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Photo for Vegan Cashew Cream Cheese Recipe. A sliced and toasted homemade sourdough bagel spread with homemade vegan cashew cream cheese, topped with arugula and pickled onions and sprinkled with everything bagel seasoning sits on a green plate.
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Vegan Cashew Cream Cheese

This silky smooth cashew cream tastes so indulgent spread on a bagel, made into a flavorful dip or ultra creamy sauce. It is simple to make and the flavor possibilities are nearly endless. Included in this post are four different variations to cater to your tastes and multiple recipe ideas. Culturing the cream cheese is an optional step.
Cook Time10 minutes
Soaking Time30 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Condiment
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Non-dairy, Plant-based, Simple, Vegan, Vegan Cheese
Servings: 2 cups

Equipment

  • Blender

Ingredients

  • 2 cups Raw cashews - soaked in water for at least 4 hours or overnight. For a quicker soak - boil water first, add to raw cashews and soak for 30 minutes.
  • 2 Tbs Plain, unsweetened yogurt - use non-dairy to keep the recipe vegan. Substitute with 1.5 Tbs mild white or yellow miso paste if you do not have unsweetened yogurt.
  • 2 Tbs Coconut oil, melted You can try a different oil but it may change the flavor and texture.
  • 1 tsp Salt use only 1/2 tsp if using miso paste.
  • ½ cup Water

Instructions

  • Using raw cashews and soaking them ahead of time is essential to getting the right texture in this recipe.
  • Soak 2 cups raw cashews in water for at least 4 hours or overnight. For quick preparation, use boiling water and soak for 30 minutes.
  • Pro tip - soak the cashews in whatever dish you want to store the cream cheese in to save dishes! I use a glass Pyrex with a lid or a plastic Tupperware with a locking lid, depending on the conditions on the boat.
  • When ready to blend, drain the cashews and add half to the blender with 1/2 c water, 2 Tbs yogurt, 2 Tbs coconut oil, and 1 tsp salt. Start the blender on low and slowly add the rest of the cashews once it starts coming together. You may have to stop once or twice and scrape down the sides with a spatula.
  • If using any additional flavor variations, add those ingredients now.
  • Once all the cashews are incorporated, turn the blender to a higher setting for 20-30 seconds to get the smoothest texture.
  • Transfer to a storage container with a lid or place a clean cloth over the bowl and allow to sit at room temperature to culture for about 24 hours. If you do not wish to culture the cheese skip to step 9.
  • Culturing time will greatly depend on the ambient temperature. I find that at about 75 degrees - culturing for 24 hours will create a lovely tangy flavor and the texture becomes like a whipped cream cheese. Feel free to taste test every 6 - 12 hours until you feel like it’s ready.
  • Transfer to the fridge. The coconut oil helps the cream cheese to thicken in the fridge so try to hold off eating it for a couple hours until it has fully cooled - it's so delicious and tempting tho, I always end up eating some of it before it's fully ready!
  • Lasts up to 2 weeks in the fridge.

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