Totally vegan cream cheese? Heck yeah! It's not only possible...it's delicious too! This dreamy dairy-free cashew cream cheese will make you a believer.
There was a time when nothing made me happier than a big toasted everything bagel slathered in cream cheese. So good! I never thought I'd find a vegan substitute for my old breakfast favorite.
That was all before I started stockpiling cashews in my kitchen. Cashews are pretty amazing when it comes to making vegan versions of all things dairy. Cashews can be turned into cheese balls, cheesecakes, creamy sauces, and everything in between. As luck would have it, they also worked perfectly in this vegan cream cheese recipe.
Jump to:
What You'll Need
- Raw cashews. It's important that they're raw. This means they are not roasted. Roasting brings out the nutty flavor in cashews, which we don't want here.
- Lemon juice. Please use freshly-squeezed juice! It will give your cheese the best flavor.
- Salt.
- Water. This may not be necessary, but you can add a splash if you have a hard time getting your cashews to blend up, or just want to thin your cashew cream cheese a bit.
- Add-ins. If you'd like, add in some of your favorite ingredients to make flavored cream cheese. I'm partial to chives. Other fresh herbs, strawberries, veggies, and hot peppers are some other add-ins you can try!
How to Make Vegan Cream Cheese
The following is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make cashew cream cheese. Scroll down if you'd like to skip right to the recipe!
- Place your cashews in a bowl and cover them with water. Let them soak for 4 to 8 hours. This softens them up so they blend easily!
- Rinse and drain your soaked cashews, transfer them to a blending device, and add lemon juice and salt.
- Blend until creamy! This can take a while, and the time will depend on how powerful your blender or food processor is. Be patient! Be sure to stop the machine from time to time and scrape down the inside with a rubber scraper.
- Tip: Unless you're using a small blending device, I don't recommend cutting down on the batch size. You might not be able to get it all to blend. Instead, make the full-sized batch and freeze some for later.
- If you'd like to make flavored vegan cream cheese, throw in your add-ins now.
- Pulse the machine to mix everything up. I've added some chives in the photos below.
- Taste-test your vegan cream cheese and make any adjustments you like — more salt, lemon juice, or add-ins.
- Now slather it on a bagel and dig in!
Shelf-Life & Storage
Homemade plant-based cream cheese will keep in a sealed container in the fridge for about 5 days, or in the freezer for about 3 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is!
I've had the best results using a Vitamix, which is a very powerful blender. If your blender isn't high-powered, you're better off using a food processor. I've had luck using a Cuisinart 11 cup food processor, though it didn't turn out quite as smooth as the Vitamix batches.
Maybe, but I wouldn't risk it. You're better off just following a recipe for vegan cheesecake. Try my vegan mango lime cheesecake, vegan chocolate cheesecake, raw cheesecake, or mini vegan pumpkin cheesecakes.
I don't recommend it. I've tried this before and the texture is never right. You're better off substituting a commercial vegan cream cheese. I've had luck with Daiya, Miyoko's and Kite Hill (and used the Kite Hill version to frost my vegan carrot cake).
My favorite way to eat it is on a toasted bagel, but it's also awesome on crackers or as a dip for raw veggies.
More Vegan Cheese Recipes
- Vegan Mozzarella Cheese
- Nacho Sweet Potato Cheese
- Vegan Parmesan Cheese
- Maple Dijon Vegan Cheese Ball
- Vegan Ricotta Cheese
Like this recipe? If so, please stop back and leave me a review and rating below if you try it! Also be sure to follow me on Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram, or subscribe to my newsletter for more recipes like this one!
Easy Vegan Cream Cheese
Ingredients
- 2 cups raw cashews, soaked in water 4-8 hours, drained and rinsed
- 1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice, plus more to taste (up to 3 tablespoons total)
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- Stir-ins of choice, such as chives, roasted garlic, veggies, strawberries, sun-dried tomatoes, or roasted red peppers
Instructions
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Place the cashews, 1 ½ tablespoon of lemon juice, and salt into the bowl of a food processor.
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Blend until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add a tablespoon or two of water to thin the mixture as needed.
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Taste test and add additional salt and/or lemon juice if you like.
