Sweet creamed corn. The holiday side on every Southern (and if I’m not wrong, midwestern) table. YUM. The classic version leans pretttyyyy hard on butter and heavy cream though. My version gets to the same thick, sweet, spoon-coating place but with no dairy at all, and I think you’ll find yourself having a hard time picking it out of a lineup on first bite. Although it will leave you feeling better than the classic will after.
The cream is raw cashews blended with unsweetened plain plant milk, a little maple syrup, and a full cup of the corn kernels. Blending some of the corn right into the base is what makes this taste like corn and not like cashews pretending to be cream.. if that makes any sense. If you have a high-speed blender you can skip soaking the cashews. Otherwise, 15 minutes in boiling water while you prep the corn is enough to ensure its truly a cream!
If you’re using fresh ears, which is what I recommend, don’t skip scraping the cobs. Once the kernels are off, run the back of your knife down each cob and you’ll get a surprising amount of pulp and milky juice. That’s the natural starch that gives old-school creamed corn its body, and it’s free! Stand the ear in a wide bowl while you do this unless you enjoy finding corn on your ceiling. Joking but… also not. Be careful out there in the kitchen when it comes to this extra bonus step!
The rest happens in one pan! The kernels and scraped pulp cook in a little vegan butter for a few minutes until they’re bright and just tender, then the cashew cream goes in and simmers on medium-low until it’s thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Stir often, because it can catch on the bottom. A little white pepper and nutmeg at the end is what makes it taste like the classic holiday creamed corn, so don’t forget it even if you are feeling a little skeptical.
Taste before you serve and adjust the maple if need be. Peak-season corn barely needs any, while frozen or late-season corn might require the full amount. Its up to you! Frozen corn works fine here, by the way, which makes this an easy one for November holiday spreads. It thickens as it sits, so loosen leftovers with a splash of oat milk when you reheat them.
If you make it, tag me @herbyeater on TikTok or Instagram, especially if it ends up on your Thanksgiving table! 🙂
Vegan Sweet Creamed Corn
Equipment
- Blender (high-speed preferred)
- Large skillet or sauté pan
- Sharp chef’s knife
- Wide bowl
Ingredients
Cashew Cream
- ½ cup raw cashews 70g
- 1 cup unsweetened plain plant milk 240g (oat milk recommended, but any work!)
- 2 tbsp maple syrup 40g
- ¾ tsp kosher salt 3g
Creamed Corn
- 4½ cups sweet corn kernels about 650g, from 6 ears, or 1½ lb / 680g frozen corn, thawed
- 3 tbsp vegan butter 42g
- ¼ tsp white pepper 0.5g
- 1 pinch ground nutmeg
- 1 tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped 3g, optional, for garnish!
Instructions
- Cover the cashews with boiling water and soak for 15 minutes, then drain. Skip the soak if you have a high-speed blender.
- Stand each ear of corn in a wide bowl and cut off the kernels. Then run the back of your knife down each cob to scrape the pulp and milky juice into the bowl.
- Add the drained cashews, oat milk, maple syrup, salt, and 1 cup of the corn kernels to a blender. Blend until completely smooth, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Melt the vegan butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the remaining corn kernels and the scraped pulp. Cook, stirring, for 4 to 5 minutes, until the corn is bright and just tender.
- Pour in the blended cashew cream and lower the heat to medium-low. Simmer gently for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until thick and creamy. It should coat the back of a spoon.
- Stir in the white pepper and nutmeg. Taste, and adjust the salt and maple as needed. Top with chives and serve warm.
Notes
Frozen corn: Skip the cob-scraping step, since you won’t have one (of course!). Add 1 extra tbsp plant milk instead.
Nut-free: If needing this to also be without cashews or nuts, swap for ¼ cup (55g) vegan cream cheese plus 1 tsp (3g) cornstarch, blended with oat milk.
Coconut sugar works in place of the maple syrup as well, same amount. Optional Add-ins
A pinch of smoked paprika or cayenne with the white pepper
Extra chives, or chopped fresh thyme work perfect! Tips
Sweetness: Peak-season corn might need only 1 tbsp maple syrup. Frozen or late-season corn may want the full 2 tbsp, or a little more.
Thickness: It thickens as it cools. Loosen leftovers with a splash of plant milk when reheating.
Make-ahead: You can blend the cashew cream up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate it. Storage
Keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Freezer friendly for 3 months. Reheat gently on the stove either way.