This Vegan Horchata Recipe makes the most delicious, creamy, easy Mexican almond and rice milk that is of course dairy free as well.
Soaked rice and almonds blended into a creamy chilled drink and then lightly spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla. Such a versatile and simple recipe that complements all your favorite Mexican recipes. You can also make a regular horchata recipe with rice and milk, without the addition of nuts.
Horchata is such an underrated, delicious drink, and it comes in different variations. Some horchata variations are naturally vegan, (dairy free) but some variations contain milk. Either way, this is one of our favorite breakfast drinks!
Horchata originates from a drink made by soaking and blending tiger nuts. But other variations can be made with rice, sesame seeds, almonds, melon seeds, and more!
I’ve even had the pleasure of drinking a cocoa horchata, made with rice and cocoa nibs that was incredible!
To make the horchata taste even richer and creamier, evaporated milk and condensed milk can also be added, but this recipe contains no milk and is a dairy free / vegan version of authentic horchata.
It’s a naturally plant based horchata, made with white rice, almonds, and unsweetened almond milk, and is ultra creamy!
Vegan horchata recipe highlights
- The white rice and nuts are first soaked in HOT water, which enhances their flavor.
- In addition to that, I usually leave it overnight, so that the water is fully infused with all the flavors.
- The rice and almond are blended and then drained, making this drink super creamy!
- I’ve made this vegan recipe with Mexican cinnamon as well as Ceylon cinnamon. Mexican cinnamon obviously contributes to that classic Mexican horchata taste, but Ceylon cinnamon gives it a very fragrant, floral flavor profile that I love. Feel free to use whichever cinnamon you have at hand. The nutmeg and vanilla also add a beautiful warmth and floral sweetness that enhance the taste of this vegan horchata.
- The addition of almond milk makes this dairy free horchata even more creamy and luxurious.
Ingredients you’ll need
- Dry rice – While you can use any white rice you have at home, long grain rice such as basmati rice or jasmine rice will give the best results. And you could also use brown rice. I personally don’t recommend using parboiled rice either.
- Raw almonds – Preferably blanched. However, if you’re going to strain the mixture through a fine sieve / cheesecloth, you can also use raw almonds with the skin.
- Plant based milk – I prefer to use barista almond milk or oat milk. Barista grade milk is slightly thicker and tastes richer.
- Sugar – I use white sugar.
- Cinnamon – A must for traditional horchata. You can use Mexican cinnamon or Ceylon cinnamon. Mexican cinnamon, which has a stronger flavor, yields a more typical Mexican horchata flavor. Ceylon cinnamon has a sweeter, more delicate flavor, and adds a floral cinnamon flavor to the drink.
- Nutmeg – Optional addition, but makes it taste a little like homemade eggnog!
- Salt – To balance and bring out other flavors.
- Water – For soaking and blending.
Equipment you’ll need
- High-powered blender – This is important because the finer and smoother you blend the white rice and nuts, the more flavor your creamy horchata will have.
- Large jugs that are heat-proof.
- Sieve and cheesecloth.
- Whisk.
- Jugs and bottles – to store the drink.
How to make vegan horchata
Step one
Wash the rice to remove excess starch. This step is crucial because you don’t want too much starch in the drink, and this way you can also use the soaking liquid without throwing it out.
Place the rice in a colander and rinse about 3 times until the water runs clear. Just like you would when cooking rice.
The step to prepare the almonds is optional, and only required if you want to do it.
If you’re using raw almonds with the skin, you can remove the skin before using. This is more important if you don’t want to strain the horchata at the end.
To do this, boil water in a large pot and add the almonds to the boiling water. Let it blanch for about 1 – 2 minutes. Then drain the water from the almonds and let it cool.
While warm, pinch each almond between your fingers and the almond should slip out of the skin.
However, if you can, use blanched raw almonds so that you can avoid this step, or make sure to strain the horchata at the end.
Step two
Soak the rice and almonds. This is crucial because soaking will soften the rice and almonds and make it easier to blend it into a smooth mixture.
Place the washed rice in a large jug or container (at least 4 cup capacity). Also place the almonds with the rice.
If using whole cinnamon sticks, add this as well, because the stick can soften along with the rice and almonds. Or you can add ground cinnamon when blending the horchata later. I like to soak the ingredients right inside the blender jug for convenience.
Pour about 2 cups of boiling water over the rice and almonds and stir to mix. Then let this soak for a minimum of 4 hours, but I like to soak it overnight. I like to soak it at room temperature, but it can also be kept in the fridge.
Step three
Blend the ingredients.
Place the soaked rice, almonds, cinnamon, and the soaking water in the blender (image 3). Add an additional 1 – 2 cups of water as well.
Blend on high speed for a few minutes until it’s very smooth and creamy. With my vitamix, this takes about 3 minutes (image 4).
