Vegan Cream Cheese

Name: Vegan Cream Cheese
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Yield: 16
Cuisine: Vegan
Ingredients: 2 cups unsweetened non-dairy yogurt (500 g), I used soy yogurt; 1/2 tsp sea salt

by Iosune - Published December 29, 2019 - Updated January 17, 2020

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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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