Homemade Vegan Cream Cheese (Soy & Dairy-Free)
Make creamy, spreadable Vegan Cream Cheese athome with cashews! This healthy plant-based substitute is dairy-free, soy-free, and lactose-free. Perfect for a quick and easy snack! Schmear it on crackers, bagels, or tortillas!
Equipment
- 1 High-powered blender
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw cashews soaked and drained
- ¼ cup unsweetened almond milk or any plant-based milk
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- ½ teaspoon salt or more to taste
- 1 teaspoon dried dill (optional)
Instructions
- For the creamiest base, soak your raw cashews in hot boiling water for at least 1 hour. I like to cover the bowl – it traps the steam and helps the cashews soften up until nice and plump.
- Drain the cashews and add them to a blender with almond milk, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, and salt. Blend until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides if needed. Be patient! It might seem a bit rough at first, but keep scraping and blending until it becomes perfectly spreadable.
- Taste your cashew cream cheese and adjust seasonings as desired. You may want to add more lemon juice for tang or a pinch of extra salt for flavor. If using dried dill or other mix-ins, stir them in now. Spread it on on bagels, crackers, veggies, or anything you love!
Notes
- Store leftover cream cheese in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. For longer storage, freeze for up to 2 months.
- For the smoothest texture, stop the blender occasionally and scrape down the sides with a spoon. This helps prevent any grittiness from unblended cashews. If the mixture seems too thick, add a little more plant milk at a time until you reach your desired spreadable consistency.
- If you want to add fresh herbs finely chop them and add them after blending.
- See the post above for more flavor variation ideas.
Nutrition
Calories: 122kcalCarbohydrates: 7gProtein: 4gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gSodium: 210mgPotassium: 152mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 10IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 24mgIron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