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Add any stir-ins to the food processor and pulse until finely chopped and well blended.
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Serve immediately or store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Alicia@ eco friendly homemaking says
Oh I am so excited to try this! We have been looking for an alternative to cream cheese, Thanks!!
Alissa Saenz says
Wonderful! Cream cheese is a tough one to give up. I think you will really enjoy this version!
Jeanette Murphy says
Hi! When you add chives and garlic, how much of each do you add?
Alissa Saenz says
I do a clove of garlic and somewhere in the range of 1/4 to 1/3 cup of chives. Enjoy!
Patricia Baughman says
Delicious! So wonderful that we can make such good things with cashews. I also like your vegan Parmesan made with cashews and nutritional yeast.
Anonymous says
I love your cream cheese. I made some minor alterations though. Instead of the oil I used 1/4 cup of plain almond yogurt. I also used less lemon juice. It tastes so good that I dug out my driveway (three inches of snow overnight) and picked up some bagels at Einstein's!
Kami Bonafede says
What oil??? I don't see it here??
Melliforte says
Happily, it appears oil is no longer part of the recipe.
Alissa Saenz says
Thank you! The almond yogurt variation sounds very interesting - I never even thought about using yogurt. I bet it makes it really nice and creamy. I'll have to keep that in mind for next time!
Sharon says
Did i miss oil in the recipe?
Alissa Saenz says
You didn't! This is an old one that I updated, and when I did I simplified the recipe. No oil needed. :)
Amy says
I'm excited about trying this vegan cream cheese recipe. But lemon juice bothers my mouth. Is there a substitute I can use? Thanks.
Alissa Saenz says
You could try vinegar. White wine vinegar would probably be nice if you've got it. I'd add it to taste, just a bit a time as the amount needed might be a bit different.
Sharon says
I don't know how to leave feedback for writer but totally amazed love it thank u so very much xx
Kate says
Have you made a cashew cream sauce to replace alfredo sauce? I resisted for a long time because all the recipes I saw had a long soak time (overnight, anyway. That's way advanced planning for me). I finally came across one that didn't, recreated it, and loved it.
My point here, I guess, is I'm wondering whether you think the long soak time is critical?
Alissa Saenz says
I've actually never tried any cashew cream based recipes without soaking, because every one I've ever come across does require soaking. I've also always thought that it depends on what type of food processor/blender you're using (basic Hamilton Beech food processor here). Thanks for the link to your recipe. It sounds delicious and I'll definitely try it out. If I can do alfredo sauce without soaking I can't see why cream cheese wouldn't work as well. I'll try to post an update on my findings!
Jennifer says
I rarely soak my cashews for recipes with no issues, but that being said I have a Cuisinart food processor and a Cleanblend (Vitamix look-a-like) blender. I can't wait to try this cream cheese recipe. I miss cream cheese and cheat occasionally because I love it so much and my neighborhood store is often out of the Better Than Cream Cheese. Let's not forget how expensive those little tubs are.
Alissa Saenz says
Yeah, it really depends on the blending device! I might be able to get away without soaking using my Cuisinart, but not with my cheaper mini food processor. :) I hope you enjoy this!
Stephanie in CA says
Thanks for the recipe
. Found you through Pinterest. Clean ingredients, and comes together quickly. 🌸
Alissa Saenz says
I'm glad you like it!
Anonymous says
Soaking softens them, making them easier to process.
Anonymous says
I've read that boiling them for an hour will have the same result as overnight soaking.
anna says
Boiling them will kill all the beneficial enzymes and lots of nutrients we may not even know about. Soak those nuts!
Tired of Crazy Talk says
LOL "kill all the beneficial enzymes". I didn't realize enzymes were living. Killing Nutrients??? Really??? It would be interesting to know what your definition of nutrients are? You sound like one of those Google Doctors. Maybe I'll have to re-read my grade 8 biology textbook.
Hmmm.... I wonder if enzymes and nutrients are affected by acid?
Jacqueline Schaeffer says
Totally unnecessary comment. Biologist here. Enzymes are protein. Protein becomes denatured when heat is applied. In science terms, enzymes can be heat inactivated. Nutrients are also impacted by heat. Not a very neighborly comment.
