Low Iodine Vegan Cashew Cream Cheese
Creamy, tangy, and surprisingly rich, this plant-based spread delivers everything you love about cream cheese without a drop of dairy. For anyone navigating a low-iodine eating plan, conventional cream cheese and most dairy products are off the table — which makes a cashew-based alternative like this one genuinely exciting. Raw cashews, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, and refined coconut oil come together in a blender to create a texture that's thick, smooth, and totally spreadable. The long soak is the secret: giving the cashews time to plump up means the final blend turns out silky rather than grainy. A touch of onion powder and optional nutritional yeast add savory depth that makes this taste far more complex than its short ingredient list suggests. Chill it for an hour and it firms up beautifully, ready to slather on crackers, bagels, or whatever you're craving. It keeps well in the fridge, so making a batch ahead of time is absolutely worth it.
About FigFig is a food discovery app that helps you find foods and recipes that fit your dietary needs. Whether you have food allergies, intolerances, or follow a specific diet, Fig makes it easy to eat with confidence.
Learn more →Ingredients
8 servings
- 1 ½ cups raw cashews
- 3 tbsp lemon juice (from about 1 large lemon)
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp refined coconut oil, melted
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp onion powder
- 2–4 tbsp cold water, as needed
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Place the cashews in a bowl and cover with cold water by at least 2 inches. Soak for at least 4 hours at room temperature, or overnight in the refrigerator, until the cashews are plump and noticeably softened.
- 2
Drain and rinse the soaked cashews under cold running water.
Want the full recipe?
Create a Fig account for step-by-step instructions, access to our full recipe library, and more!