Then add the sugar, salt, cinnamon (if using ground cinnamon), and nutmeg, and blend again for 1 – 2 minutes until everything is mixed through and the sugar is dissolved (image 5). The dairy free horchata should look silky smooth when blending (image 6).
Step four
Now it’s time to strain.
Here is where recipes can vary. Most recipes call for the horchata to be passed through a very fine sieve / nut milk bag or cheesecloth. Some don’t.
I only pass my horchata through a regular sieve to remove large pieces (image 7). Usually there are no large pieces because the blender has done its job.
This results in a very thick horchata that is slightly grainier than others, but we love our horchata this way!
But if I were to serve this drink to others, I would pass it through a very fine sieve or cheesecloth.
You can also use a nut milk bag for a smoother drink, but I prefer using a sieve that is not as fine as a nut milk bag.
Step five
Mix other ingredients.
Now add the remaining water, and the plant-based milk (image 8). This adds a lovely creaminess and richness to the horchata!
I usually have oat milk at home, so I tend to use this. However, you can use almond milk to complement the almonds that are already in the horchata.
Taste and add more sugar to taste.
Step six
Finally, it’s time to store the horchata. Horchata tastes best chilled. So, make sure to refrigerate the drink before serving.
If you’re impatient (like we always are!), then serve the horchata in a tall glass with lots of ice. The excess ice will chill the drink much faster, so you can have an ice cold horchata immediately (without any dilution of the drink).
Recipe tips
- Don’t forget to wash the rice before using it. If you soak unwashed rice, you will need to discard that soaking water and add extra water to the blended horchata. It’s just easier to wash off the excess starch before soaking the rice.
- Use raw almonds that are already skinned. Easier, and the texture is smoother at the end too. You can even use slivered or sliced blanched almonds.
- Part of the deliciousness of horchata comes from the slightly gritty texture because of the blended rice and nuts. So, if you choose to strain the drink, use a 165 – 225 micron mesh (mesh size 60 – 100) to strain. This will remove extra pulp, while still retaining very fine pulp that gives the horchata that characteristic creamy texture.
- Use barista grade plant milk to give the dairy free horchata a rich, thick texture.
- If you’re serving horchata with lots of ice, then you can add a little extra sugar to make it sweeter. The ice will melt and dilute the horchata slightly.
How to make dairy free / vegan horchata smoother
While we personally prefer minimally-strained homemade horchata, you can try these steps for extra smooth vegan horchata.
- Strain the horchata through a nut milk bag to remove most of the pulp. This is a time-consuming step however, as the pulp is thick. So, strain the horchata in batches, making sure to squeeze the pulp (with clean hands) to get as much liquid as possible. The more pulp you strain out, the less your yield will be – so bear that in mind.
- This will result in a vegan horchata that has no “pulp” or texture, and is very smooth. But without the pulp it is less creamy and thick as well.
- Another option is to use almond butter. Instead of using raw almonds, you can use ½ cup of natural almond butter. This will add the almond flavor with less pulp. This way, you only have to strain the pulp of the rice if you choose to.
- But I do find that this makes the consistency of the drink thinner, and not as rich.
Serving ideas
- This delicious drink can be enjoyed as is with ice, because it’s SO refreshing. It’s the perfect drink for hot summer days, especially during an outdoor party or BBQ, for Cinco de mayo and the holiday season. It’s one of our favorite breakfast drinks as well.
- And of course this Mexican rice drink pairs splendidly with Mexican dishes like tacos (fish tacos, pork carnitas tacos, roasted pork tacos), burritos, fajitas, quesadilla (like this fajita steak quesadilla), enchiladas, chicken taquitos, carnitas (like this pork carnitas recipe) etc.
- But it also pairs well with other Latin American and Spanish dishes.
- Really, it’ll pair with any spicy dish, because of how cooling and refreshing horchata can be! We recently served regular horchata with roasted hatch chiles and stuffed hatch chiles at a summer BBQ and it was such a crowd-favorite!
- It’ll be a perfect pairing with any one of these curry recipes too.
Recipe variations
Instead of almonds, you can also use other types of nuts such as,
- Cashews
- Hazelnuts – For a hazelnut flavored horchata
- Sesame seeds
Other additions
- When soaking the rice, add cocoa nibs or cocoa powder when blending to make vegan chocolate horchata.
- Add rum for an alcoholic horchata, much like a vegan rumchata!
- You could also add maple syrup or vanilla extract to your horchata, but keep in mind that this will change the flavor.
Storage
Horchata should be stored in the fridge in a jug or airtight container with a tight-fitting lid. While this horchata doesn’t last longer than 3 days in our home, it can be stored in the fridge for up to a week.
Since it’s so easy to make, we find ourselves making horchata 2 – 3 times a week during summer.
Frequently asked questions
Can I make this vegan horchata without a high-speed blender?
You could, but the texture won’t be as smooth. You will need to blend the mixture much longer and will have to pass the drink through a very fine mesh strainer to remove the large pieces.
If the blender isn’t high powered, it won’t be able to process the raw rice and almonds as finely as a vitamix or blendtec blender can.