MissAnthropic says
You should definitely go back and read your middle school biology book if you didn't know that was a thing. While you're at it, brush up on your etiquette too. You're failing in all aspects of your snarky comment. Your teachers and parents would be very disappointed.
Meghan says
You can also boil the cashews for 10 minutes
Amber says
I have made cashew cheese with unsoaked cashews before, but it always comes out with little pieces of cashews that don't process all the way. It's ok if you want something like ricotta, but not so great for a creamy filling. But usually when I do it they soak for maybe three hours, or I put them in hot water for about 20-30 minutes. It works fine
CC says
if you use a vitamix blender, soaking the cashews is not a critical issue. My cashew creams and cheeses always turn out super smooth
Dan says
Without soaking, I made this recipe in a Blendtec blender by adding 1/4 cup water. This was the minimum amount of water to make a thick creamy paste. I used the lowest speed setting.
Annie V. says
Hi Alissa! How long do you estimate that this would keep in the fridge? Providing I don't scarf it all down at once, that is. ;)
Thanks -- just found your blog today and looking forward to going back through the archives!
Alissa Saenz says
Hi Annie! The longest I've kept this around is about four days and it held up just fine. I'd have to guess and say about one week max, based on my experience with the shelf life of cashew milk. If you're unsure I think the smell test should tell you if it's still good, as this is always a good indication with nut milks.
Thanks so much for checking out the blog - hope you enjoy everything!!
Linda Brodie says
I saved some in the fridge for two weeks...still delicious.
Alissa Saenz says
Yay!! Glad it held up and glad to hear you enjoyed it!
Annie V. says
Thank you for that helpful response! Will have to give it a shot this weekend :)
Anonymous says
You can easily find recipes for raw vegan onion bread (which is easier with a dehydrator, but can be done in the oven). It's wonderful (and healthy) with cashew cream cheese!
Alissa Saenz says
I like that idea a lot. I actually just got a dehydrator recently but haven't had much chance to play around with it yet. Might make that my first project with it :)
luminousvegans says
Gorgeous! Nothing gets me going more than a big vat of creamy cashew cheese. It almost seems like there's nothing that cashews can't do!
Alissa Saenz says
Thank you!!! And totally agreed - cashews have quickly become one of my favorite ingredients to play around in the kitchen with!
Anonymous says
I cannot eat canola oil..can olive or grape seed oil be used instead?
Alissa Saenz says
Absolutely! I picked canola because of its accessibility and neutral flavor, but you could sub lots of different oils in this recipe. In your case I'd say grape seed is probably the better choice because the flavor is milder than olive.
Snowhawk says
Indeed, soaking is actually critical to all nuts AND beans. They each contain an enzyme inhibitor (which orevents them from sprouting in less than ideal growing environments).
This enzyme inhibitor is known to cause intestinal leakage ("leaky gut" syndrome) which leads to symptoms such as gas and cramps . And inhibits some nutrient absorption. If u luv beans/nuts and not the gas/cramps ... soak them overnight THEN cook or redry (the nuts redry) and see the difference).
Anonymous says
Can you leave the oil out all together?
Alissa Saenz says
You could, but before I added the oil it was a bit thick and grainy for my taste. I'd say give it a shot without the oil, see what you think, and then add the oil if you think it needs some thinning/smoothing out.
Anonymous says
You can grind the cashews in a seed/coffee grinder then blend with your liquid. That way you don't have to soak before hand.
Anita says
You can use olive oil, but if you are trying to avoid the olive oil flavor, I recommend walnut oil or avocado oil. You may want to do more research on grape seed oil can lead to inflammation due to the ratio of omegas. In the past, I experienced inflammation with grape seed oil first hand and it was not pretty. :0 For cashew creams (to make cream based soups), you don't need to add oil at all. Also, I recommend soaking nuts for health reasons. Some blenders can easily hands unsoaked nuts, but we soak them for the health benefits.
dansmonbedon says
I'm hungry now. ;)
Alissa Saenz says
Then my job is done! Thank you and enjoy :)
Super Lonche says
Thanks!
I'm tryibg to find unexpensive, common ingredients I can find in a market around the world, the more unprocessed the better.
