Easy Vegan Cream Cheese
Ridiculously easy to make, this Vegan Cream Cheese is fabulous smeared on bagels, muffins, crackers, or celery sticks. Deliciously simple for breakfast and snacks!
Servings: 2 cups
Calories: 150kcal
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
Tips & Suggestions:
I have included step-by-step photos and directions above to ensure your first attempt will be successful.
- 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
Serving: 4tablespoons | Calories: 150kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 11g | Sodium: 36mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g