Paraben Free Vegan Cashew Cream Cheese
Creamy, tangy, and surprisingly rich, this plant-based spread delivers everything you love about classic cream cheese — without a drop of dairy. Soaked raw cashews are the secret weapon here: blending them until completely smooth creates that luscious, spreadable texture that feels indulgent but comes entirely from whole-food ingredients. A hit of lemon juice and apple cider vinegar give it that signature tang, while refined coconut oil helps it firm up beautifully in the fridge. For anyone navigating paraben-free living, store-bought vegan cheeses and conventional dairy spreads can be a minefield of preservatives and synthetic additives — this recipe sidesteps all of that with a short, clean ingredient list you can actually read. The optional nutritional yeast adds a subtle savory depth that takes it from simple to seriously craveable. Spread it on a bagel, swirl it into a wrap, or serve it on a charcuterie board and watch it disappear.
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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.
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