Avocado Pesto

  • Recipes
    • Vegetarian
    • Dairy Free
    • Gluten Free
    • Vegan
  • About
  • Shop
  • Contact
  • Work With Me

Socials

Home » Vegan Cream Cheese Recipe {Easy, Paleo}

Vegan Cream Cheese Recipe {Easy, Paleo}

Last Updated on April 26, 2021 By Vicky 19 Comments

Print Recipe Jump to Recipe
vegan cream cheese pin

Easy vegan cream cheese made with four key ingredients that is herb flavored with scallions and cilantro. GF, Paleo & Whole30 too. Makes for a perfect spread or dip for crackers. 

vegan cream cheese dip

I am super excited to share this easy vegan cream cheese recipe with you today!

I have actually been sharing this recipe in different ways in the past – as in incorporated into other dishes, namely my vegan ricotta stuffed zucchini ravioli over pumpkin puree with walnuts, savory pumpkin dip with rosemary cashew ricotta, and vegan zucchini rolls with herbed cashew ricotta, mint and avocado.

But I felt it was only right to dedicate a whole blog post to this vegan cream cheese itself.

vegan cream cheese in a bowl served with crackers

Since I try to strictly follow a dairy free diet for health reasons (I just feel significantly better when I do not eat dairy), finding a vegan non dairy substitute for cream cheese was high on my list.

What is vegan cream cheese made of?

Vegan cream cheese ingredients

Cashews! The main ingredient in this dairy free cream cheese is soaked and drained raw cashews.

It is simply amazing what you can do with cashews to make them taste dairy-esque. I mean if you think about it, it makes sense, cashews are a bit soft and creamy when in their raw form and soaked. You can’t exactly say the same thing about walnuts, or brazil nuts.

Unlike some other nuts cashews truly do get very soft when soaked overnight and are a bit milky almost. The key to this vegan cream cheese is to use specifically raw cashews and to soak them overnight or for a couple hours in boiling water. You really need those cashews super soft to break down properly into a creamy consistency.

Why this is the best vegan cream cheese:

  • Easy to make in a high powered blender or a food processor
  • Perfect non dairy substitute for cream cheese
  • Loved by vegans and cheese lovers alike!
  • Only 4 key ingredients: cashews, apple cider vinegar, lemons, nutritional yeast
  • Ready in minutes
  • Easy to make once a week and use in various recipes

herbed vegan cream cheese dip with crackers on a cutting board

How to make my vegan cream cheese:

Start the night before by soaking raw cashews in water. Or, if you forgot to do that, as I frequently do, no worries; boiling water to the rescue. If making the day of, simply soak your raw cashews in boiling water for an hour.

Toss the cashews in a high powered blender (I use the Wolf Gourmet) or food processor.

plain Vegan cream cheese_

Then to the cashews add lemon juice, and apple cider vinegar. These two ingredients add a bit of a sour, lemony, taste that really gets that cheese flavor going. Blend the mix on high.

Vegan cream cheese with nutritional yeast added

I then transfer the mix to a bowl and add nutritional yeast and lemon zest. You could also add this directly to the blender or food processor.

For flavoring after processing, feel free to add all types of herbs and spices. This is entirely up to you. I like a mixture of cilantro, and green onions, for an herbal cream cheese with a sharp fresh lemon kick, but you could add rosemary and sage instead or some chili peppers, cayenne powder, etc. That is entirely up to you.

For a super cheesey taste make sure to add some nutritional yeast as well. This is an ingredient I love to add to vegan recipes that need a bit of a cheesey kick. It simply is amazing what nutritional yeast can do. It’s an ingredient I always have in my pantry and is an absolute life saver in adding additional flavor to vegan recipes.

Recipe Tips:

  • Make sure you are use raw cashews – toasted ones will not work
  • Make sure to soak your cashews overnight, or for 1-2 hours in boiling water
  • Use a high powered blender or food processor. In a regular blender you will have to add a lot more liquid to get the mix to blend so it will be more liquidy than a standard cream cheese consistency.
  • Add less of the apple cider vinegar at first to taste test for desired acidity levels
  • For a thinner consistency dilute with a bit of water

How Long Does Cream Cheese Last:

  • This will keep in the fridge for 5 days

Variations:

  • For a plain cream cheese omit the scallions and cilantro
  • For other flavor combinations try adding sun dried tomatoes, rosemary, sage, roasted garlic, chili peppers, etc.
  • For a more cheesey flavor add more nutritional yeast
  • For a stronger taste mix in a tablespoon or more of high quality aromatic extra virgin olive oil (another ingredient I always have in my pantry to add that special finishing touch to my recipes)

How to use this vegan cream cheese:

Vegan cream cheese spread on toast

  • As a spread on toast or bagels
  • As a dip with my all time favorite Mary’s Gone Crackers crackers
  • As a filling for zucchini rolls
  • As a filling for vegan ravioli
  • In place of ricotta in a lasagna

The possibilities are endless. Once you have this delicious non dairy cream cheese as a base your dish is sure to be an epic success.

