Artificial Flavors Free Dairy Free Cashew Cheese Ball
Party appetizers can be a minefield when you're trying to avoid artificial flavors, since store-bought cheese balls and spreads are often loaded with natural and artificial flavor additives you'd rather skip. This version is built entirely from whole, recognizable ingredients — soaked raw cashews, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, and a handful of spices — so you know exactly what's going into every bite. The cashews get blended until impossibly smooth and creamy, delivering that rich, tangy flavor you'd expect from a classic cheese ball without any dairy or mystery ingredients. Smoked paprika and garlic powder give it real depth, while the pecan, chive, and parsley coating adds a gorgeous crunch and a pop of fresh herb flavor on the outside. It firms up beautifully in the fridge, so it slices and scoops cleanly when you're ready to serve. Pile it onto a board with crackers and sliced vegetables and watch it disappear — nobody will miss the original.
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Learn more →Ingredients
8 servings
For the cheese ball
- 2 cups raw cashews, soaked in cold water for at least 2 hours, then drained
- 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp smoked paprika
- 2–3 tbsp water, as needed
For the coating
- ¾ cup pecans, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
For serving
- crackers or sliced vegetables, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Soak the cashews in enough cold water to cover by 2 inches for at least 2 hours (or up to overnight), then drain and rinse well.
- 2
Add the drained cashews, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and smoked paprika to a food processor. Process for 3–4 minutes, scraping down the sides every minute, until the mixture is very smooth and creamy with no visible cashew pieces. Add water 1 tablespoon at a time if needed to help the mixture blend — it should be thick enough to hold a shape, not pourable.
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