I bring you Vegan Cashew Cream Cheese - 3 ways. Check out this easy vegan recipe where I show you how to make you homemade vegan cream cheese with options to make a classic plain, herb & garlic, or fruity flavours. My Vegan Cashew Cream Cheese takes 25m minutes or less to make (plus 1 hour of setting time) and only requires 6 ingredients. Easy peasy. Take a look at this amazingly scrumptious, dairy-free, vegan recipe!
Boy am I glad this recipe was requested by so many of you because oooo-eee is this yummy! When designing my Vegan Cashew Cream Cheese recipe, I knew I wanted to make it as easy as possible (in true fuss-free vegan style). No days spent culturing and no hard to find ingredients.
Cashews are used as the creamy base. For flavor, a combination of apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, and white miso paste are added. Which, when combined together add the perfect amount of tang and umami. Coconut oil is also added to both help the cheese firm up when setting in the fridge and so the cheese will get a bit melty when spreading on a hot bagel.
The result is the perfect creamy, slightly tangy, spreadable, vegan cream cheese. Ooh la la!
But it get's better! Not only did I give you a recipe for a plain vegan cashew cream cheese, but I have also included additional instructions so that you can make your very own fruit cream cheese. I made this super cute vegan strawberry cream cheese. You could also try pineapple, raspberry, blueberry, any flavour you like!
AND I even included additional instructions so that you could make your very own garlic & herb vegan cream cheese. How fun is that? You can have all the vegan cream cheese you want and customize it as you please. Now let's get spreadin'!
To Make Vegan Cashew Cream Cheese:
Add the softened or soaked cashews, coconut oil, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, white miso paste, and salt to a food processor.
If you are making one of the flavoured cream cheese recipes then add the additional ingredients here too.
Blend to get the mixture as smooth as possible, stopping to scrape the sides as needed.
Pour the cream cheese into a small dish, and smooth the top with a spatula. Cover, then let set in the fridge for 1 hour, or until ready to serve.
Once ready to serve, my Vegan Cashew Cream Cheese will firm up and become nice and spreadable. Try it on bagels, crackers, toast, a dip for veggies, or whatever takes your fancy!
Common Questions:
How long can I store Vegan Cream Cheese?Â
Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to two weeks.
Can I freeze Vegan Cream Cheese?Â
Yes you can. But be sure to keep stored in a sealed container to avoid any freezer burn. Also note that freezing and then defrosting may affect the consistency. Best to defrost in the fridge rather than at room temperature. Defrosting in the microwave is not advised.
Bon Appetegan!
Sam Turnbull
The Best Vegan Cream Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw cashews, softened (see below)
- 2 tablespoons refined coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons white miso paste
- ¼ teaspoons salt or to taste
Instructions
To soften the cashews:
- You can either boil or soak the cashews. To boil the cashews (the fast method): add the cashews to a small pot, cover with water, and boil for about 10 minutes until the cashews are very tender. To soak the cashews: add the cashews to a bowl, and cover with water. Let soak for 4 hours or overnight until tender. Drain and rinse cashews before using.
To make the vegan cashew cream cheese:
- Add the softened cashews, coconut oil, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, white miso paste, and salt to a food processor. Blend to get the mixture as smooth as possible, stopping to scrape the sides as needed.
- Pour the cream cheese into a small dish, and smooth the top with a spatula. Cover, then let set in the fridge for 1 hour, or until ready to serve. The vegan cream cheese will firm up and become nice and spreadable. Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to two weeks.
Nutrition
Fruity Vegan Cream Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 recipe Vegan Cashew Cream Cheese (above)
- 2 - 6 tablespoons jam, jelly, or preserve of choice (strawberry, raspberry, pineapple, blueberry, etc)
- 1 tablespoon refined coconut oil
- vegan food colouring (optional)
Instructions
- When making the Vegan Cashew Cream Cheese add in the jam, additional coconut oil, and food colouring (if using) to a food processor and blend until as smooth as possible, stopping to scrape the sides as needed.
- Pour the cream cheese into a small dish. Cover, then let set in the fridge for 1 hour, or until ready to serve. The vegan cream cheese will firm up and become nice and spreadable. Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to two weeks.
Notes
Nutrition
Garlic and Herb Vegan Cream Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 recipe Vegan Cashew Cream Cheese (above)
- 1 clove garlic
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon dired parsley
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ¼ teaspoon dried dill
Instructions
- When making the Vegan Cashew Cream Cheese add in clove of garlic, oregano, parsley, basil, and dill to a food processor and blend until as smooth as possible, stopping to scrape the sides as needed.
- Pour the cream cheese into a small dish. Cover, then let set in the fridge for 1 hour, or until ready to serve. The vegan cream cheese will firm up and become nice and spreadable. Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to two weeks.
Nutrition
Bon appetegan!
Sam.
Rachelle says
I prefer to avoid oil. Will this recipe still work while omitting the oil?
Sam Turnbull says
Yes, but the cheese won't firm up as much so it will be a softer spread. Enjoy!
Janet says
Is there some other fat that can be substituted for the coconut oil in this recipe?
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Janet, coconut oil is unique in that it firms up at room temperature so no other oil will work for this.
izzi says
I had the same question about how to use this to make cream cheese frosting?
Mary says
Is it possible to substitute the vinegar for another non-vinegar source?
Sam Turnbull says
You could try lemon juice.
Ruby says
Have not tried. My partner has bodily problems with cashews...Any suggestion for substitutes?
Alison says
Hi. While the spreadability and ease to make is fantastic I do find the vinegar gives it too much tang for me. I would cut the apple cider vinegar down to a teaspoon next time.
Do you think I could add sugar and vanilla and make icing for carrot cake?
Thanks
Sam says
Can this be frozen?
Hadley says
Delicious! I made the garlic herb and the fruit flavored one, I used strawberry preserves. Yum. Next time I make the garlic herb one I might add black pepper and fresh chives. Made both in my Blendtec twister jar with no problems. Came out super smooth. Thanks for another great recipe, Sam!
Sam Turnbull says
You're most welcome Hadley!
Alison T says
Hey Sam, greetings from Adelaide, Australia!
Thanks a million for this recipe (and for your website overall really). I made this cashew cream cheese, the herby version, plus added a half teaspoon of cracked pepper, and it is just DIVINE. So creamy, yet firm, with a deep savoury flavour ... and delicious! My omni husband keeps sneaking back to have more, and thinks we should have some in the fridge all the time. So do I really. Highly recommend 🙂
Irene McDonald says
Angela shared her recipe with me and it was so good, I am making some for myself. We had the cheese with the herbs and it was sooooo good. Thanks Sam for another great cheese substitute!
Angela says
I’ve just made the garlic & herb cream cheese, it’s delicious - thank you!