Vegan Lebanese Panna Cotta (Mahalabia)! Bake-free, fridge-set, and naturally luscious, Mahalabia proves that plant-powered desserts can be deeply satisfying, visually stunning, and incredibly simple to pull together.
This vegan Lebanese Panna Cotta, also known as Mahalabia, is a creamy, dairy-free dessert pudding that hails from the heart of Lebanon. Traditionally built on milk, sugar, and a touch of cornstarch, this version embraces plant-based goodness while staying luxuriously silky. Flavors flourish with hints of delicate rose water or orange blossom water, but our rendition shines with pure vanilla extract for a comforting, familiar kiss. Topping the set custard with bright raspberry sauce, pistachios, and a sprinkle of shredded coconut adds textural contrast and pop of flavor.
Whole Food Plant Based, Vegan, plant based, oil free, refined sugar free, no highly processed ingredients and gluten free.
Hi there, Ameera here!
Mahalabia! Lebanese Panna Cotta at its most dreamy and delicious—this dessert is as pretty as it is tasty. A heartfelt shout-out to Chrissy, my husband’s lovely sister, for help on this one. The result is a dessert that looks almost too pretty to eat, yet tastes sooooo good you’ll want seconds.
It’s incredibly easy to make, especially with a plant-based milk, and the set-once technique yields a glossy, sliceable pudding that proudly sits on a dessert table. If you’re searching for a show-stopping vegan finish that’s respectful of tradition while delivering modern, fresh flavors, this Mahalabia delivers—soft, fragrant, and utterly memorable. Give this one a try and savor the compliments that follow.
Tips for Success:
- Flavor Profile: This Vegan Lebanese Panna Cotta (Mahalabia) is a Lebanese dessert pudding traditionally made with milk, sugar, and cornstarch. Various flavorings are often added, like cardamon, rose water, or orange blossom water and topped with chopped pistachios and shredded coconut. We used vanilla extract for the flavoring. It’s an easy dessert made Whole Food Plant Based, full of deliciousness and makes for a beautiful presentation.
- Cornstarch (Arrowroot Powder)/Pudding Texture: This Lebanese dessert has a pudding/panna cotta like texture. Use 5 Tablespoons of cornstarch if you enjoy a traditional pudding-like texture. Use 6 Tablespoons if you enjoy a thick solid-like panna cotta texture. We kitchen tested both amounts of cornstarch. Most family members preferred the panna cotta texture (6 Tablespoons) while a few others were firmly holding to the 5 Tablespoons – pudding texture.
- Flavor: This dessert is basically a milk pudding lightly flavored with your choice of flavorings. Traditionally rose water, orange blossom water, or cardamon are used to flavor the milk pudding. We are not huge fans of rose water (too floral), but we do enjoy orange blossom water; however, in order to make this easy for our Whole Food Plant Based community, we used vanilla extract, something that most folks already have in their pantry. You can also flavor this milk pudding with orange, almond, or lemon extract or 1 to 1 ½ teaspoons of cardamon or even cinnamon. The beauty of this recipe is that you can taste the end product before committing to the refrigerator.
- Amount of Vanilla Extract: Our family was completed divided over the amount of vanilla extract needed to achieve the desired flavor. We recommend starting on the lower end (1 teaspoon) and building from there. The good news is you can taste as you go to ensure you achieve the flavor you enjoy.
- Unsweetened Plain Plant Milk: We used almond milk (plain, unsweetened). Feel free to use your favorite plant milk. You can also use a vanilla flavored unsweetened plant milk if you plan to use vanilla as the flavoring. You may wish to cut back on the vanilla extract or use the full amount. The good news is you can taste as you go to determine the amount of vanilla extract suits your personal preferences.
- Sweetness: The traditional Mahalabia recipe calls for ¾ cup of refined white sugar. The original Lebanese recipe can be sweet. However, we kept this recipe lightly sweet by only using ¼ cup + 1 Tablespoon of pure maple syrup. If not sweet enough, feel free to increase the maple syrup. The beauty of this recipe is that you can taste the end product before serving. Feel free to ramp up the maple syrup if needed.
- Fresh Raspberries: You can also use frozen raspberries.
- Raspberry Substitutions: You can use fresh or frozen fruits like strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, etc. You may need to adjust the maple syrup largely dependent on the sweetness of the fruit used.
- Maple Syrup Substitutions: Feel free to use your favorite sweetener.
