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Vegan Cream Cheese

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This delicious and creamy vegan cream cheese is made with just 2 easy to get ingredients! It’s so inexpensive and much healthier than store-bought.

A picture of a dish with a slice bagel spread with vegan cream cheese on top

Cheese is the reason many people don’t go 100% plant-based and one of the food vegans miss the most. However, making vegan cheeses at home is really easy, like this amazing vegan cream cheese.

It’s extremely easy to prepare and only requires 2 ingredients you can get at any supermarket: non-dairy yogurt and salt, that’s all!

You can make it in about 5 minutes, although you have to keep it in the fridge for at least 8 hours before eating it. However, I promise you it’s worth the wait.

This recipe is super basic, but please feel free to add any ingredients you love like nuts, seeds, spices, herbs (fresh or dried), olives, sun-dried tomatoes, pickles, or whatever you want.

In addition, this vegan cream cheese is so healthy, unless many store-bought cheeses, which are made with nasty ingredients like preservatives or refined oils.

It’s also super inexpensive and tastes so good you won’t miss the real thing. It’s also better for your health, the animals and the planet and if you use homemade yogurt, you can even make a plastic-free version of this recipe, yay!

How to make vegan cream cheese – Step by step

Step by step photos of how to make vegan cream cheese
  • Secure the napkin into the jar with the elastic band (photo 1).
  • Dump the soy yogurt in the napkin (photo 2) and allow it to drip. Let the yogurt stand in the fridge for at least 8 hours or until you get the consistency you’re looking for.
  • When it’s ready, transfer the yogurt to a bowl, add the salt (photo 3) and stir until well combined (photo 4).

Pro tips

  • Feel free to use any unsweetened non-dairy yogurt you want. Homemade and store-bought are both okay.
  • Depending on the consistency of your yogurt you may need to keep it in the fridge for a shorter or a longer period of time. It depends on how thick your yogurt is. For example, coconut yogurt is usually thicker than soy yogurt.
  • Try the cream cheese and add more salt if needed.
  • Add any extra ingredients you want, like garlic or onion powder, spices, or herbs like dried dill. 
  • The original recipe was made by adding also 1/2 tsp onion powder and 1/2 tsp dried dill, but I’ve made a simpler version this time.
A side shot of a sliced bagel spread with some vegan cream cheese

How to store vegan cream cheese

Keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for about 4-7 days, or even longer. If the cheese smells and tastes good and it hasn’t changed its appearance, you can probably eat it after those 7 days.

Vegan cream cheese can be frozen, but it will change the texture considerably, making it less creamy and more crumbly.

I prefer to use frozen vegan cream cheese in baked or cooked dishes where the change won’t be noticeable.

How to use this vegan cream cheese

It’s a delicious spread that goes well with bagels or any kind of bread. You can also use it to make pretty much any recipe that calls for regular cream cheese.

These are some of my favorite ingredients and recipes you can enjoy this delicious vegan cream cheese with:

Looking for more vegan cheese recipes?

An overhead shot of a sliced and toasted bagel spread with homemade vegan cream cheese

Did you make this vegan cream cheese recipe?

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Vegan Cream Cheese

★★★★★ 4.7 from 3 reviews
  • Author: Iosune
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: 16 1x
  • Category: How-To
  • Cuisine: Vegan, American

This delicious and creamy vegan cream cheese is made with just 2 easy to get ingredients! It’s so inexpensive and much healthier than store-bought.

A square picture of a plate with a sliced bagel spread with vegan cream cheese
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Ingredients

  • 2 cups unsweetened non-dairy yogurt (500 g), I used soy yogurt
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt

Instructions

  1. You want to discard the excess liquid from the yogurt and get a creamy and thick texture. To do this, all you need is a napkin, a butter muslin, or a piece of cloth, a jar or a cylindrical container and an elastic band. I think a cheesecloth is not the best choice, as you need a piece of cloth with a more dense fabric.
  2. Secure the napkin into the jar with the elastic band, dump the soy yogurt in the napkin and allow it to drip. 
  3. Let the yogurt stand in the fridge for at least 8 hours or until you get the consistency you’re looking for. If you want your cream cheese really dense and thick you may need 12-24 hours. Just check the consistency until it’s okay for you.
  4. When it’s ready, transfer the yogurt to a bowl, add the salt and stir until well combined.
  5. Use immediately or keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-7 days.