What can I do with leftover rice pulp?
Personally, we very rarely ever strain our horchata, so we don’t have any leftover rice and almond pulp after making this drink.
However, if we are serving it to friends, then we do strain it to get some of the pulp out. This pulp is usually added to our compost bin. But there are other uses for it too!
Cook the pulp with water or milk and sugar to make a sweet porridge, or add it with rice to make kanji (rice porridge).
You can dry it out to make rice and almond flour and then use it to make crackers.
A non-food use is to make rice and almond water for hair. Soak the pulp with fresh water and let it sit at room temperature for 24 hours. Then strain and use the liquid as a wash for your hair.
Can I add alcohol to this vegan horchata?
Yes, you can!
Add rum to this vegan horchata to make a vegan rumchata! But if you don’t have rum, you can also add bourbon.
But did you know that orgeat syrup is made the same way as horchata, but is richer and sweeter?
So, you can absolutely use horchata to make a delicious horchata cocktail like army navy cocktail, mixed with gin like my Halloween themed army navy cocktail (unicorn blood cocktail).
Recipe
Dairy Free and Vegan Horchata
US based cup, teaspoon, tablespoon measurements. Weight measurements are recommended for accurate results whenever available.
Common Measurement ConversionsIngredients:
- 200 g raw white rice 1 cup (I use basmati or jasmine rice, wash the rice until the water runs clear)
- 200 g raw blanched almonds 1.5 cups
- 480 mL hot boiling water 2 cups
- 480 – 720 mL water 2 – 3 cups
- 200 g white sugar 1 cup (More if you like it sweeter)
- 1 pinch sea salt a generous pinch
- 2 sticks cinnamon about 3 – 4 inches long each (Or 2 tsp ground cinnamon)
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg optional (Freshly ground is preferred)
- 960 ml plant-based milk 4 cups (Preferably barista grade milk, almond or oat milks works)
Instructions:
Preparing the ingredients
- Wash the rice under cold water 3 – 4 times, until the water runs clear. Then set aside.200 g raw white rice
- Since the almonds are already blanched you don't need to prepare them, but if you have almonds with the skin on, blanch the almonds in a pot of boiling water for about 1 – 2 minutes. Then let it cool down slightly, and then pinch the almonds between your fingers to pop them out of their skin. Set aside until needed.200 g raw white rice
Previous day
- Transfer the rice, blanched almonds, and cinnamon sticks into a large bowl or jug. The jug from the blender also works.200 g raw white rice, 200 g raw blanched almonds, 2 sticks cinnamon
- Pour in the 2 cups of hot water and stir. The hot water should completely cover the rice and almonds. Cover and set aside. You can leave it at room temperature, but it can also be stored in the fridge.480 mL hot boiling water
- Let the rice and almonds soak for at least 4 hours, but overnight is better.
Making horchata
- Next day, blend the soaked rice and almonds along with the soaking liquid in the blender. If you're using ground cinnamon and nutmeg, you can add them at this stage.2 sticks cinnamon, ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- If needed, add another 1 – 2 cups of water into the blender if it makes it easier to blend. Blend for about 3 minutes or a little more in a high-powered blender. The time will depend on the blender that you're using.480 – 720 mL water
- Add the sugar and salt and blend further to dissolve the sugar. The horchata might be a little warm, but that's OK. It's important to make sure that the mixture is completely smooth.200 g white sugar, 1 pinch sea salt
- Pour the horchata through a fine sieve to remove large pieces. I don't usually strain the horchata because it's smooth enough to enjoy without straining. Most of the horchata will also pass through a mesh 100 sieve with a little help.
- You can use a nut milk bag to get an even smoother drink, but make sure to only pour a little at a time into the nut milk bag as you will need to squeeze the pulp to get as much liquid out as possible. If you choose to use a nut milk bag, bear in mind that this step will be quite time-consuming.
- Once the horchata is strained, add the remaining water and plant based milk and whisk to combine well. Taste and adjust the sweetness to your preference. I like the horchata to be a little sweet, because it will be served with ice, and will dilute slightly.960 ml plant-based milk, 480 – 720 mL water
- Refrigerate the horchata in the large container or in storage bottles / jugs until chilled.
- Shake or stir the horchata before serving as the horchata will separate as it stands. Serve chilled horchata with ice in a serving glass.
Recipe Notes
Recipe adjustments
This vegan horchata is creamy due to the addition of plant based milk. If you want a horchata that is not as creamy, you can add more water to your preference. This horchata should not be grainy or chalky if you use a high-powered blender. However, if you prefer to have less “sediment” in your horchata, you can use a nut milk bag to remove the pulp. Only strain the horchata in small batches, so that it’s easier to squeeze the pulp.Variations
To make a regular horchata with rice and milk (and without nuts), follow my regular horchata recipe. See the post for ideas for other recipe variations as well.Nutrition Information:
“This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.”
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