Soy Free Dairy Free Cashew Cheese Ball
Party appetizers can be a minefield when you're avoiding soy, since so many store-bought dips and spreads sneak in soy lecithin or soy-based oils without much fanfare. This cashew-based cheese ball sidesteps all of that with a short, straightforward ingredient list you can actually read at a glance. Soaking the raw cashews and then blending them with nutritional yeast, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, and a touch of smoked paprika creates a surprisingly rich, tangy base that holds its shape beautifully after a couple of hours in the fridge. The real showstopper is the coating — finely chopped pecans, fresh chives, and parsley pressed all around the outside give it that classic cheese ball look with a satisfying herby crunch in every bite. It comes together in a food processor with no specialty equipment beyond that, and it can be made up to three days ahead, which makes it a genuinely stress-free option for entertaining. Serve it surrounded by crackers or sliced vegetables and watch it disappear before anything else on the table does.
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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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