Pork Free Dairy Free Cashew Cheese Ball
Party appetizers can be a minefield when you're avoiding pork, especially with charcuterie boards loaded with cured meats and mystery spreads. This cashew-based cheese ball sidesteps all of that with a creamy, tangy center built from soaked raw cashews blended with nutritional yeast, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, and a touch of smoked paprika. The result is genuinely rich and savory — the kind of thing guests will reach for twice before asking what's actually in it. Rolling the chilled ball in a mixture of finely chopped pecans, fresh chives, and parsley gives it a gorgeous herby crust with a satisfying crunch in every bite. It comes together entirely in a food processor, so the technique is straightforward even if you've never made a nut-based spread before. Serve it with crackers or sliced vegetables and watch it disappear from the board faster than anything else on the table.
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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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