This is The Best Vegan Cream Cheese Recipe! Ready in just 10 minutes with only 4 simple ingredients. Enjoy this rich, ultra-smooth, creamy spread on bagels, sandwiches, veggies, and more!
Whether it's for morning toast or a midday snack, this is a game changer. Super easy and tasty, just blend and spread! Perfect for jazzing up your meals with some plant-based goodness.
Great for any meal, from a quick breakfast to a fancy brunch, this vegan cream cheese is a delicious, healthier alternative. Try it once and it'll become a fridge staple. You're gonna love it!
Want more vegan cheese recipes? Try my Vegan Tofu Ricotta Cheese, Vegan Feta Cheese, and Vegan Cashew Cheese Recipe. Need more brunch ideas? Visit my Vegan Brunch Recipes!
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🌟 Why you'll love this recipe
- Quick and Easy: This recipe is as easy as pie! It takes just 10 minutes to whip up, so you can satisfy those cravings in no time. No fancy skills required!
- Creamy and Smooth: This cheese is seriously dreamy! It's super smooth, creamy, and spreads like a charm. It makes your snacks taste even better with its velvety texture.
- Versatile: Whether you're spreading it on a bagel, slathering it on a sandwich, or dunking veggies into it, this cream cheese does it all.
- Healthy Alternative: Packed with wholesome ingredients, it skips the dairy and artificial stuff, letting you indulge guilt-free with plant-based goodness.
- Deliciously Customizable: With this recipe, the flavor possibilities are endless. Stir in your favorite herbs, spices, or flavorings to make it uniquely yours.
🧾 Ingredient notes
Cashews: For the creamiest vegan cream cheese, opt for raw and unsalted cashews. If you only have salted ones on hand, be mindful that you may need to adjust the amount of salt in the recipe.
If cashews are not available, don't fret! You can experiment with almonds, macadamia nuts, sunflower seeds, hemp seeds, or Brazil nuts instead.
Just remember to soak your chosen nuts or seeds before blending to achieve that lusciously creamy, cheese-like consistency.
Unsweetened Non-Dairy Yogurt: Pick your favorite non-dairy yogurt to give your cream cheese that tangy kick and creamy texture.
I personally love using Soy Yogurt because it adds a nice richness.
But hey, if soy isn't your thing, no worries! You've got plenty of other options like almond yogurt, Coconut Yogurt, or Cashew Yogurt. Just make sure it's unsweetened!
Lemon Juice: Add a zesty kick with fresh lemon juice. It's the secret ingredient for that tangy flavor.
If you're out of lemons, no worries! You can use apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar instead for that same tangy taste.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
📋 Variations
- Herb-infused Spread: Add fresh herbs like chives, dill, or parsley to the mixture for a flavorful twist.
- Garlic and Herb Delight: Mix in minced garlic and your favorite herbs for a savory and aromatic spread.
- Sun-Dried Tomato and Basil Bliss: Fold in chopped sun-dried tomatoes and fresh basil leaves for a Mediterranean-inspired flavor.
- Spicy Jalapeño Treat: Incorporate diced jalapeños or a dash of hot sauce for a spicy kick.
- Maple Walnut Indulgence: Sweeten things up with a drizzle of maple syrup and a sprinkle of chopped walnuts for a delightful dessert-inspired spread.
🔪 Instructions
Step 1. Soak the cashews overnight. If you’re in a hurry, soak them in hot water for at least 1 hour.
Step 2. The day after, drain and rinse.
Step 3. Blend cashews with remaining ingredients until smooth.
Step 4. Adjust salt to taste and serve immediately.
💭 Expert tips
- Blender Speed: Start blending the mixture at a low speed, gradually increasing to high. This ensures even mixing and helps achieve a smoother consistency.
- Scrape Down the Sides: Periodically stop the blender and scrape down the sides to ensure all ingredients are evenly incorporated, resulting in a smooth and creamy texture.
- Adjust Thickness: If your cream cheese is too thick, add a splash of non-dairy milk or water. Conversely, if it's too thin, blend in additional nuts or seeds to thicken it up.
- Taste Test: Always taste your cream cheese as you go and adjust the seasonings to your preference. You can add more salt, lemon juice, or other flavorings as needed.
- Let It Set: After blending, refrigerate your cream cheese for a few hours to allow the flavors to meld and the texture to firm up. This is optional.
❓Recipe FAQs
It should stay good in the fridge for about a week, give or take a few days. Just make sure to keep it in an airtight container.
If it starts smelling funky or gets moldy, it's time to toss it. If you don't plan on using it all, consider freezing some for later!
Sure thing! You can definitely freeze it! Just store it in an airtight container or freezer bag to prevent freezer burn for up to 2 to 3 months.
Keep in mind that the texture might change slightly after freezing, but it should still be tasty! When you're ready to use it again, simply thaw it in the refrigerator overnight.
To whip up this recipe, you'll need either a blender or a food processor.
If you're aiming for a velvety smooth and creamy cream cheese, opt for the blender. It's perfect for effortlessly blending soaked cashews with the other ingredients.
On the other hand, if you prefer a cream cheese with a bit more texture, resembling a ricotta-style cheese, reach for the food processor.
It can handle blending the ingredients while leaving a slightly chunkier texture compared to the blender.
Nope, it's not the best idea!
While you could use it if it's all you have, for my Vegan Cheesecake, and also for my Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting, it's way better to go for store-bought vegan cream cheese.
