Print

Nut or Seed Milk

Prevent your screen from going dark

Makes About 2 1/2 cups 1x

Time 15 to 20 minutes, plus 8 to 12 hours soaking time

Units Scale

Ingredients

  • 1 cup unsalted raw nuts or seeds
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  1. Soak the nuts in generous water to cover for 8 to 12 hours until swollen and soft.
  2. Drain and put in a blender with 4 cups fresh water. Process on high until smooth.
  3. Line a fine-meshed strainer with 2 layers of dampened cheesecloth so the sides overhang by several inches; set it over a large bowl. Pour in the purée, gather up the ends, and squeeze as much liquid as possible out of the purée. The milk will keep in an airtight container, refrigerated, for 3 to 4 days.

— Recipe from How to Cook Everything Vegetarian: Completely Revised Tenth Anniversary Edition

Recipe variations

GRAIN MILK: You can make this with white or brown rice, rolled or steel-cut oats, buckwheat, or millet; white rice and oats produce milks with the mildest flavor: Substitute the nuts with the grain of your choice and decrease the water in Step 2 to 3 cups.

SOY MILK: The results are thicker and richer than commercially made soy milk — more like half-and-half. I like it but if you want something lighter, thin the finished milk with a little cold water. Substitute dried soybeans for the nuts, rinsing first and picking them over for any debris before soaking them. Drain the beans, put them in a pot with enough water to cover, and bring to a boil. Adjust the heat so the liquid bubbles steadily, cover, and cook, stirring once in a while, until just tender, about 1 hour. Drain and add to a blender with 4 cups water; purée. Let sit for a few minutes to cool, then strain as directed in Step 3.

NOTES:

  • If you like, you can add a touch of sweetness and flavor by including a bit of vanilla extract or agave nectar before puréeing; or dissolve sugar to taste after straining.
  • This recipe can be doubled, tripled, or more.