- Why canola and not olive oil?
- Any substitute for cashews? Almonds, palm hearts, toffu, garbanzos, other beans?
- What's the use of yeast flakes? How can we substitute it?
Thanks!
Alissa Saenz says
You're welcome!
I used canola oil because the flavor is pretty neutral. You could go with olive oil but it might change the flavor a bit.
As far as the cashews are concerned, I can't really suggest any substitutions without doing some further recipe development. Cashews work well because they have a neutral flavor and blend up nice and creamy.
The nutritional yeast flakes give the recipe a cheesy flavor. Cream cheese is generally pretty mild, so I only used a tiny bit here. For that reason, you could probably get away with omitting this ingredient, but your batch might turn out a little bland. If you want to try kicking up the flavor with other ingredients maybe add a pinch or two of onion or garlic powder - totally different flavors, but still pretty tasty.
Any significant deviation from the recipe is probably going to require some trial and error. Good luck if you give it a shot, and I hope my responses are helpful!
Marilyn says
This is really good, thank you so much! I'm having this on a KinnickKinnick GF bagel right now with coffee (with coconut milk) and it's quite realistic. I haven't had a bagel and cream cheese in so long it's not funny. What I really like about this is it's so quick as long as you've soaked the cashews. I soaked them yesterday, drained and refrigerated them overnight, then made this with my stick blender this morning. I added granulated garlic and dill, and I accidentally dumped in the nutritional yeast, but it's still really good. I also eyeballed everything. I will definitely make this again.
Marilyn says
I used about a tsp of ghee instead of canola oil, btw.
Alissa Saenz says
Thank you so much for sharing your results! Garlic and dill sounds like a delicious way to flavor this - I'm going to have to remember that for next time. Good to know that ghee works as well, as I've had a few people asking about substitutions for the canola oil. So glad you enjoyed this!
Bob Boyd says
Keep in mind, if you use ghee, which is clarified butter, the recipe is no longer vegan, but still much better for you than regular cream cheese.
Alissa Saenz says
Absolutely - and thank you for pointing that out! Probably a good substitute for non-vegans just looking to cut back on dairy.
Unknown says
I am so excited to find this substitute for dairy cream cheese because my husband has developed allergies to all dairy and eggs so it really had decreased our food options!
Alissa Saenz says
I'm sorry to hear about your husband's allergies but glad that this recipe can be of some help! I hope you both enjoy it!!
Jonna Minäkäs says
Hi!
Sounds delicious, unfortunately, I'm allergic to cashews :((
Let us know, if you ever think of any substitute for that :)
Alissa Saenz says
Thank you, and I'm sorry to hear that you're allergic! I'm planning on doing lots more experimentation with vegan cheeses and will definitely post if I'm able to come up with a recipe using something other than cashews!
Nancy says
Is there a vegan form of ghee?
Alissa Saenz says
Ghee is butter that has been clarified by simmering. As far as I know, this reaction is unique to butter. (If anyone knows different, please let me know!)
Laura K says
red palm oil seems very similar to ghee; stays solid (but soft) at room temperature
Anonymous says
I recently made something similar and it was exceptional. Unlike dairy products this is hearty and fulfilling. It was made with basic ingredients including garlic, lemon juice, sea salt and some black pepper. Came out wonderfully.
Alissa Saenz says
Yes! I love how satisfying this is, without being heavy like dairy!
Leslie Austin says
This sounds great as a spread, but can you bake with it, as in a cheesecake recipe?
Alissa Saenz says
You probably could, but I'm not sure if directly subbing this for cream cheese in any cheesecake recipe would work (I just made a note to give that a shot though). To be on the safe side, you're better off following a recipe that was developed around using raw cashews. I have a very one you could try out: https://www.connoisseurusveg.com/vegan-cheesecake-mango-lime-topping/
Shelly L. says
Hey Alissa!
I've tried Cashew Cream Cheese at one of my favorite vegan restaurants and wanted to try to make it myself. Just as a FYI, I just tried this exact recipe in my short Vitamix 750 blender and it didn't have enough ingredients inside of the blender for it to really blend so it ended up being super duper chunky. So just as a warning to you Vitamix users with short containers, be sure to double the recipe or this really won't blend =/
Will have to soak 2x the cashews next time and give this another try. Thanks for posting!