Even my cheese loving dad loves this non dairy cream cheese!

Now if you’re looking for where to buy vegan cream cheese, I can always find a wide selection at my local Whole Foods. My favorite store bought cream cheese brands are Kite Hill and Miyoko’s. They both are nut based while being soy and chemical free. I do urge you to take a few minutes and simply try making your own non dairy cream cheese from scratch though! It’s an easy recipe that can be made weekly and used in all sorts of savory dinner recipes for days.

Or you can just eat it as a dip with crackers as I sometimes do.

taking a bite of vegan cream cheese on a cracker

5 from 4 votes
vegan cream cheese
Print
Vegan Cream Cheese with Scallions and Cilantro {GF, Paleo}
Prep Time
10 mins
Total Time
10 mins
 
Six ingredient vegan cream cheese that is herb flavored with scallions and cilantro. GF + Paleo too. Makes for a perfect spread or dip for crackers.
Course: Appetizer, Dip
Cuisine: Vegan
Keyword: cream cheese, vegan
Servings: 12
Calories: 137 kcal
Author: Vicky
Ingredients
  • 2 cups cashews halved and soaked in water overnight, then rinsed and drained
  • 4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar add less apple cider vinegar for a less acidic cream cheese, using 1-2 tablespoons instead
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
  • 1/4 cup chopped green onions
  • 1 lemon zested
  • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • black pepper to taste
  • 1 tablespoon high quality extra virgin olive oil optional
Instructions
  1. In a food processor process cashews, apple cider vinegar and lemon juice until smooth. This will take a few minutes.
  2. Place vegan cream cheese mixture into a bowl and add cilantro, green onions, lemon zest, nutritional yeast, salt, pepper and olive oil (optional).
  3. Mix until smooth.
  4. Serve as a dip with crackers, or spread on bread.
Nutrition Facts
Vegan Cream Cheese with Scallions and Cilantro {GF, Paleo}
Amount Per Serving
Calories 137 Calories from Fat 90
% Daily Value*
Fat 10g15%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Sodium 197mg9%
Potassium 185mg5%
Carbohydrates 8g3%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 4g8%
Vitamin A 45IU1%
Vitamin C 6.8mg8%
Calcium 12mg1%
Iron 1.6mg9%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

After Post

Get Healthy Recipes Sent To Your Inbox

authorbio

How would you like to have a meal plan sent to you every Sunday to help you plan out the week and stay healthy?

And add me on social media!

« Broiled Chicken Thighs with Artichoke and Garlic
Seared Chilean Sea Bass Recipe with Asian Sauce »

Comments

  1. Casey the College Celiac says

    February 8, 2017 at 10:44 pm

    I’ll admit I’ve never been a cream cheese person, even before going dairy free…but this looks like a delicious spread!

    Reply
    • Vicky says

      February 15, 2017 at 6:52 am

      Thanks! It is the best! It is a perfect dip for crackers or just a filling for other recipes too!

      Reply
  2. annie says

    February 9, 2017 at 10:21 pm

    Yum! I always love a good savory spread. I’m new to the cashew cream world, and I’m loving every bite.

    Reply
    • Vicky says

      February 15, 2017 at 6:53 am

      Cashews are seriously incredible nuts – especially all the dairy free substitute recipes you can make with them!

      Reply
  3. Chris @thinlyspread says

    February 21, 2017 at 8:44 am

    I can think of so many recipes this would be perfect for and a bowl of it with crackers for dipping into it would be fab for my lunch!

    Reply
    • Vicky says

      February 22, 2017 at 8:12 am

      Yes this works as a great filling in lots of recipes!

      Reply
  4. Brandi Crawford says

    February 21, 2017 at 9:00 am

    I have been dying to find a way to make dairy-free cream cheese. YES! I love anything with cilantro.

    Reply
    • Vicky says

      February 22, 2017 at 8:13 am

      This is it! This is one of my favorite home made dairy free cheese recipes!

      Reply
  5. Sandhya Hariharan says

    February 21, 2017 at 9:38 am

    My daughter is huge fan of garlic and herbs cream cheese.. She can have them in her sandwiches anyday!! This sounds like a great fix when i run out the flavoured one at home.

