Easy Vegan Cashew Cream Cheese
This easy vegan cashew cream cheese is a creamy, flavorful spread that’s perfect for bagels, sandwiches, or veggies. Made with simple, wholesome ingredients, it offers a delicious dairy-free alternative that’s both nutritious and versatile.
Cheese is one thing so many people miss the most when they switch to a whole food plant-based diet that is completely dairy-free. I can’t even count the number of times participants in my Food for Life classes have begged for ideas to replace cheese.
The good news is that we’ve got all the vegan cheese recipe options you could possibly want including my stretchy Cashew Mozzarella Cheese, Best Vegan Cheese Sauce, Vegan Nacho Cheese, Sweet Potato Cheese, Vegan Ricotta, 5-Minute Cashew Parmesan, and Vegan Sliceable Cheese.
During the last holiday season, I used this cream cheese recipe to come up with an amazing vegan cheese ball that you also need to try.
Reasons you will love this recipe
- Rich and Creamy Texture: This vegan cashew cream cheese has a smooth, velvety consistency that mimics traditional cream cheese, making it perfect for spreading, dipping, or adding to recipes.
- Dairy-Free and Vegan: Enjoy all the deliciousness of cream cheese without any dairy. This cashew-based alternative is 100% plant-based, making it suitable for vegans and those with lactose intolerance.
- Easy to Customize: You can easily customize this vegan cashew cream cheese with your favorite herbs, spices, or flavorings, creating a personalized spread that suits your taste preferences.
Ingredients needed
There are only a handful of wholesome ingredients needed to make dairy-free cream cheese that is simple to make and creamy smooth.
- Raw Cashews- Cashews are the creamy base that makes this non-dairy spread so delicious.
- Silken Tofu- Though any texture of tofu will work, I prefer the silken soft version.
- Lemon Juice- To add a bit of tang.
- White Vinegar- The perfect twist of flavor for this vegan cheese recipe.
- Nutritional Yeast- For that cheesy-nutty flavor.
- Garlic Powder- Adds so much flavor.
- Onion Powder- Deepens the flavor.
- Salt- It only takes a tiny pinch to create the perfect saltiness.
Tips & Suggestions
- Your blender might struggle with small amounts of cashew cream cheese because the blades can’t properly reach the mixture, causing it to just spin around without getting fully blended. For smoother results, a food processor or high-powered mini blender is often better for these smaller batches! Another option is to make a double batch (or even 1.5 batches) to increase the volume.
How to make vegan cream cheese
The recipe card at the bottom of the page has the full list of ingredients with measurements and instructions.
To make this recipe, you’ll need either a high-power blender (I love my Vitamix) or a food processor.
STEP #1: Begin by soaking the raw cashews in hot water for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour. Don’t skip this part just because you have a high-power blender that can handle the nuts. My Vitamix 5200 Series can blend up raw cashews without a problem, but soaking is necessary for getting the right creamy texture for this recipe.
STEP #2: Once the cashews have softened, drain the water, and add the nuts to your blender or food processor.
Add all of the other ingredients and blend until nice and smooth. Because it’s such a small amount, at approximately 2 cups, you’ll likely need to stop and scrape down the sides as needed to keep it processing smoothly. If needed, add a tablespoon of your favorite plant milk to make the blades spin.
STEP #3: Use it immediately to smear on our oil-free whole wheat bagels or chill in the refrigerator. It will firm up even more after chilling.
Serving suggestions and tips
Smear it on bagels or toast, spread it on sandwiches and wraps, use it as a dip for veggies and crackers, or sweeten it with a bit of maple syrup or vanilla and use it as a frosting for vegan cupcakes, as a filling for stuffed dates, or in no-bake desserts.
Recently, I came up with this easy vegan cashew cheese ball using this cream cheese recipe, and it is out of this world!
Frequently Asked Questions
Honestly, no. Traditional cream cheese is full of oil, dairy, and fat, so it’s not possible to make it taste exactly the same with the wholesome ingredients used. However, it is absolutely a delicious nutty spread that is great on bagels, toast, and celery sticks.
No. The tofu can be left out, but I do feel like it adds a lot to the texture. The rest of the tofu block can be used to make homemade vegan mayo, Tofu Sour Cream, or even Dairy-Free Chocolate Mousse. If you don’t use it, add a tablespoon or 2 of plant milk.
Yes, This recipe is gluten-free, vegan, and completely plant-based.
I haven’t tried it and am not sure. If you give it a try, I would love to hear the results.
Store in the refrigerator for up to 7 days in an airtight container or freeze.
For those of you new to the whole food plant-based lifestyle, we’ve created a FREE 7-Day Plant-Based Menu Planner to help you get started!
