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Learn how to make a light, creamy, decadent vegan cheesecake in an Instant Pot with this simple gluten-free recipe!
What’s better than traditional cake? Cheesecake, of course! This Vegan Instant Pot Cheesecake is just and decadent and delicious as the classic recipe and has a light, fluffy, and creamy texture that almost melts in your mouth! Top if off with a fresh strawberry compote, and you’ve got the perfect dessert.
This recipe is republished with permission from Vegan Richa’s Instant Pot Cookbook: 150 Plant-Based Recipes from Indian Cuisine and Beyond! This cookbook is packed with endless colorful and delicious recipes, ranging from soups, stews, tacos, desserts, and more! You can find the cookbook online, or wherever books are sold.
INGREDIENTS FOR INSTANT POT CHEESECAKE
This vegan cheesecake recipe is naturally dairy free thanks to a few simple swaps! Coconut oil is a simple replacement for butter in the crust. The cheesecake batter is mainly made from a combination of dairy-free yogurt, cashews, vegan cream cheese, and a little arrowroot powder to help let it set!
Plus, let’s not forget about the strawberry compote! Strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice combine to create a thick, juicy, and fruity compote that perfectly complements the tangy flavors of the cheesecake.
HOW TO MAKE VEGAN CHEESECAKE
The best thing about this recipe? You don’t need to turn on the oven to bake it! Many cheesecakes are made with a water bath in the oven, but baking this vegan cheesecake in the instant pot with a bit of water creates the same effect without heating up your whole house.
- Combine the oat flour, almond flour, and sugar with the coconut oil and maple syrup, then press in the bottom of a springform pan.
- Blend the cheesecake filling in a blender until creamy, then pour on top the crust
- Pressure cook the cheesecake in the Instant Pot until set, then remove.
- Let cool and come to room temperature, then refrigerate to thicken up
- Top with compote, then serve as desired!
You can make the strawberry compote either at the same time as the cheesecake, or separately – I prefer to do it separately while the cheesecake is cooling. If you want to get extra fancy, you can top it with even more fresh berries, or make my dairy-free Salted Caramel Sauce instead!
COOKING TIPS + FAQ:
- Use a trivet or steamer basket with handles: this makes it a lot easier to remove the cheesecake pan after baking.
- Springform pan: I used this springform pan and it worked well, but any smaller size will do!
- Reduce air bubbles: Some bubbles will form in the cheesecake batter during blending; the easiest way to remove them (and have a smoother top) is to drop the pan on the counter a few times, where they’ll naturally rise to the top.
- Excess water: some water may collect on the surface of the cheesecake due to the steam during baking in the Instant Pot; simply blot with a paper towel to absorb the extra water.
If you’re looking for more delicious vegan desserts, you’ll also love this Baked Vegan Snickers Cheesecake, these No-Bake Strawberry Cheesecakes, these Strawberry Sugar Cookies, and this Vegan Orange Olive Oil Cake!
Finally, if you make this recipe and decide to share it on Facebook or Instagram, don’t forget to tag me @FromMyBowl + #FromMyBowl! I love seeing your delicious recreations 🙂
PrintVegan Instant Pot Cheesecake with Strawberry Compote
Learn how to make a light, creamy, decadent vegan cheesecake with strawberry compote in an Instant Pot with this simple gluten-free recipe!
- Prep Time: 15 Minutes
- Cook Time: 60 Minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: Serves 8
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- Safflower or sunflower oil (for greasing)
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (66 g) oat flour (use certified gluten-free, if needed)
- 3/4 cup (85 g) almond flour
- 2 tablespoons coconut sugar or light brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- tablespoon pure maple syrup
- to 3 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
For the Cheesecake:
- 3/4 cup (100 g) raw cashews, soaked in hot water to cover for at least 1 hour or overnight
- 3/4 cup (170 g) plain non-dairy yogurt or coconut cream
- 3/4 cup (170 g) vegan cream cheese
- 1/3 cup (65 g) cane sugar
- tablespoon cornstarch or arrowroot starch
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
For the Strawberry Compote:
- 8 ounces (225 g) fresh or frozen strawberries
- 2 tablespoons sugar, or more to taste
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice, or more to taste
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch mixed with 2 teaspoons water (optional)
Instructions
- Prep: Pour 2 cups (475 ml) of water into the Instant Pot. Line the bottom of a 61/2- to 7-inch (16.5 to 18 cm) springform pan with parchment and oil the sides.
- Make the Crust: In a medium-size bowl, combine the oat flour, almond flour, coconut sugar, and salt. Add the maple syrup and 2 tablespoons of the coconut oil and mix until it all sticks together, adding 1 more tablespoon of oil, if needed. Press the crust into the prepared pan, spreading it out evenly; set aside.
- Make the Cheesecake: Drain the cashews and place them in a high-speed blender or food processor. Add the yogurt, cream cheese, sugar, cornstarch, vanilla, lemon juice, and salt and blend until the mixture is very smooth. Scrape and blend. Taste, adjusting the sugar or lemon juice, if needed. Pour over the crust and spread it out, using a spatula. Tip: Lightly “drop” the pan on the counter a few times to get rid of any extra bubbles.
- Make the Compote:
- In the same Instant Pot: cover the cheesecake with a stainless- steel pan that fits on top and place the strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice in the pan. Cover with foil. Place both pans on a trivet, then lower the trivet into the Instant Pot.
- Separately: Put all the compote ingredients, except the cornstarch slurry, in the inner pot. Lock the lid into place, set the Pressure Release Knob to Sealing, select the Pressure Cook/Manual setting at high pressure, and set the cook time to 3 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes, then quick release. If the strawberry compote is too runny, add the cornstarch slurry while still hot and mix well. Select Sauté to heat it up to thicken.
- Cook: Lock the lid into place, set the Pressure Release Knob to Sealing, select the Pressure Cook/Manual setting at high pressure, and set the cook time to 45 minutes if making the strawberry compote with the cheesecake, 40 minutes for just the cheesecake.
- Release the Pressure: Once the cooking cycle is done, let the pressure release naturally. Using silicone mini mitts, carefully lift out the trivet from the Instant Pot. If the strawberry topping is too runny, add the optional cornstarch slurry while still hot and mix it well. It will thicken as it cools. Heat it in a saucepan if it doesn’t thicken enough, or if you used frozen strawberries, as they would have leaked a lot more moisture.
- Cool and Serve: Let the cheesecake and strawberry compote cool completely, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Slice and serve the cheesecake topped with the strawberries.
Notes
- Berry Compote: feel free to replace the strawberries with equal parts of another berry – raspberries or blueberries would also be delicious!
- This recipe has not been tested with any other flour or nut substitutions; replace them at your own risk
- Reprinted from Vegan Richa’s Instant Pot™ Cookbook with permission from Richa Hingle and Hachette Go, © 2022
Keywords: vegan cheesecake, instant pot cheesecake, vegan instant pot cheesecake, dairy free cheesecake
This looks sooo yummy I can’t wait to make this for the holidays! Which brand of vegan cream cheese and yogurt do you use? By any chance do you have the conversion to an oven? Thank you ❤️
★★★★★
Bake at 350 degrees F / 180ºc for 40 to 45 minutes. Let it sit in the oven for another 10 minutes. Then cool on the counter for a few minutes. Refrigerate for atleast an hour before serving.
This looks amazing! I love my instant pot, and cheesecake of course. Having the recipe be gluten and dairy free, so I don’t need any modifications, is so exciting. Can’t wait to try this with fresh summer berries!
The cheesecake put so perfect! And you make it look so amazing! Thanks for making and sharing it Caitlin!
★★★★★
You’re always welcome!