    Reply
    • Vicky says

      February 22, 2017 at 8:13 am

      Yes definitely!

      Reply
  6. April J Harris says

    February 21, 2017 at 9:44 am

    Your Vegan Cream Cheese looks absolutely delicious. Love the scallion/cilantro combination for flavour and I was interested to learn more about how cashews can substitute so well for dairy.

    Reply
    • Vicky says

      February 22, 2017 at 8:13 am

      Thanks! Yes cashews are great as a substitute for dairy in dairy free recipes!

      Reply
  7. Erren says

    February 21, 2017 at 9:48 am

    This looks so good! I love it!

    Reply
    • Vicky says

      February 22, 2017 at 8:14 am

      Thanks!

      Reply
  8. Emily says

    February 27, 2017 at 11:38 am

    Does it matter if the cashews are salted or unsalted since they are strained and rinsed?

    Reply
    • Vicky says

      March 10, 2017 at 8:31 pm

      The cashews should be raw – normally the raw cashews I have bought have been unsalted. I am not sure if they sell salted raw cashews.

      Reply
  9. Herminia says

    March 4, 2017 at 1:23 pm

    I made this cream cheese but in my opinion it has too much acidity, the apple cider vinegar overpowers the cashews. Next time I make this I will omit the vinegar. Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply
    • Vicky says

      March 10, 2017 at 8:35 pm

      Thanks for trying my recipe. I’m sorry it was too acidic for you. The vinegar definitely adds a bit of acidity to the recipe but I’ve made this cream cheese a handful of times and find the acidity complements the cream cheese. I’ll add a note in the recipe though!

      Reply
  10. Allison says

    March 1, 2018 at 1:23 pm

    5 stars
    Wow! This looks absolutely amazing!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Featured and Popular

Quick Mexican Tuna Salad & Avocado Bowl Recipe {GF, DF}

Thai Veggie Quinoa Bowls {Gluten-Free, Vegan}

Raw Vegan Collard Wraps Recipe

Hi, I’m Vicky!

VICKY

About Avocado Pesto

I love to create unique, healthy recipes for people who want to maintain a variety of diets, like Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Vegan, Vegetarian, etc. Read more about how I can help you plan your meals!

Check out these other delicious recipes from my blog!

Chilean sea bass FG_
Chickpea Flatbread
roasted potato wedges
Avocado Chickpea Salad with vegan pesto makes for the perfect lunch recipe that is ready in minutes. Super simple 5 ingredient recipe packed full of flavor and protein. Lunch or grill day appetizers don't get easier than this!
Roasted Cauliflower Soup with Garlic - Gluten Free and Vegan
This Caribbean Fish Curry recipe is a one pot meal ready in 30 minutes that is a creamy blend of coconut milk, tomatoes, curry spices and tender red snapper. Both Gluten Free and Dairy Free.
Vegan Quinoa Power Bowls with Roasted Veggies and Avocado Sauce Gluten-Free
Vegan-Creamy-Pumpkin-Pasta-with-Sage-Recipe
Quinoa Black Bean Pumpkin Soup Recipe
Sweet Potato and Chickpea Salad Recipe
Tofu burger recipe made with sweet potatoes is the perfect healthy summer vegan lunch. Soft, and tender on the inside while lightly crispy on the outside, and full of flavor. Gluten-Free too. |avocadopesto.com
Lemon Rice makes for the perfect healthy side dish. With a flair of Indian flavors this lemon rice is made with turmeric, ginger, chili, lemon and Indian spices. Gluten Free and Vegan | avocadopesto.com
Baked pork chops make for the easiest 4 ingredient dinner ever. A classic family recipe passed down from my grandmother and the only way I ever make pork chops. Gluten Free too. You only need pork chops, onions, mayo and sharp cheddar (regular or vegan, for a dairy free recipe).
  • Dairy Free
    • Dairy Free Breakfast
    • Dairy Free Lunch
    • Dairy Free Dinner
    • Dairy Free Dessert
  • Gluten Free
    • Gluten Free Breakfast
    • Gluten Free Lunch
    • Gluten Free Dinner
    • Gluten Free Dessert
  • Recipe Index
    • Recipe Search
  • Vegan
    • Vegan Breakfast
    • Vegan Lunch
    • Vegan Dinner
    • Vegan Dessert
  • Vegetarian
    • Vegetarian Breakfast
    • Vegetarian Lunch
    • Vegetarian Dinner
    • Vegetarian Dessert
  • About Me
    • About Me
    • Contact
    • Press
    • Work With Me
  • Shop
  • Privacy Policy
  • 30 mins or less

Copyright © 2023

7584 shares
  • 23