Which vegetable milk goes best with coffee?

Small crash-test for delicious vegan cappuccinos.

With the vegetarian lifestyle constantly gaining ground, there are many who seek vegan cappuccino or vegetarian lattes. Even if one has not definitively turned to vegetarianism, various issues related to the high energy footprint of milk or their production methods lead many people to look for substitutes of plant origin.

However, even if we do not want to get milk out of our diet, it is not a bad idea to try our coffee with some milk of plant origin, even if only from a taste point of view. Each of the plant-based milks has its own unique characteristics, both in terms of taste and how well they mix with coffee. Although the sworn enemies of vegetable milk constantly complain about their great disadvantage (the huge and sometimes insurmountable difficulty in creating frothed milk), their fanatical friends emphasize their special taste, but also their benefits to human health.

We did a little crash-test on vegetable milks that can be found in supermarkets - always guided by how well they combine with coffee and how much they can broaden our taste horizons and give us new coffee experiences.

Which vegetable milk goes best with coffee?

Almond milk: Almond milk, most of the time, does not have the strong taste of nuts, being tastier and milder. In hot coffee, it tends to emphasize its bitter notes, highlighting them. For those who love coffee with milk, but do not want to lose the feeling of coffee from their cup or cup, almond milk is a good choice, which guarantees coffee with a strong taste and pleasant texture. However, it is good to be careful not to choose almond milk with added sugars, nor of course with additional flavors (vanilla, chocolate, etc.) unless we want a coffee reminiscent of the coffees of the famous, large American chain.

Coconut Milk: Adds a denser texture to our coffee, makes it a sweeter idea and of course, gives it an exotic touch, which however is not always desirable. It is ideal for recipes that "lift" this exotic note, for cold preparations that give it an extra refreshing character, but many will resent the strong taste of coconut in their daily coffee. Definitely worth a try, but be careful, because it usually has more calories than animal milk, but also from most natural substitutes.

Hazelnut Milk: Nut notes but also a discreet emphasis on the natural bitterness of coffee are the main reasons why many people choose hazelnut milk for their Latte. While it is particularly delicious in hot drinks, it is particularly intense in the cold, with results that are not particularly flattering. It is particularly rich in nutrients and vitamins, while depending on the brand it has a more or less intense hazelnut flavor, but also added sugar and calories.

Oat Milk: Oat milk is good for health, as it is rich in fiber and has a higher percentage of protein than other vegetable milks. The presence of more protein allows it to make frothed milk more easily, which makes it sought after by those who want a vegan or plant-based cappuccino. Its taste is relatively neutral, which makes it suitable for almost all coffees, as it is suitable for every taste. It is richer in natural sugars, but also helps reduce cholesterol.

Rice Milk: It mixes easily with coffee, but its taste is anemic and weak. Many claim that the result is just a diluted coffee and nothing more. Usually, the lack of taste is covered by additional sugars or aromas, which alters the taste of coffee even more, while of course it is impossible to create frothed milk, due to the lack of protein.

Soy Milk: Its fanatical friends claim that it is the closest, in terms of taste, to animal milk, his enemies object that he often "cuts" in hot drinks, giving a grainy texture to coffee. Due to its high protein content, the adventurous can try to make frothed milk, with many chances of success. Its texture is satisfactory and its taste is very close to that of cow's milk to which we are accustomed.



The delicious experiments we can do with coffee are really inexhaustible - there is no need to turn into vegans, to try our latte with soy or almond milk!