Lemon Yogurt Parfait (vegan)

A delicious plant-based parfait featuring a silky smooth and tart lemon curd and non-dairy yogurt.  Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or dessert. Make this treat even more fun and nutritious by adorning with fresh fruit, granola, and seeds!

This Lemon Yogurt Parfait is just too pretty!

It’s not just that the colors are so vibrant and cheerful, it’s also the luxuriously creamy indulgence – plus the overall look. I could just eat it up!!! Oh, and believe me, I do…

This Lemon Yogurt Parfait is comprised of two primary ingredients – luscious lemon curd and non-dairy yogurt – with a hefty dose of options.

First up is the lemon curd. I recommend using my Vegan Lemon Curd to make this recipe. You can read all about it here. It’s a silky smooth and tart luscious lemon topping that tastes incredible on biscuits, pancakes, toast, muffins, yogurt, and ice cream.  It also makes a fantastic filling in tarts, trifles, and pies. I especially enjoy making and eating this Lemon Yogurt Parfait.

For convenience, I have included the Vegan Lemon Curd recipe right here in this post and recipe card. I love that it isn’t too sweet, which makes for a really nice breakfast or dessert option. The trick is to allow the curd to cool completely to room temperature before spooning it onto your non-dairy yogurt. You don’t want the heat to kill any of the healthy probiotics and beneficial bacteria in your yogurt. So yeah, as with all good things, it requires a little patience and self-control.

The second primary ingredient in this Lemon Yogurt Parfait is non-dairy yogurt. I’m sure you’re quite familiar with the healthful benefits of yogurt. But just in case you aren’t, I’ll do a quick summary. Regardless of the type of milk uses (dairy, nuts, coconut, oats, soy, or a hybrid), good yogurt is a healthy and nutritious food consumed around the world because it contains probiotics or live active cultures that support healthy digestion and improve beneficial gut bacteria. (Healthline)

The important thing to consider with yogurt is the added sugar. Whenever I buy commercially prepared yogurt, I look for unsweetened plain yogurts that don’t contain a lot of added sugars. I really enjoy Kite Hill and So Delicious yogurts because I can find plain unsweetened yogurt in larger containers. In addition to being healthy, they’re also thick and creamy. There are a lot of other options but most are flavored and I usually need unflavored and unsweetened yogurt for my recipes.

The problem is I can’t always find plain unsweetened non-dairy yogurt. And when I can’t, no problem! I simply make my own. And if you haven’t attempted to make your own yogurt, I highly encourage you to do so. My Creamy Non-dairy Yogurt is a breeze to make. Not only is it a super easy and creamy plant-based yogurt, it’s really good for you. Featuring a blend of raw nuts and whole grain oats, it’s creamy and doesn’t contain a whole of extra unwanted stuff. You can use a spoonful of prepared yogurt or purchase a non-dairy yogurt starter to make it, too.

Now that you have your cooled Vegan Lemon Curd and Non-dairy Yogurt, it’s time the fun part!!!

The key with most yogurt is to gently stir it to make it smooth. It’s then ready to create this Lemon Yogurt Parfait. Now you can create the parfait using layers. You can choose multiple thin layers or two thicker layers like the photos depict. Do this by spooning a portion of non-dairy yogurt into individual serving cups, then spoon some of the cooled lemon curd atop.  It really depends on the look you’re going for.

These Lemon Yogurt Parfaits are ready to enjoy now or can be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to three or four days. I think they’re a fantastic dessert treat.

But as this post’s summary suggests, these Lemon Yogurt Parfaits are a bit more versatile than a simple dessert option. As I stated earlier, they also make a very healthy breakfast treat and are fantastic inclusions at a spring brunch.

I love that you can use any fresh fruit with these adorable individual serving sized portions. But since I’m being honest, berries are excellent options here! And it’s not just raspberries either. You can use strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and more!! Not only does their color really pop next to the yellow curd, nature created all berries in nice little bite-sized packets to enjoy.

For breakfast, I like sprinkling these Lemon Yogurt Parfait with a little extra granola, hemp hearts, nuts, seeds, shredded coconut, and/or fresh fruit. The options are endless. You can use whatever you have on hand and whatever you enjoy eating. And these are great ready-to-serve breakfast options and snacks since they can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator. So not only are they pretty, nutritious, and fun; they’re also super easy and delicious!!

I hope you enjoy this Lemon Yogurt Parfait as much as I do.  

I would love to see your results! Please leave a comment and rate it down below, tag a picture @pebblesandtoast and #pebblesandtoast on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook!   Enjoy!!   

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Lemon Yogurt Parfait Ingredients

• Vegan Lemon Curd (recipe also follows)
• 2-3 cups Creamy Non-dairy Yogurt or other Non-dairy Yogurt
• Fresh fruit (optional)
• Granola, hemp hearts, seeds (optional)

Vegan Lemon Curd Ingredients

• ½ cup sugar*
• ¼ cup cornstarch**
• 1 cup unflavored unsweetened plant milk
• ½ cup lemon juice (about 3 lemons)
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• Dash of turmeric*** (optional)
• 2 Tbsp vegan butter (optional)

Instructions

1. In a saucepan, whisk together the sugar and cornstarch.  Whisk in the milk.
2. Turn the stove on to medium heat.  Whisk in the lemon juice, lemon zest, and turmeric.
3. Stir occasionally until the lemon curd thickens, about 5-10 minutes.
4. Turn off the stove, stir in the vegan butter (if using), and allow the curd to cool to room temperature.

1. Once cool, layer the parfait by spooning a portion of non-dairy yogurt into four individual serving cups, then spoon a portion of the cooled lemon curd atop.
2. If desired, sprinkle with granola, seeds, and/or fresh fruit.
3. Serve immediately or store covered in the refrigerator for up to three days. 

Notes

* I prefer using raw sugar since it retains minerals and nutrients, though it may lend a light natural brown hue to the lemon curd.  The turmeric covers this up and bright yellow hue.  I also like using ½ cup sugar, but you can use ¾ cup to 1 cup if you like sweeter lemon curd.

** You may substitute arrowroot starch for the cornstarch, if needed.

*** The turmeric is optional since it’s used solely for color.  You can add just a pinch for a slight yellow hue, ¼ teaspoon for a vibrant sunshine color, or something in between. I used ¼ teaspoon.

Feel free to use any fresh fruit, though all kinds of berries are perfect on this parfait. Same goes with the granola and seeds – anything goes.