Notes

  • Feel free to use any unsweetened non-dairy yogurt you want. Homemade and store-bought are both okay.
  • Depending on the consistency of your yogurt you may need to keep it in the fridge for a shorter or a longer period of time. It depends on how thick your yogurt is. For example, coconut yogurt is usually thicker than soy yogurt.
  • Try the cream cheese and add more salt if needed.
  • Add any extra ingredients you want, like garlic or onion powder, spices, or herbs like dried dill. 
  • The original recipe was made by adding also 1/2 tsp onion powder and 1/2 tsp dried dill, but I’ve made a simpler version this time.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 2 tbsp
  • Calories: 16
  • Sugar: 0.3 g
  • Sodium: 77 mg
  • Fat: 0.8 g
  • Saturated Fat: 0.1 g
  • Carbohydrates: 0.9 g
  • Fiber: 0.3 g
  • Protein: 1.3 g

Update Notes: This post was originally published in January of 2017, but was republished with new photos, step by step instructions and tips in December of 2019.

About Iosune

Hey, I’m Iosune! I am a recipe developer, writer, and author of Simple Vegan Meals and Simple Vegan Smoothies CookBooks.

Find me on Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.

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  1. Dharma says

    Giving 4 stars because I can see it being good with soy yogurt, and it’s EASY. But I couldn’t find soy yogurt & made one with unflavored, unsweetened Ripple (pea protein) yogurt & one with plain coconut yogurt. I was able to bury the Ripple one with enough sun dried tomatoes, garlic, red pepper, & basil to use it, but by itself it was strangely sweet. The coconut one…well, tastes like coconut. Would work for spreading on bagels with fruit. Neither was what I was looking for. Will try again with soy yogurt.

    ★★★★

    Reply

  3. martutz says

    I’m sure this is as delicious as it looks! I’m also struggling for a healthier me, I’ve even start running with SportMe marathon training app and I can say I’m on the right track now. Nutrition is an important part of my losing weight plan, and your blog posts are a true inspiration!

    Reply

  4. Nancy Nurse says

    Oh boy, so much oil!! Oh, how I wish there was a way to make this with no oil! Oil absolutely kills my knees and my hips… any suggestions to substitute? Thanks so much… you’re amazing!

    Reply

  5. Agnes Chrismer says

    Hi, I really appreciate the recipe, buying store bought does get really expensive. My sister likes cinnamon cream cheese, how would I do that ? Do I eliminate the salt or still use it? She gets that Philadelphia stuff, I have no idea how it tastes since I’m vegan, and never ate that flavor before I was. Thank you

    Reply

  6. Nuno Dias says

    Hey,

    “½ tsp onion powder (optional)”

    Have you tried using fresh or chopped frozen onion? If doing it, how much shoud be used?

    Reply

  7. Amitty says

    Hi, I’m really bad at measurements and don’t mean to be a dummy, but does this recipe equal one block of non-vegan cream cheese? Or two?

    Reply

  10. Maggie says

    Many thanks for this recipe and for your blog. I have very recently started eating a plant based diet and am enjoying discovering a whole new selection of foods. I also live in Spain, in Andalucia. Can you tell me if you buy soy yoghurt in a supermarket and if so, which one?

    Reply

    • Iosune says

      Hi Maggie! You’re so welcome 😀 We live in Andalucia as well. We usually buy it at big supermarkets (El Corte Ingles, Carrefour) or health stores. Have a nice day!

      Reply

  13. Julia Moore says

    Hey there! I just came here to say that I tried your recipe and it is utterly delicious! Even my husband that turns his nose to vegan recipes admitted it was simply delicious! Thank you!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  15. La Kerie says

    My youngest son has an allergy to soy. What would you consider would be an alternative to make this recipe?

    Reply

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