Alissa Saenz says
Hi Shelly! Thank you! I've been using the food processor function of a Ninja to make this, and the bowl is rather small so I didn't even think of that being a problem. I appreciate your feedback and I just updated the post to include a note on batch size, so hopefully this doesn't happen to anyone else. Thanks again!
Kitty's Garden says
I soaked for about 2 hours, doubled the batch and used my handheld blender and substituted canola with coconut oil, added water to smooth it out…. no yeast…. YUM!… can't wait to try it in my wraps for lunch… and add different flavours! THANKYOU for such an easy recipe to introduce me to nut cream :))
Alissa Saenz says
Yay! You're welcome and I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing your results - the two hour soak time is good to know. I've had a few people comment/ask about shorter soak times but I've yet to do any experimenting with it myself.
betsy shipley says
I have been making the sun dried tomato/basil cream cheese from Miyoko Schinner's book: Artisan vegan cheese. The last time I made it, I added some finely chopped black olives which were a hit! Today I will be making another version of this since her recipe calls for rejuvelac and I don't feel like waiting several days for the grains to sprout and then for the liquid to ferment.
betsy shipley
Alissa Saenz says
I love the rejuvelac cheeses too, but yes, they can be time consuming. I hope you enjoy your take on this recipe!
Anne says
just made this for a dinner party. Using it for the filling in spinach and cheese puff pastry roll ups. Will sprinkle the top with vegan Parmesan. It is delicious. My husband taste tested it and loved this. Thanks!
Alissa Saenz says
Thanks Anne! I'm glad you like it - and puff pastry roll ups sound like an awesome use for this!
Becky Hayes says
I've been collecting recipes for homemade seed/nut crackers, and found a bunch on Pinterest AND on http://www.rebootwithjoe.com (Reboot With Joe -- Joe Cross's website mainly dealing with juice fasting for health, cleansing, and eating right for health). Crackers and cream cheese are two of my favorite things, so I will be trying this recipe as soon as I get home today. I've also found the recipes on Pinterest for things like cauliflower tortillas and pizza crust are really good. In fact I made a pizza and used Kefir cream cheese as the foundation of my toppings. The recipe titled Cheesy Cauliflower Breadsticks is especially yummy. Give it a shot! Thanks for sharing!
Cat says
I've made this several times now and it is is stellar! I add some minced onion for some batches and sometimes roasted red peppers. I'm going to try sundried tomatoes next time. I absolutely adore this stuff - it's like creamy cashew crack! Thank you so much!
Alissa Saenz says
Awesome! I make it pretty often too, and I keep finding new recipes to use it in. Glad you like it. Thanks for letting me know! :)
suzie says
I just found your blog and was thrilled with your cream cheese recipe. I have one question for you, do you think I could use this recipe of cream cheese to make and bake a cheesecake.
Thank-you,
Suzie
Alissa Saenz says
Glad you like it! I'm not sure if this would work in a cheesecake or not. One of these days I hope to getting around to trying it, but for now you're probably better off just working with a vegan cheesecake recipe. I have one here if you'd like to check it out. This version has a mango topping, but you could really use whatever you like on cheesecake. :)
suzie says
Thank-you so much for getting back to me. I will try the cheesecake recipe you have guided me to, but I will also wait and see what you come up with. No pressure!!!! Grin
shapingyourhealth says
This looks great! What food processor would you recommend?
Alissa Saenz says
Thank you! For small batch stuff like this I like the Ninja. It's pretty cheap, powerful, and small so everything gets well mixed.
Silvia says
Thank you very much for sharing this recipe Allisa, have made it this evening but I must have used some super lemon as it came out with a bit too strong flavour :(
As I have made double portion I used chilli and coriander in one half and spring onion with a bit of sweet paprika in other. That helped to mask the lemony overtake a bit. I loved it on some dehydrated crackers I made the other evening. Thank you again for this and all other amazing recipes on your site.
Alissa Saenz says
Ah! The amount of lemon is definitely a taste thing. The spices sound like a good call! :) One other thing you could do is soak up some more cashews and blend them in - and if you end up with a huge batch you can stick some in the freezer!