This recipe is perfect for spreading on bagels or pairing with crackers and veggies. It's all about finding the right tool for the job!
You can incorporate it into your recipes in various ways!
Spread it on bagels, toast, or crackers for a tasty snack, or use it as a filling for sandwiches or wraps.
It also works great as a creamy sauce for pasta dishes or as a base for dips and spreads.
Get creative by mixing it with herbs and spices for flavorful spreads, or use it as a topping for baked potatoes or grilled vegetables.
You can even blend it into smoothies for added creaminess and protein!
🧀 More vegan cheese recipes
Did you like this recipe? Please leave a rating and comment below!
The Best Vegan Cream Cheese Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 and ½ cups raw cashews
- ½ cup unsweetened non-dairy yogurt, I used soy yogurt
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Soak the cashews overnight. If you’re in a hurry, soak them in hot water for at least 1 hour.
- The day after, drain and rinse.
- Blend cashews with remaining ingredients until smooth.
- Adjust salt to taste and serve immediately.
Notes
- Blender Speed: Start blending the mixture at a low speed, gradually increasing to high. This ensures even mixing and helps achieve a smoother consistency.
- Scrape Down the Sides: Periodically stop the blender and scrape down the sides to ensure all ingredients are evenly incorporated, resulting in a smooth and creamy texture.
- Adjust Thickness: If your cream cheese is too thick, add a splash of non-dairy milk or water. Conversely, if it's too thin, blend in additional nuts or seeds to thicken it up.
- Taste Test: Always taste your cream cheese as you go and adjust the seasonings to your preference. Remember, you can add more salt, lemon juice, or other flavorings as needed.
- Let It Set: After blending, refrigerate your cream cheese for a few hours to allow the flavors to meld and the texture to firm up. This is optional.
Gloria Dumais Sutton says
This is now my absolute favorite, go-to recipe for making delicious vegan cream cheese. I used plain flavored Silk brand yogurt for this recipe, and pink Himalayan salt…this is wonderfully flavored, and divinely easy. I am going to be experimenting with a lot of flavoring combinations in the next few weeks.
Iosune Robles says
Hi! Thanks for your kind comment 🙂
Anna says
Hi there, I used full fat coconut milk yogurt, used coffee filters since I didn't have a cheesecloth, left in the fridge overnight and no liquid dripped from it? What am I doing wrong? Should I try again and use a cheesecloth this time?
Iosune Robles says
Hi Anna! The full-fat coconut yogurt doesn't have much liquid in it. Also, I think a coffee filter is not the best choice 🙁
Tahira Akhtar says
What can I use instead of a napkin? Thank you. Is this the same as vegan Greek yoghurt?
Robert T Turner says
I use Butter Muslin
Iosune Robles says
Hi Tahira! Thanks for writing to us 🙂 A but milk bag, a cheesecloth, or even a fine-mesh strainer! I think it is not so similar to a vegan Greek yogurt.
Eugene Powers says
And few more questions.
If I used soy milk this time, can I use almond milk next time plus add soy yogurt as a starter?
Why not use salt right away in the yogurt before straining it to make cheese? Salt will melt easier and it should help to drain faster. What do you think?
Thanks
Iosune Robles says
- I have never tried to mix 2 different types of milks, sorry!
- You can try to add it before straining the yogurt to make cheese 🙂
Eugene Powers says
I did not mean mix two different types of milks. I meant adding soy yogurt to the mixture made out of almond milk as a starter.
BTW, I used very thin kitchen towel as a filter and it has been way more than 24 hours. I poured out at least 2 tbsp of water from the bottom of the jar. Yogurt got thicker but it is still an yogurt. It didn't solidify in to cheese yet. Oh well, at least the yogurt is excellent. Oh, I have a real yogurt maker too.
Eugene Powers says
I have a few questions.
I just made soy yogurt using your recipe and it came out good on the first try.
But, after using agar agar there were many small clumps, I used submersible blander and it still didn't help. And then these small clump eventually ended up on the bottom of the container. Is there a way to dilute agar agar first ?
You say to use napkin to get rid of the liquid in yogurt to make a cheese. Single layer? Or multiple napkins? You know napkin will get wet and may break.
Do you know if the liquid that is collected on the bottom of the cup contains bacteria that can be reused to make the yogurt?
Thank you in advance.
Iosune Robles says
Hi Eugene! - Why have you used agar agar? It's not necessary but to dilute it you have to mix it with a liquid and cook it to disolve.
- We use a special bag/napkin for plant-based milks-
- I'm not sure if the liquid that is collected on the bottom of the cup contains bacteria that can be reused to make the yogurt, sorry!
Eugene Powers says
I used agar agar because it is in your recipe for making soy yogurt. I did cook soy milk at 195 degrees as per instructions on the yogurt mix but agar agar did not completely dissolve even after using blander. I will try to dissolve it next time first in the small container.
Robert Turner says
This is a really nice recipe, I make it both with plain yogurt and plain with coconut yogurt (both Alpro). I usually leave to 'drain' for a couple of days.
Sometimes however I would like it a bit thicker. Could I use a thickener such as arrowroot?
Iosune Robles says
Hi Robert! I have never tried it myself so I'm not sure if it will work, sorry! Have a nice day 🙂
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.
Iosune says
Hi Dharma! I think this is a 5-star recipe, but you didn't use the right ingredients 🙂 Hope you enjoy it with soy yogurt!