Vegan Panna Cotta

You don't need cream to make a creamy dessert. This vegan panna cotta uses plant-based milk, a whole vanilla bean, and just enough agar to create a smooth, satiny custard that melts like silk on your tongue. I first developed this recipe while cooking for a vegan client, but it's since become a regular in my own kitchen—especially when I want something light, elegant, and low-effort. The kokutou syrup adds deep, layered caramel notes without overpowering the delicate custard. Whether or not you follow a plant-based diet, this is an Italian dessert that simply hits. Let me show you why it works.

Jump to:

• Why This Recipe Works
• Ingredients
• How to Make Vegan Panna Cotta
• Serve it With
• 📖 Recipe
• Comments

Why This Recipe Works

• This vegan panna cotta gets its structure from agar-agar, which sets at room temperature and holds up better than gelatin.
• A whole vanilla bean infuses the custard with aromatic vanillin oils, while the tiny black seeds add visual intrigue and a delicate textural contrast.
• Mildly sweet on its own, the panna cotta pairs beautifully with the deep, molasses-like notes of the brown sugar syrup, striking a perfect balance of flavor and fragrance.

Ingredients

• Unsweetened soy milk — The base of this soy milk panna cotta, it offers a rich, creamy texture with enough protein to help support the gel structure. Its neutral flavor lets the vanilla and syrup shine. Other plant-based milk like unsweetened oat milk, almond milk, cashew milk, or coconut milk will work.
• Agar agar — A plant-based gelling agent that sets at room temperature and stays firm even when warm. Unlike gelatin, it creates a clean break and a slightly bouncier texture—perfect for panna cotta using agar agar.
• Evaporated cane sugar — Adds gentle sweetness without overpowering the vanilla or black sugar. Its mild caramel flavor keeps the focus on the other ingredients. Granulated sugar or other sweeteners like maple syrup or agave syrup will work. 
• Vanilla bean — Infuses the custard with aromatic vanillin and speckles it with tiny black seeds for visual and textural contrast. A key flavor in this panna cotta vegan dessert.
• Kokutou (brown sugar) — Unrefined cane sugar with deep molasses and fruity notes that create a bold, bittersweet syrup. You can swap in dark muscovado, chancaca, or piloncillo for a similar effect.

How to Make Vegan Panna Cotta

Start by adding the soy milk, agar agar, and sugar to a saucepan. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise, scrape out the seeds, and add both the seeds and the pod to the pot. This lets the vanilla's aromatic oils infuse the liquid as it heats. Stir constantly over medium-high heat until the mixture comes to a rolling boil—this step is crucial, as agar needs to dissolve fully and activate at around 90–100°C (194–212°F) to set properly.

Once the mixture is boiling and smooth, strain it through a fine mesh sieve or tea strainer into small ramekins or bowls. This helps catch any clumps of coagulated soy protein or stray vanilla pod bits, giving your soy milk panna cotta a silky, uniform texture while letting the vanilla seeds through. Let the ramekins cool to room temperature, then cover and chill them in the fridge. Agar sets as it cools, so the texture firms up fast, but the flavor deepens with a few hours (or overnight) of chilling.

While the panna cotta sets, make the black sugar syrup. Combine the kokutou, cane sugar, and a splash of water in a small pot over medium heat until the ingredients dissolve and the mixture comes to a slow boil. If you're using sugar chunks instead of powder, start with more water to help them dissolve, then simmer it down to a thick, pourable consistency. Let the syrup cool—it should coat a spoon but still flow smoothly.

To serve, you can either unmold each panna cotta onto a plate for a sleek dome effect or serve it straight from the ramekin. Drizzle the syrup just before serving, or let guests pour their own—it glides over the surface like lacquer and adds dramatic contrast to the pale custard. This panna cotta with agar agar delivers all the elegance of a traditional dessert with the added bonus of being plant-based, simple, and stunningly good.

Serve it With

If you're looking to switch up the flavor profile of this vegan panna cotta, try swapping the black sugar syrup for a vibrant raspberry coulis—its tartness cuts through the creaminess beautifully. It also goes well with a colorful assortment of fresh fruits, and you can fancy it up with some mixed berries and mint. For a Japanese twist, dust the set custard with kinako, roasted soybean flour, which adds a nutty depth and a hint of umami. To round out your dessert spread, consider serving plant-based peanut butter cookies or vegan chocolate cookies alongside—both are crowd-pleasers that complement the panna cotta's delicate texture with a satisfying chew.

If you're a fan of Italian flavors and you're eating plant-based, check out this article, Vegan Italian Recipes: Bold Flavors, no Meat.

📖 Recipe