Vegan Strawberry Ice Cream

I'm back with another healthy and creamy ice cream recipe with today's Vegan Strawberry Ice Cream! I love to make homemade vegan ice cream all summer long. It is so much fun! Making ice cream at home is the perfect way to make your favorite ice cream flavors without all the crazy ingredients added to store bought ice creams.

Why make this Vegan strawberry ice cream Recipe?

What makes this Vegan Strawberry Ice Cream recipe so good? It's actually a couple things!

First, and most importantly, this creamy strawberry ice cream is made with clean, simple ingredients. That means all natural whole foods plant based ingredients in my book. It's amazing what you can achieve with plants! This ice cream is so creamy that nobody will even know it's vegan, or healthy!

Second, it is incredibly creamy. Too often I see strawberry ice cream recipes that are super icy and hard. This recipe couldn't be any more different. It's rich and silky smooth.

Last, but not least, it is easy to make! It's a little time consuming I will admit, however the actual process of making it is super simple! All you'll need is: A large bowl, a blender (I recommend a Vitamix), an ice cream maker, and some kind of container to store the ice cream in.

Ingredients for this vegan strawberry ice cream:

• Raw Cashews - Used to create the creamy ice cream base. Raw cashews are my favorite for creamy vegan foods, because they are rich and full of fiber and nutrients! I always buy my cashews in bulk, because they are significantly cheaper. You can get an additional $10 off at Wilderness Poets with my code: "VEGAN10"
• Full Fat Coconut Milk - You can sub lite coconut for a lower calorie ice cream, but it will take longer to churn and freeze, and won't be as rich. I recommend trying this recipe with full fat coconut milk first before making any adjustments.
• Medjool Dates - You can use any date variety, but I find that medjool dates work the best. They are super sweet and get super soft when soaked, which makes them perfect for blending.
• Vanilla Extract - I swear by using Mexican Vanilla. The flavor is strong and compliments everything so nicely! It's a little more expensive, but I PROMISE you it's worth it.
• Freeze Dried Strawberries - You can use frozen strawberries if you wish to lower the calorie density of this ice cream. However I went with freeze dried strawberries, because it helps keep the ice cream super creamy and rich. If you're going to indulge, I say go big, or go home (as long as it's whole foods plant based :P)

What you need to make this recipe:

• High Speed Blender - This recipe can be made in any blender, but if you use a high speed blender like a Vitamix it will be much easier.
• Large Bowl - You will just need a bowl big enough to soak the dates and cashews in (to the point where they are completely covered).
• Ice Cream Maker - Any ice cream maker will work. This is the one I use.
• Ice Cream Container (optional) - If you choose to make this recipe scoop-able, I recommend storing the ice cream in an ice cream container to avoid it getting too hard, or freezer burn.

How to make this vegan strawberry ice cream:

This Vegan Strawberry Ice Cream is super easy to make. It just takes a couple steps and some waiting. However it is not at all tedious!

First, begin by pitting the dates and adding them to the large bowl with the cashews. Cover completely with water. Place in the fridge to soak for at least 4 hours, or overnight. If you're not using a high speed blender I definitely recommend soaking them overnight.

Once they are soaked and soft, strain them. I like to save the water they were soaking in and adding it to smoothies! It's super sweet and full of vitamins and minerals.

Add the strained dates and cashews to the blender along with the strawberries, coconut milk, and vanilla extract. Blend until silky smooth (I blend mine on high for a full minute).

Once the ice cream mixture is smooth, pour it into the ice cream maker. Churn for 30-45 minutes, or until it begins to stick to the paddle. Enjoy immediately as a soft serve, or freeze for an additional 3 hours, or until firm. Scoop and enjoy!

Frequently asked questions:

Can I Make This Ice Cream No-Churn?

Making healthy no-churn ice cream is tricky. Most no-churn ice creams are made with sweetened condensed milk. Since this recipe is sugar-free and dairy-free, it's a bit harder to achieve that fluffy texture.

However you can still make a soft serve no-churn ice cream. To do this follow the steps until it's blended. Instead of pouring the mixture into the ice cream maker, pour it into ice cube molds. Freeze until frozen. Add the cubes back into the blender with a bit of plant based milk and blend until smooth and creamy!

Can I Make This Vegan Strawberry Ice Cream Recipe Without Coconut?

Coconut is a great vegan cream substitute. However I completely understand that it is not for everyone. Can you make this recipe without it? Honestly I haven't tried it. My recommendation for making this recipe without coconut milk would be to use an almond or soy based yogurt.

This would make it more of a frozen yogurt, but you could still achieve creaminess. If you go this route, please use about 3-5 more dates, as well as 1 more teaspoon vanilla extract.

Can I make This Ice Cream With Fresh Strawberries?

Absolutely! If you make this Vegan Strawberry Ice Cream with fresh strawberries it will actually lower the calorie density of the entire dish. Why did I make it with freeze dried strawberries? I made this recipe using freeze dried in place of fresh strawberries to achieve the ultimate creamy strawberry ice cream.

Since freeze dried strawberries don't have any water content, they don't change the consistency of the base ice cream. Therefore if you use fresh strawberries the ice cream won't be as rich, but it will be lower in fat and calories per serving (you will also end up with more servings)! I'd recommend using 2 cups of fresh strawberries.

Related Vegan Ice Cream Recipes:

• Vegan Superman Ice Cream
• Peanut Butter And Jelly Ice Cream
• Cherry Almond Ice Cream
• Healthiest Vegan Ice Cream