Dairy-free Vanilla Protein Ice Cream- Made with just 4-ingredients, this dairy-free vanilla ice cream has the perfect creamy texture. Each servings packs 16 grams of protein!
We’re back with another dreamy Ninja Creami protein ice cream! While the chocolate version still remains my go-to flavor, it’s nice to have vanilla on occasion to switch things up. Or to pair with desserts like blueberry peach crisp and warm apple pie bars (coming soon hehehe).
You can also add all kinds of delicious mix-ins to create new flavors. One of my recent favorites has been swirling in cookie butter with crushed graham crackers. Holy yum.
Dairy-free Vanilla Protein Ice Cream Ingredients
- Extra Firm Tofu– Although silken tofu would be easier to blend, the protein content is much lower. For that reason, I recommend sticking with extra firm tofu.
- Vanilla Protein Drink– Using a premade vanilla protein drink makes the recipe come together with less ingredients. Aloha is my favorite because it’s made with coconut milk and coconut sugar so it doesn’t have that fake sugar taste. You can also use plant milk (like soy or coconut) in place of the protein drink, just keep in mind the protein content will be lower. But you can add a scoop of vanilla protein to boost it back up. Just make sure that you like the flavor of whatever protein drink or powder you choose as that is what the ice cream will taste like.
- Vanilla Extract– Adding just a little vanilla extract helps to enhance the vanilla flavor of the ice cream. I recommend using non-alcoholic vanilla extract so that you can don’t have to worry about tasting the alcohol in the ice cream.
- Honey– There is a strong chance you are going to want to add sweetener to make the ice cream taste more like, well, ice cream. I find 2-3 tablespoons are enough but you may want to add more to suit your taste preferences. If you want to keep the recipe vegan, you can use pure maple syrup, agave nectar, coconut sugar or cane sugar.
How to Make Dairy-free Vanilla Protein Ice Cream using the Ninja Creami
- Add all of your ingredients to a blender. Blend on high until smooth.
- Taste test and adjust sweetener or vanilla to your personal preferences.
- Pour into Ninja Creami containers and freeze upright for 8 hours, or overnight.
- Blend on lite ice cream setting. It will likely look crumbly at first. Just keep blending until a smooth consistency is achieved.
- Add desired mix-ins. Serve and enjoy!
Can I make it soy-free?
I have tested the vanilla version with soy-free tofu and found it to be too bitter for my liking. Because of that I don’t recommend using fava bean tofu.
I have also tried whisking 1 tablespoon of dairy-free instant pudding mix to with 1 vanilla protein drink directly in the Creami container then freezing and blending the same as the tofu version. Honestly, the results were just ok. The texture was much more icy compared to the tofu version. But if you are desperate for a soy-free ice cream, it is certainly worth trying!
Dairy-free Vanilla Protein Ice Cream (Ninja Creami)
Made with just 4-ingredients, this dairy-free vanilla ice cream has the perfect creamy texture. Each servings packs 16 grams of protein!
Servings: 7 servings
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To a blender, add tofu (torn into pieces), vanilla protein drink (or plant milk), vanilla extract, and honey (or maple syrup). Blend until smooth.
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Taste test to see if you prefer more vanilla (be careful not to add too much if using alcohol-based vanilla extract) or more sweetener (honey/maple syrup) and adjust accordingly.
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Pour the mixture into 3 Ninja Creami containers then place in freezer in the upright position. Allow to freeze for at least 8 hours or up to overnight.
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Using the lite ice cream setting, blend a container until a smooth and creamy ice cream forms. Tip: It helps to let the container sit out for about 20-minutes prior to blending, otherwise you might need to blend it twice to get a creamy result. Serve immediately and enjoy!
If you’d like to skip the protein drink, you can substitute equal amounts of plant milk. I recommend a higher fat plant milk such as soy or coconut milk for a better ice cream consistency. You will likely need to increase the amount of sweetener and vanilla, to your personal taste. You can also add a scoop of protein powder to the blender with the milk to boost the protein content, if desired.
Calories: 161kcal, Carbohydrates: 6g, Protein: 16g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 0.2g, Sodium: 79mg, Potassium: 91mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin C: 0.03mg, Calcium: 32mg, Iron: 3mg
