This Vegan No-Bake Lemon Tart will quickly become your new favorite dessert. This citrus tart has a bright custard that is perfectly sweet and perfectly tart inside a date, nutty, oat crust. It’s so beautiful, no one will guess how easy it was to make or gluten-free!
Watch me demo this Vegan No-Bake Lemon Tart on Global News!
This tart is my healthy, gluten-free take on the French tarte au citron. The French version is delicious but is loaded with butter and eggs which increases LDL or bad cholesteral in a persons blood. Instead of using white flour, eggs and butter in the crust I use almonds, whole grain oats (gluten-free if needed), coconut, coconut oil and dates. The best part is these ingredients don’t need to be baked. That’s right! No turning on the oven or worrying about undercooked crusts!
Almonds contain lots of healthy fats, fiber, protein, magnesium and vitamin E. The health benefits of almonds include lower blood sugar levels, reduced blood pressure and lower cholesterol levels. They can also reduce hunger and promote weight loss.
For the lemon custard instead of the traditional egg and egg yolk to color and thicken it I use cornstarch, agar agar and turmeric. Cornstarch thickens the curd, agar agar stabalizes it and turmeric colors it a beautiful canary yellow. Don’t worry, you don’t taste the turmeric at all. The best thing about this curd recipe is no more worrying about having scrambled eggs in your filling!
What Is Agar-Agar?
Agar-agar, is a plant-based gelatin derived from seaweed. The white and semi-translucent vegetable gelatin is sold in flake, powder, bar, and strand form. I find it in the baking isle of my local grocery store. This recipe calls for powdered agar. If you are using flakes you will need to double the amount listed. If you can’t find agar-agar you can buy it here or add an additional 2 tbsp of cornstarch to the curd.
Some Tips For Making This Vegan No-Bake Lemon Tart
–Zest the lemons before you juice them. I love drinking lemon water. Before I slice the lemon for my drink I grate the zest and keep in the freezer to use in future recipes.
-Blend the almonds, oats and coconuts flakes before adding the dates, coconut oil and syrup. It will help the crust come together.
-If you don’t have almonds you can substitute walnuts, pecans or cashews in the crust.
-Start the lemon curd on the stove without the heat. This helps incorporate the agar agar and cornstarch.
-Resist the urge to add more turmeric in the beginning of the cooking stage. The color intensifies as it is heated.
More Recipes To Try
If you enjoyed this Vegan No-Bake Lemon Tart you’ll enjoy these other recipes:
–Velvety Vegan Salted Caramel Pudding
–Vegan Lemon Meringue Parfait Surprise
–Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake Bars
Sharing Is Caring!
If you made this Vegan No-Bake Lemon Tart, please take a photo of it and share it with me at @SusanCooksVegan. I’ll feature your beautiful creation on my Instagram and Facebook stories.
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Don’t forget to leave a comment on the recipe below and give this Vegan No-Bake Lemon Tart a star rating.
Thanks for the love, my friends!
In gratitude,
Susan
PrintVegan No-Bake Lemon Tart
This Vegan No-Bake Lemon Tart has a bright custard that is perfectly sweet and perfectly tart inside a date, nutty, oat crust. It’s so beautiful, no one will guess how easy it was or that it is gluten-free!
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 5 mins
- Total Time: 20 mins
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Stovetop, Chill
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
For the Tart Crust:
- 1 cup rolled oats, regular or gluten-free
- 1 cup raw almonds
- ½ cup soft pitted Medjool dates (about 6 dates)
- 2 tbsp coconut flakes
- 2 tbsp maple syrup or agave syrup
- 2 tbsp coconut oil melted
- Pinch of salt
For the Lemon Curd Filling:
- 2 ¼ cups full fat coconut milk
- 3/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1/3 cup vegan sugar
- 3 tbsp cornstarch
- 3 tbsp plant milk
- 1 tbsp powdered agar agar
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- Pinch of salt
To Garnish
- Red currents
- Fresh strawberries, halved
- Fresh basil leaves
- Edible flowers
Instructions
1. Line a 9-inch tart pan with a circular piece of parchment paper. This step is important, or the crust will stick to the pan making removal difficult.
2. Place almonds, oats and coconut flakes in a blender or food process until a it turns into a course flour (2-3 mins).
3. Add dates, melted coconut oil and syrup and salt. Process until the mixture sticks together. If it is too dry or falls apart, add another date and process again.
4. Transfer mixture to your prepared pan. Press down firmly with your fingers or place a square piece of parchment paper over the crust. Using the bottom of a drinking glass press down firmly going up the sides to create an even tart shell.
5. Place in fridge and make the lemon curd.
6. Place a medium sized saucepan on the stove with no heat. Combine all ingredients for the lemon curd and whisk to combine. It is important the cornstarch agar agar have completely dissolved. Turn heat to medium/high. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat to low/medium and simmer for another 4-5 mins, until the curd has thickened slightly.
7. Pour the mixture into the pie crust. Allow to cool at room temp before placing in the fridge (about 30mins). Refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight to set the filling.
8. Garnish with cut strawberries, red currents basil leaves and edible flowers.
This was absolute summery perfection! It looks so elegant, tastes divine, and was a cinch to prepare. My 12 year old son whipped up the filling while I threw the crust ingredients in the food processor, and before we knew it, it was done and chilling! We garnished with fresh picked strawberries and mint leaves, and everyone loved the bright flavours and contrasting textures. Definitely making this one again!
Hello Susan!. Can i replace coconut milk with another plant milk? And sugar for a liquid sweetener?
Author
Hi Morgan,
Thanks for the question. Yes, you could substitute a plant cream in place of coconut milk, no problem. A liquid sweetener will work in place of sugar. I would suggest tasting the curd before pouring it on the crust to make sure the sweetness level is to your liking.
Let me know how it goes!
Susan 💗🌱