Strawberry Vanilla Coconut Ice Cream

Every other Thursday, Gena Hamshaw of the blog Choosing Raw shares satisfying, flavorful recipes that also happen to be vegan.

Today: A vegan ice cream so creamy and rich, it'll bring a smile to the face of even the most die-hard ice cream enthusiast. 

I’ve been on the hunt for a perfect vegan ice cream for a while now. My default has always been my one-ingredient ice cream (and the many variations you can create with it). But let’s face it: sometimes you want a flavor other than banana. Sometimes you want rich, creamy, scoopable vanilla ice cream with a whisper of summery fruit.

Finally, I think I’ve found it. This vegan ice cream has it all: decadent texture, tons of flavor, and a nice balance between the richness of coconut and the bright, tart flavor of fresh strawberries. It’s easy to prepare, and I guarantee you that even the most discerning of ice cream enthusiasts will love it. 

More: Strawberries and coconut will also get you a decadent, impressive raw dessert. 

In vegan ice creams, thickening agents like arrowroot, cornstarch, or tapioca starch serve as an egg replacer and keep things creamy. It’s totally possible to make delicious ice cream work without them, but your finished product may turn out a little frosty. In this recipe, I use arrowroot, but cornstarch and tapioca starch are suitable substitutes. 

So go get a pint of your sweetest, brightest strawberries, and break out the ice cream maker, because this one, I promise, is a keeper. 

Strawberry Vanilla Coconut Ice Cream

Serves 4

1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries
3 cups (or 2 cans) full fat coconut milk, with 1/2 cup set aside
2 tablespoons arrowroot powder (substitute cornstarch or tapioca starch)
1 vanilla bean, split down the center, seeds scraped out (substitute 1 1/2 teaspoons good quality vanilla extract)
1/2 cup evaporated cane juice
Pinch sea salt

See the full recipe (and save and print it) here.

Photos by James Ransom