Make vegan herb butter from coconut milk and herbs

Lovely bunch of coconuts (public domain photo)

Homemade herb butter is quite delicious especially when made fresh. Going vegan? Not sure what to sub for butter since most margarine contains dairy? Why not make some whipped herb "butter" from coconut milk? The delicate flavor of homemade vegan herb butter brings a zest and sweetness to food that regular butter cannot begin to match. Use fresh vegan coconut herb butter as a spread on bread and more.

Delicious vegan herb butter can be made with any herb or a combination of herbs. My favorite is made with rosemary, lemon thyme and a hint of garlic. This herb combination in whipped coconut milk makes the most aromatic and mouthwatering garlic bread ever.

You may be able to find vegan margarine in the store to make herb butter with, but it should be used sparingly. If made with hydrogenated vegetable oils, it's extremely bad for your health.

To make 100 % homemade vegan herb butter, the first consideration is making the butter itself. Old timers used churns and dairy cream. They had to turn that paddle for hours to get results. We now have wonderful appliances called mixers or beaters to do that work for us, making it possible for vegans to use coconut milk as a butter base.

The main ingredient in vegan butter is coconut milk. Do not buy the type that is located in the dairy section with the milks. Instead, check the natural foods section for the more concentrated version that comes canned. It whips better.

Use a large chilled bowl and chilled coconut milk to start making the herb butter. Whip small amounts at a time as coconut milk butter loses it's whipped texture when stored. The bowl should be quite a bit larger than the milk, which will increase in volume when whipped.

Now get out the beater. Set it on high speed. The coconut milk will have to be monitored closely while it is being beaten. It takes some time, but coconut milk will form whipped "cream.” This butter will not be as solid as regular butter.

The hard part is done. Now mix a little salt and your favorite herb or herbs into the vegan butter. Fresh herbs are best. They can be found in the produce section of the grocery store. Your homemade herb butter should be made just prior to use.

Notes:

*You can also use a food processor or blender, since your hand may tire. It can take as much as 15 minutes to get coconut milk to whip smooth.
*If you prefer a firmer butter, use coconut oil in place of the coconut milk.
*Use whipped coconut milk as you would whipped cream for desserts and such. Simply add vanilla and your favorite vegan sweetener.

Portions of this post were previously published by this author on a closed Yahoo! property.