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Easy Vegan Cream Cheese
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups raw cashews
- 4 oz silken soft tofu 1/4 of the block
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- To make this recipe, you’ll need either a high-power blender (I love my Vitamix) or a food processor.
- Begin by soaking the raw cashews in hot water for at least 30-minutes to 1-hour. Don’t skip this part just because you have a high-power blender that can handle the nuts. My Vitamix can blend up raw cashews without a problem and do it often, but soaking is necessary for getting the right creamy texture for this recipe.
- Once the cashews have softened, drain the water, and add the nuts to your blender or food processor.
- Add all of the other ingredients and blend until nice and smooth. Because it’s such a small amount, at approximately 2 cups, you’ll likely need to stop and scrape down the sides as needed to keep in processing smoothly. If needed, add a tablespoon of your favorite plant milk to make the blades spin.
- Use it immediately to smear on our oil-free whole wheat bagels or chill in the refrigerator. It will firm up even more after chilling.
Video
Notes
- Blending- Your blender might struggle with small amounts of cashew cream cheese because the blades can’t properly reach the mixture, causing it to just spin around without getting fully blended. For smoother results, a food processor or high-powered mini blender is often better for these smaller batches! Another option is to make a double batch (or even 1.5 batches) to increase the volume.
- Serving Suggestions- Smear it on bagels or toast, spread it on sandwiches and wraps, use it as a dip for veggies and crackers, or sweeten it with a bit of maple syrup or vanilla and use it as a frosting for vegan cupcakes, as a filling for stuffed dates, or in no-bake desserts. Recently, I came up with this easy vegan cashew cheese ball using this cream cheese recipe, and it is out of this world!
- Tofu- The tofu can be left out, but I do feel like it adds a lot to the texture. The rest of the tofu block can be used to make homemade vegan mayo, Tofu Sour Cream, or even Dairy-Free Chocolate Mousse. If you don’t use it, add a tablespoon or 2 of plant milk.
- Storage- Store in the refrigerator for up to 7 days in an airtight container or freeze.
Nutrition
Disclaimer
To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
About Terri Edwards
Hi guys! I am the content creator behind EatPlant-Based and a licensed Food for Life instructor with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. I am passionate about sharing healthy recipes and tips to empower others to get healthy. I’m so glad you’re here! Read More…
Omgoodness this is so delicious and I need to make more!! I used it for everything from wraps and sandwiches to making creamy pasta dishes and Alfredo zoodles!! Thank you for this, and for so many wonderful recipes. I want to try making the bagels next.c
YAY! I’m glad you love the recipe and found so many ways to use it. I just made a double batch for us to take on vacation to the mountains with us. YUM!
Hi…if you substitute sunflower seeds for the cashews, do you measure out the same 1 1/2cups?
Thanks!
Renee- Yes, sunflower seeds can be substituted for cashews in the same ratio. Enjoy!
This is good but I had a horrible time getting it blended up. I soaked the cashews for an hour, and added 1 1/2 Tbsp of plant milk. Still a struggle. Not sure if I will make it again if I do I will soak the cashews over night. Love your cheese sauce and your recipes. Thanks!
Hi Brenda- What kind of blender do you have? Lower-power blenders tend not to do as well with getting nuts creamy. If your blender isn’t high-power like a Vitamix, soaking the cashews in warm water for longer is probably going to give the best results.
I also had a very hard time. I used a Vitamix and soaked my cashews. Still had to add 1/4 cup almond milk to get it to spin. Don’t know where I went wrong
You didn’t do anything wrong. Your blender might struggle with small amounts of cashew cream cheese because the blades can’t properly reach the mixture, causing it to just spin around without getting fully blended. For smoother results, a food processor or high-powered mini blender is often better for these smaller batches! Another option is to make a double batch (or even 1.5 batches) to increase the volume.
Can this be used in soup to make a dish creamy like regular cream cheese does?
Hi Heather- It’s made with cashews, so I would think it could add a bit of creaminess to other dishes. I haven’t tried it though.
Terry, do you think you could substitute 1/2 or more of the nuts with white beans?
Hi Robin- Though I haven’t tried it, I feel like it could be a good option for those trying to reduce the calories from cashews. If you give it a try with 1/2 white beans, please let us know how it goes.
Any way to make this nut free?
Melissa- Do you do sunflower seeds? I’m thinking they would be a good substitute for the cashews.
Could you make this flavored, like strawberry flavored by just adding fruit or would it need something more?
Hi Tara- That’s a great question and sounds like a delicious idea. I would think adding a little fruit would be yummy, possibly even some Polander All Fruit even.