Is Tiramisu Vegetarian? (Eggs & Mascarpone)

Tiramisu is an Italian dessert of mascarpone, eggs and coffee-soaked biscuits, and it is vegetarian but far from vegan. Here is what is in it and how to find the plant-based version.

Key Takeaways

• Tiramisu is vegetarian but not vegan.
• It is layered with mascarpone (dairy), eggs and ladyfinger biscuits.
• The espresso and cocoa are vegan; the cream and egg are not.
• A vegan tiramisu uses cashew or coconut cream and egg-free biscuits.

TL;DR: Tiramisu is vegetarian but not vegan: it’s layered with mascarpone (dairy), eggs, espresso-soaked ladyfingers and cocoa. A vegan tiramisu uses plant-based cream instead.

What’s in tiramisu

• Mascarpone: Italian cream cheese (dairy).
• Eggs: raw yolks (and sometimes whipped whites).
• Ladyfingers: sponge biscuits (contain egg and flour).
• Espresso + cocoa: vegan.

So it’s egg- and dairy-based: vegetarian, definitely not vegan.

The vegan version

Vegan tiramisu replaces the mascarpone and eggs with cashew or coconut cream and uses egg-free biscuits. It’s common at vegan cafés and in recipes.

The bottom line

• Vegetarian? Yes.
• Vegan? No for the classic: only a plant-based version.

See our Tiramisu dish guide for the full breakdown.

Check before you eat. The Verify Veg app scans a barcode or reads an ingredient list from a photo and flags ingredients against your diet (vegan, vegetarian, halal, kosher, Jain and more). Download on the App Store - Android is coming soon.

Written by Samir Narain, founder of Verify Veg. Verify Veg helps people check packaged food against their diet by scanning barcodes and reading ingredient lists from photos.

Note: Verify Veg provides ingredient-based compatibility checks, not certification. Recipes and preparations vary by restaurant, region and cook, so always confirm with the restaurant, brand or vendor.