Natural form

Whole dried soybeans, the raw source of soy milk, shown in a clean pile.

Showing the dried soybeans grounds the reader in the ingredient's plant origin and physical identity.

Beverages

Soy Milk

Protein-rich dairy-free milk for drinks, cereal, and cooking

Creamy and protein-rich, soy milk is the most neutral plant milk for coffee, cereal, and cooking, behaving much like dairy. Keep it at room temperature unopened, cold after.

Soy milk is the original plant-based milk — made from soaked, ground soybeans, strained, and cooked — and remains the most nutritionally dairy-like, with a comparable protein content and a creamy, full body. Its flavor is mild and slightly beany (less so in modern brands). That protein is its culinary edge: soy milk behaves most like dairy in cooking, steaming and frothing well, thickening sauces, and even curdling intentionally to make tofu or, with acid, a paneer-like curd. It's a sturdy one-to-one swap in béchamel, soups, baking, custards, and coffee, holding up to heat better than thinner plant milks.

Measured in: ml
Storage: Room Temperature

Allergens

Soy

Find it in

BeveragesHealth Food

Types & varieties

Unsweetened/plain

Savory cooking standard

Sweetened/vanilla

Drinks and desserts

Barista

Froths and resists curdling

How to use in cooking

Thanks to its protein, soy milk is the closest plant milk to dairy in behavior: it makes a proper béchamel and creamy soups, enriches baking and custards, and steams/froths for lattes (barista versions best). It can be curdled with acid (lemon, vinegar) into a soft curd, the principle behind tofu and homemade plant 'ricotta.' Be aware it can split if boiled hard with very acidic ingredients or added straight to hot coffee — temper it. Use unsweetened, unflavored soy milk for savory dishes.

How to choose

Unsweetened plain soy milk is the savory-cooking standard; sweetened/vanilla is for drinks and desserts. Barista soy milk froths and resists curdling in coffee. Higher-protein, additive-free soy milks behave most like dairy. Most are fortified with calcium and B12, making them a strong nutritional dairy alternative.

Common uses

Make dairy-free béchamel and cream saucesBuild creamy soupsBake cakes, breads, and custardsSteam and froth for lattesMake homemade tofuCurdle into a soft plant cheesePour over cereal or into porridge