- Various Toppings: Traditionally, this dessert is topped with chopped pistachios. But it is common to see a variety of different chopped nuts, like walnuts, pecans, etc. Shredded coconut if often used as well. Various fruit sauces are used as well like strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, and blackberry sauces. You can use fresh or frozen fruits to make the fruit sauces.
- Servings: This recipe makes between 4 and 6 servings. Divide between 4 glasses for 1 cup servings and 6 glasses for 2/3 cup servings.
- Table Salt: If using table salt, you should use less table salt than the amount listed in the ingredients as sea salt crystals are larger than table salt crystals. Since table salt crystals are very fine, less table salt is required to season a dish. We would suggest starting with about 1/4 to 1/2 the amount of sea salt listed. You can always add more salt but cannot take it away. We recommend using sea salt as it is less refined than table salt.
Leftovers and Freezing:
Leftovers will generally keep 5 days in the refrigerator. Store in a covered air-tight container.
This dessert does not freeze well.
Pantry Products:
- Sea Salt: Please adjust the sea salt based upon your family’s sea salt preferences and/or based upon dietary needs.
Kitchen Equipment:
- Medium stockpot
- Glass container (for refrigerating the Raspberry Sauce)
- For serving: Glass containers with lids (we used 4 pcs Set Overnight Oats Containers with Bamboo Lids)(feel free to use your favorite glass containers)
If you try this delicious dessert, we would love to know if you enjoy it as much as we do! Please leave us a review! Post a picture on Facebook or Instagram and tag us! We would love to hear from you.
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Vegan Lebanese Panna Cotta (Mahalabia)
- Prep Time: 20 Minutes
- Cook Time: 10 Minutes
- Total Time: 30 Minutes (+Rest Time)
- Yield: 4-6 Servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Lebanese
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This vegan Lebanese Panna Cotta, also known as Mahalabia, is a creamy, dairy-free dessert pudding that hails from the heart of Lebanon.
Ingredients
Base Ingredients:
- 4 cups unsweetened plain plant milk
- ¼ cup + 1 Tablespoon pure maple syrup (+/-) *
- 5 to 6 Tablespoons cornstarch (or arrowroot powder) *
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt (+/-) *
Other Base Ingredients:
- 1 to 3 teaspoons vanilla extract (+/-) *
Raspberry Sauce Ingredients:
- 12 oz. fresh raspberries *
- 2 Tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 2 Tablespoons water
- Pinch sea salt (+/-) *
Cornstarch Slurry Ingredients for the Raspberry Sauce:
- ¾ teaspoon cornstarch (or arrowroot powder)
- 2 teaspoons cold tap water
Optional Topping Ingredients:
- Sprinkle chopped pistachios
- Sprinkle shredded coconut
Instructions
- Place all the Base Ingredients into a medium-sized stock pot, whisk until all the cornstarch is dissolved in the milk. Important Note: The pot is not on the stove yet.
- Place the pot on the stove and cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently until the mixture starts to thicken, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Once it starts to boil and thicken, stir constantly for an additional 2 to 4 minutes until the mixture thickens and coats the spoon. The mixture will be a slightly thickened liquid. It will become solid once refrigerated and cold.
- Once thickened, remove from the stove and stir in the vanilla extract, then divide the mixture into 4 (or 6) serving cups, cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or preferably overnight.
- In the meantime, make the Raspberry Sauce by placing all the Raspberry Sauce Ingredients into a medium-sized stock pot. Over medium-high heat, bring to a boil, then stir until all the raspberries break down and a raspberry sauce mixture develops.
- Make the Cornstarch Slurry for the Raspberry Sauce by mixing the cornstarch and water into a small bowl. Mix until all the cornstarch is dissolved into the water, then add the cornstarch slurry to the hot raspberry sauce. Stir constantly until the sauce boils and thickens. Once thickened, lower the heat to medium and stir for several minutes, then remove from the stove. Allow to sit for 5 minutes off the heat. Then place in a glass container, cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or preferably overnight.
- To serve, remove from panna cotta from the refrigerator, top with some of the raspberry sauce and chopped pistachios. (See other variations). Enjoy!
Notes
Please reference the blog post for Tips for Success, Pantry Items Used, Storage and Freezing, and Kitchen Products Used.
Sea Salt: Please adjust the sea salt based upon your family’s sea salt preferences and/or based upon dietary needs.
Servings: 4 to 6
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