Sara says
this is the best dairy free cream cheese I've tasted and ever made! Going on my homemade honey whole wheat bagel tomorrow morning! Thank you so much for the recipe!
Alissa Saenz says
Glad to hear it! Thank you so much Sara!
cori says
I am excited to make this tomorrow with the smoky portobellos! I make and love a lot of your recipes, and I have a kind of general question for you. Do you always use freshly squeezed lemon juice or do you get a jar of it? Lemons have been crazy expensive around me lately and I wonder if you think the taste will suffer too much if I use the jar of lemon juice. I found a nice bottle of it, cold pressed organic, not from concentrate.
Thanks as always for sharing your wonderful food and ideas.
Alissa Saenz says
I usually go with fresh lemon juice, but I think jarred or bottled would be just fine. Every now and then I use bottled lime juice because my supermarket doesn't always have the best limes, and I've never had a problem. :) I hope you enjoy the sandwiches! Thanks Cori!
Kristen Leroux says
Made this just before Christmas (used bottled lemon juice, btw) and added dill, garlic, etc., and it was a huge, huge hit, with omnivores and vegans alike! Just made another batch today, plain, no extra flavours. Beautiful just as it is, and super simple to make. Thank you so much, keep the easy, delicious recipes coming!
CheyAnne L. says
Just finished making this, and it tastes pretty good! I did less lemon juice and more oil (olive). I thought it tasted a bit pasty so I also added a couple tablespoons of oat milk to thin it out. I then added oregano, onion powder, and garlic powder! Looking forward to eating some veggies with this!
Alissa Saenz says
Those sound like delicious additions! Glad you're enjoying it!
Maria says
OMG i am in love with is vashew spread!!! Love it i use olive oik instead of canaola oil and inadd i littke little water, amazing !!! Thank yiu for sharing
Alissa Saenz says
Yay! Glad you're enjoying it!
Amber says
I am looking at this to replace a cream cheese filling in baking. Would you recommend using it as the filter itself or directly substituting it for the cream cheese? I have made cashew cheesecake before, although it used maple and vanilla to sweeten it. But I'm not sure about adding the eggs in with it. I avoid milk due to a good allergy, but can still eat eggs.
Amber says
Filling, not filter
Alissa Saenz says
Hmmm...I haven't used this in cheesecake and I don't cook with eggs so I'm really not sure how to go about it or if it would even work at all! Sorry! I do have a bunch of vegan cheesecake recipes on this site that you could try (this is a favorite: https://www.connoisseurusveg.com/caramel-apple-vegan-no-bake-cheesecake/).
Laurie says
I avoid Dairy, Oils and Processed foods. What do you think would be a good Oil Replacer?
Alissa Saenz says
I think a splash of water or non-dairy milk would work. :)
Christine says
So,this looks really good and easy, but I am confused. I have seen comments about omitting the oil, but I don't see oil in the recipe or video. Am I missing something?
Alissa Saenz says
I recently revised this post and simplified the recipe, so the oil is no longer included. I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
Laura Lander says
Hi Alissa, I made this recipe last year and absolutely loved it! Recently, I started to get a craving for this cream cheese again but saw the recipe is not the same as before! Is there a possibility that you still have the old recipe as I loved it so much and I don't seem to get the consistency and taste right on this new one..
Alissa Saenz says
Sending you an email!
Diane says
New to this site & due to cholesterol issues am trying to go to a vegan diet. Is there recipes such as spanakopita, pasta dishes... using the cashew cream cheese?
Alissa Saenz says
I have a couple of recipes on this site that specifically call for this cream cheese (sushi: https://www.connoisseurusveg.com/vegan-cream-cheese-and-veggie-sushi/ and stuffed mushrooms: https://www.connoisseurusveg.com/tempeh-bacon-stuffed-mushrooms/) as well as a whole bunch that use blended up cashews the same way (like this: https://www.connoisseurusveg.com/vegan-mushroom-stroganoff/). If you do a search for "cashews" in the side bar you should find a whole bunch. :)
Tina says
I have made a few different recipes for cashew cream cheez. This is the best one I’ve found! And so simple! I blended in some sun dried tomatoes and basil. Yum!
