugar and lime juice. Spread the berries in a 9x13-inch baking dish in a single layer. Broil until the fruit starts to darken slightly and the blueberries start to pop (the berries will still hold their shape but should be soft, about 5-8 minutes. Scrape the berries and any juice into a bowl and let cool (they will continue to release juice as they cool—feel free to pop the bowl in the fridge to cool faster).
Notes
- Feel free to add more sugar to taste, depending on the sweetness of your berries.
- You can use lemon juice in place of the lime juice.
- Be sure to scrape the berries into a bowl right when they come out of the oven. If serving them with the panna cotta, allow them to cool completely before serving.
Ashley says
Hi! I made this and it was grainy, I assume because of the agar powder. Is there a reason for this and can I overcome it?
Nicki Sizemore says
Hi Ashley! The panna cotta should definitely be silky, not grainy. I suspect that the mixture wasn't cooked for long enough, which wouldn't give the agar powder enough time to fully dissolve. Next time, I suggest stirring more often and cooking the mixture a bit longer, which will help dissolve the powder. Keep me posted!
Martin says
I usually do those berries from frozen which makes microwaving them the way to go. Similar to 'nuking' cheese the microwave does wonders to berries.
Nicki Sizemore says
Thank you for the great tip! Frozen berries are a great way to go in the colder months!