Alissa Saenz says
Yay!! I'm so happy to hear that!! Thanks Tina!
Alicia says
Can I use a Vitamix blender to make the cream cheese versus a food processor?
Alissa Saenz says
Yup! You might just want to double the batch size to make sure you've got enough material to blend up. :)
Anonymous says
It's wonderful. What type of food processor would you recommend? The food processor we saw before could provide the function with Chop and Grind only. We are not sure if it can work for this recipe as it needs to be blended. Thank you
Alissa Saenz says
Thank you! I use a Cuisinart 11 cup food processor, and I've also used a Hamilton Beech (I think it was the 8 or 10 cup, and the cheapest one you can buy), both with good results!
Anne says
This is so tasty! I added red onions, chives and sun dried tomatoes. Lunch just got much better. I'll have it on toast topped with roasted tomato slices.
Alissa Saenz says
Sounds delicious! Glad you're enjoying it!
Holly Gillum says
I have a question about raw cashews. I've been told they are toxic in their raw form, with the same toxin found in poison ivy. Being HIGHLY allergic to poison ivy, and having just gone to whole foods/plant based, I'm still experimenting with vegan recipes. I've ordered raw cashews, but now I'm afraid to try them. I've seen where raw are actually steamed, but I'm curious as to whether others have reactions to them. I had to order from Amazon and I can't find whether my particular brand of cashews have been "lightly" processed or not. I drink cashew milk with no issues. Help! I don't want to make myself sick this weekend trying new recipes!
Alissa Saenz says
Hmmm...that's the first I've heard of this, but I did a quick google search and it sounds like raw cashews aren't actually raw: https://www.fooducate.com/app#!page=post&id=57A35A5E-CDBF-4922-422B-B9AC8B57DF84 I had no idea! If you're still nervous I'd just make sure to buy them from a reputable seller. I usually get mine at Trader Joe's and have never gotten sick. :)
Denise says
I have a recipe that could
Be vegan but contains cream cheese. Would this work
In place of cream cheese in a soup?
Alissa Saenz says
I've never used it in a soup, but I don't see why not!
Deesha says
Hi can I add lime juice instead of lemon? Does it change the flavour much?
Alissa Saenz says
It probably will change the flavor a bit, but I think it'll still taste good!
Deesha says
Thanks! I added lime but you’re right the flavour changed. It was too tangy. I’ll try with a lemon this time.
Koneko says
I use olive instead of canola oil and I think it's okay..
Keiko says
I would make this !
Looks so easy to make and delicious
Alissa Saenz says
Thanks! I hope you do, and enjoy it!
Andrea D Wiener says
a delicious vegan cream cheese recipe for anybody who loves cream cheese - easy to make!
Alissa Saenz says
I'm glad you think so! Thank Andrea!
Liese says
A great way to avoid buying those annoying plastic containers and still have a treat! Now off to find my bagel recipe.
Wendy says
I thought you weren't supposed to eat raw cashews, that they would make you sick. I'm confused.
Alissa Saenz says
The raw cashews you buy at the store are heat treated to remove any urushiol. You can read about it here: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/are-cashews-poisonous#harvesting-processing
Maureen says
I Just Made This Cream Cheese This Morning. I Added Lots Of Raisins To Mine
Absolutely Delicious! 😋
Next Time I ll Make Veggie Cream Cheese
Thanks So Much For This Recipe
Riann says
I am not vegan, but decreasing dairy and animal products significantly. This cream cheese is delicious and hit the spot with my avocado toast!
sueko says
The basic recipe is very good. There are so many ways to tweak it, too. I added 4 heads of toasted garlic and it was a little bitter, but that had to be from the garlic. The cheese is very very creamy and is a delightful canvas for those of us who like to play with our food. My next try will be fresh dill and lemon zest. Soooo good.
Sue says
Reading the comments it looks like tjer have been some changes to the recipe? I used cashews, lemon juice, and salt, and I got a big batch of creamy cashew "butter"... very yummy but not doesnt taste like cream cheese. Did I miss the oil and/or nutritional yeast? Any other ingredients?